St Kitts Department of Culture Provides Internship Opportunity in Broadcast Industry

As the need to provide more jobs for the increased number of young adults in the Federation of St. Kitts-Nevis graduating and entering the work force, Research & Documentation Specialist Marlene Phillips in St. Kitts Department of Culture created an Internship opportunity for trainees of the “Research & Documentation Itpreneurship Workshop - funded by the Organization of American States", executed by the National Skills Training Programme in collaboration with St. Kitts Department of Culture.  Since 2001 St. Kitts Department of Culture created a TV program named "Culture Beat" to showcase a series of heritage awareness documentaries created to sensitize the public about the importance of preserving our culture and heritage.  It has developed into "Culture Beat SKN TV", www.culturebeat.blip.tvwhich continues to provide informative content about St. Kitts-Nevis Culture, Visual Arts, Music Industry, Dance Movement, Culinary Arts and Society in general www.culturebeat.blip.tv .  To date the program has nineteen documentaries in its archives, five of which were produced by students in the "Research & Documentation Workshop -Itpreneurship".

Some of these students who received Video Camera Training were able to use their skills and receive practical experience at "St. Kitts Music Festival 2010" celebrating its 14th year.  St. Kitts Department of Culture offered the young adults interested in developing careers in the Broadcast/Digital Media Industry. (eg. Videographers, Photographers, Tv/Film Producers, Hosts/ Interviewers/ Mc’s, Script Writers, Editors etc…) an opportunity to work with "Culture Beat - SKN TV" to document fringe activities and events taking place at the music festival.  St. Kitts Music Festival Committee partnered with St. Kitts Department of Culture and showed their full support of the initiative to invest in the career development of St. Kitts-Nevis aspiring young adults.www.facebook.com/pages/Basseterre-Saint-Kitts-and-Nevis/St-Kitts-Department-of-Culture/117273781646746?_

St. Kitts Department of Culture also partnered with ICT4EDC who provided support to "Culture Beat SKN TV" through sponsorship. "The ICT4EDC Project, funded by the European Union aims to promote the productive application of ICT in Government, Business processes, and by all Citizens.  It will address the ICT skills shortage in the society through ICT and e-business skills development, competence audits and subsequent skills upgrading and training.  This will lead to the improvement of ICT Education, further diversification of business activities and improve competitiveness and employment capacity of the tourism, music, media, ICT Services Industry, other productive sectors and most importantly, the culture and creative industry in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis".

    

HEARTBEAT 2010 WAS A SUCCESS!

The goal of Heartbeat 2010 is to sensitize people about some of the issues that affect children and to show how the musical art-form of drumming can help our children to deal with some of their challenges.  The department of Culture presents it annual drumming recital entitled “Heartbeat 2010”.  A variety of drumming styles will be showcased by students from primary schools; Beach Allen, Irish Town, Tucker Clark, Dr. William Connor, Dean Glasford and Special Education Unit.  Also performances by the National Youth Drum Corp, Okolo Tegremantine Drummers and other drumming groups.

 Inquires: Royd Phipps, Drumming Specialist (869) 467-1388

SYDNEY BARTLEY, DIRECTOR OF CULTURE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, YOUTH & CULTURE WILL ASSIST THE PROCESS OF CREATING A NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY FOR ST. KITTS AND NEVIS

In February 2010 Ms. Himalchuli Gurung - Program Specialist for Culture UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office met with Antonio maynard-St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO, Sharon Rattan-Permanent Secreatary for Department of Culture and Creighton Pencheon-Director of Culture to share the great news that the UNESCO Participation Program is in full support of funding the establishment of a Cultural Policy for St. Kitts and Nevis.

The first step involved contracting consultant Sydney Bartley Director of Culture-Ministry of Education, Youth & Culture Jamaica to facilitate the process. Selected for his tremendous wealth of experience in the progressive development of Culture and policy in the Creative Industry. The next step is the first of many consultations with artists, musicians, and cultural practitioners in St. Kitts and Nevis to find out what they want issues they want addressed in the National Cultural Policy.

On Tuesday 22^nd June 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m, at the NEMA Conference Room at Lime Kiln Project the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with The UNESCO National Commission will engage the public in discussions that will include topics on Education and Training, Intellectual Property Rights, Marketing, Consumption Tax, Duty Free Concessions, Music and the Tourism Industry.