Antigua & Barbuda Art Week returns from 11th–18th November with new evening gallery tours, Jam Bull performances and hands-on workshops among the highlights of its fourth edition. Residents and visitors will be able to explore exhibitions, meet artists in their studios and try their hand at activities ranging from mask-making to painting by the sea.
The week opens with Symphony of Colours at Redcliffe Quay on 11th November, bringing together art, music, food and performances. This year, the Tourism Authority’s Art Week exhibition moves from V.C. Bird International Airport to the new E.T. Henry Gallery in Redcliffe Quay, where work by more than 30 artists from across Antigua & Barbuda will be displayed.
Art will still greet arriving passengers at the airport, with winning entries from the Rising Stars of Art student competition and ‘Dual Thresholds’, a public art installation featuring artist-designed doors in the arrivals hall.
Among the new experiences is ‘Out of the Krokus Bag’ at Makŏ Fine Art Gallery. Presented by the Roots Krokus Collective, it brings Caribbean history and folklore to life through exhibitions, dance, poetry, workshops and performances. Audiences will get a preview of its Jam Bull performance at the opening event.
Fashion designer and creative stylist Shem Henry will open the Henré Designs studio for ‘BE’, a fashion and art experience, while The Barracks Gallery will host an exhibition of work by Maria Ross Iztueta, presented by Stephen Murphy in collaboration with Amaya Iztueta.
For those keen to get creative themselves, workshops include West African mask-making and puppetry with Iyaba Ibo Mandingo at the Art and Cultural Village at Julees, personalised notebook-making and sustainable art using recycled and repurposed materials with Good Humans 268.
The guided Art Trail also expands this year. A daytime Art & Culture bus tour on 13th November will be followed by the new ‘Art After Dark’ tour on 17th November, combining evening gallery visits with local wine tastings. Art Trail guides will be available at the main exhibition for anyone wishing to explore independently, with visitors encouraged to visit participating galleries and vote for their favourite artist.
On 14th November, Art Battle at Bay Gardens Caribbean Village will feature a live painting showdown. The Tourism Authority’s Flavours & Canvas event at Dennis’s Beach Bar and Restaurant will also take place that day, pairing guided painting with tapas, cocktails and music.
The full programme, prices and booking details are available at visitantiguabarbuda.com/artweek. Advance booking is encouraged for experiences with limited spaces, with tickets for Flavours & Canvas and the Art Trail bus tours available through the TickeTing app.