DR. ANTHEA Octave will present the keynote Harold Simmons Memorial Lecture when the 7th St. Lucia Studies Conference opens on Tuesday June 19th at 7 pm at the CDF Conference Room.
The Simmons lecture is supported by Sir Julian Hunte and the Julian R. Hunte group of companies.
The Studies Conference is hosted by the Msgr. Patrick Anthony Folk Research Centre and the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF).
Anthea Octave is a Training Consultant, Qualitative Researcher and Theatre Practitioner.
At present Octave serves as the Director of Studies at the School of Arts Management and Humanities, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, Jamaica.
Her research interests include Caribbean arts and culture, Caribbean festival arts and arts management, and drama and theatre.
Dr Octave holds a BA (Hons) in Theatre Arts and Carnival Studies, and was awarded the PhD in Cultural Studies with High Commendation.
Her PhD dissertation examined the Flower Festivals and the Christmas Masquerade Tradition, theorizing on the specific mechanisms of cultural survival and made a case for policies and practices regarding preservation, transmission and retention to begin with understanding the organic processes that have secured the meaningful continuity of the cultural traditions.
Dr. Octave is also an accomplished actress, and has appeared in a number of productions in St. Lucia and in Trinidad.
The conference will continue at the CDF Conference Room on Wednesday 20th from 8.30 am. Several presenters will be on the program to deliver papers on various subjects of St. Lucian culture and life.
A registration fee of $30 is required. Persons who would like to register can call 4531477 to do so, or register at the conference at 8.30 on the 20th.
AT 7 pm the Conference will move to the Pastoral Centre for a presentation by Msgr. Patrick Anthony, Founder of the FRC, titled “Dreams for my people: A cultural manifesto.”
The FRC will provide information on its way forward after the disastrous fire of March 25th which destroyed its headquarters and all its holdings.
Members will be encouraged to renew their membership and those who desire to become members of the 45 year old institution will be able to sign up. The public is invited to this event.
Dr. Octave’s lecture is also open to the public.