The National Cultural Foundation (NCF) is a
statutory body
A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law (statute) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being empowered or delegated to set rules (for example reg ...
in
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
, created by an
Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
in March 1983. It organises several major local Barbadian events, including
Congaline
Congaline is a large village on the Caribbean island of Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies ...
,
National Independence Festival of Creative Arts
The National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA) is a festival organized by the National Cultural Foundation, held annually to commemorate the independence of Barbados.
Music and other performing arts have been a part of the festival s ...
and the
Crop Over
Crop Over is a traditional harvest festival which began in Barbados, having had its early beginnings on the sugar cane plantations during slavery.
History
The original crop-over tradition began in 1687 as a way to mark the end of the yearly harves ...
festival, as well as sponsoring the
Holders Opera Season celebration, the
Holetown Festival
Holetown (UN/LOCODE: BB HLT), is a small city located in the Caribbean island nation of Barbados. Holetown is located in the parish of Saint James on the sheltered west coast of the island.
History
In 1625, Holetown (formerly as St. James Tow ...
,
Barbados Jazz Festival
The Barbados Jazz Festival was an annual music festival on the Caribbean island of Barbados. It was a week-long celebration held annually in January in Bridgetown.
The festival began in 1993. Acts who performed included James Blunt, Dwane Husbands ...
and the
Oistins Fish Festival
The Oistins Fish Festival is a folk festival that has taken place in Oistins, Barbados every Easter since 1967. The purpose of the festival is to acknowledge the people involved in the fishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry o ...
.
History
The traditional celebration was started by African slaves to celebrate the end of the sugar harvest. During the 1940s, the Crop Over festival declined and remained discreet throughout the following decades. From 1958 to 1964, the event took place in the
Kensington Oval
The Kensington Oval is a stadium located to the west of the capital city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. It is the pre-eminent sporting facility on the island and is primarily used for cricket. it has hosted many important and exciting c ...
. The Barbados government, through its Tourism Authority, returned to organizing the event in 1974. The National Cultural Foundation was established in 1983 (and officially started to operate in January 1984) to conceptualize and organize the Crop Over festival from then on. The 2014 edition lasted eight weeks.
Description
The purpose of the National Cultural Foundation is to:
* Stimulate the country's culture
* Manage the country's theatres and other cultural facilities
* Organize festivals
The Foundation relies on donors and a yearly-voted government budget to sustain its activities.
References
Further reading
*
External links
Official website''Bazodee''magazine covering Crop Over.
Barbadian culture
Government agencies of Barbados
Statutory boards of the Barbados Government
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