Outreach

Support for the Arts

Frank Collymore Hall

The Frank Collymore Hall today describes itself as "where  the  spirit of  excellence lives on".

Since its opening  in 1986, this cultural arm of the  Central Bank of Barbados and a gift to  the people of Barbados has symbolized  elegance, refinement and good taste  in its  operations as well as  in the presentations  that  have  crossed  its stage.
Located in the heart of  the  bustling capital city of Bridgetown, this performance  arts facility is named for  the  celebrated “Man  of  the Arts” , Frank Appleton Collymore (1893-1980)- poet , actor, and  teacher- who  devoted his  life to assisting  and encouraging  the development  of  the various   art forms in  Barbados.

The 500-seat Hall  is  used for musical recitals, dance, dramatic presentations, conferences and lectures, and is also  the home of  the National  Independence Festival of Creative Arts, which every year showcases the best of cultural talents of  the country’s school age population.

Frank Collymore Literary Endowment

The Frank Collymore Literary Endowment was established by the Central Bank of Barbados to accomplish a twofold aim.  It is, firstly, to honour the memory of Frank Appleton Collymore (1893-1980), a cornerstone of Barbados' literary heritage and secondly, to promote his legacy by recognising, supporting and rewarding today's literary talent. 

Providing support for writers was a role that Frank Collymore performed in his own time single-handedly, driven only by his love of the arts, and his belief in the literary potential of the region at a time when literature still meant the English classics.  It is a measure of his inspiring example that no less an institution than the Central Bank of Barbados should choose to put its weight behind the project he began over half a century ago.  Both the literary Endowment and the Frank Collymore Hall, as a venue for distinguished public speakers and cultural events, testify to the importance that the Bank attaches to Collymore's legacy and to the arts in general.

Aims of the Endowment

The Frank Collymore Literary Endowment has been established to assist in promoting the literary arts in Barbados.
A Committee exists to identify what contribution the Endowment can most usefully make to the literary life of the island, to administer the annual Frank Collymore Literary Award and to read and judge the entries.  The Committee consists of individuals in fields ranging from education to entertainment to journalism, and includes practising writers and literary critics.  They have been selected not only on the basis of their commitment to the ideals set by Collymore, but also for their ability to look forward and to respond to a changing social climate. The Committee recognises that writing is one of the most important ways in which a people represents itself, to itself and to the world at large.  In time, the writing being produced now may come to be seen as significant as that of the pre-independence era.  The Committee sees assisting in the emergence of a new generation of writers for the 21st century as an essential aspect of its role.

To accomplish this aim, the Committee's first duty is to set high standards in the judging process, while recognising that unpublished work will not have had the benefit of feedback from many readers.  Part of the Committee's task, therefore, is to recognise and encourage potential, while evaluating and rewarding work which could hold its own in any literary arena.  It is hoped that by entering for the award, writers, even if they do not win prizes immediately, will be encouraged to persevere, to acquire new skills, to learn and to try again.  It is in this spirit of constructive competition that writers are invited to submit their work in one or more of the categories. Winners receive cash prizes and are expected to put their work forward for publication. with the help of the Committee.

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Crop Over Visual Arts Exhibition

This exhibition, staged in collaboration with the National Cultural Foundation, provides a forum for young and experienced artists to display their works during the busy Crop Over Season. Held at the Grande Salle,  Tom Adams Financial  Centre, the month-long exhibition features exhibits of fine craft, fine arts and photography.

Youth Steelpan Development (Pan in the Plaza)

The Pan in the Plaza is a collaborative effort between the Central Bank of Barbados and the Barbados Association of Steelpan Teachers to support the development of steelpan music as a cultural, social and economic option in Barbados.

The Pan in the Plaza comprises three (3) aspects: (1) an intensive two-week training camp during the summer holiday for students between the ages of nine (9) years old and fourteen (14), in the rudiments of steelpan music; (2) the showcasing of the talents acquired in the camps in the form of an extravaganza in the Cathedral Plaza; and (3) the identification of a cadre of young professional players to be part of a National Steel Orchestra. 

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