As part of this year’s Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival, the Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) is proud to showcase the expanded “Art and the City” component in 2026.
This year’s festival will feature a captivating program celebrating Saint Lucia’s unique artistic traditions while embracing bold new creative expressions. Significant adjustments have been made to enhance public engagement with the arts, ensuring visibility and space for the artistic component of the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival to flourish.
Notably, for the first time, “Art and the City” will be decentralized, extending beyond the traditional hubs of Castries and Rodney Bay to include the vibrant communities of Vieux Fort and Anse La Raye. By taking events directly to these districts, the CDF aims to broaden participation and enhance accessibility to the arts across the island.
The festival will kick off on April 17, an earlier start date that allows the arts program to unfold ahead of the festival’s main-stage events. This strategic change offers audiences more opportunities to engage with theatre, film, visual arts, spoken word, and culinary experiences in a dedicated spotlight.
The festival opens with “Art in the Street,” taking place at the New Market Complex in Vieux Fort at 10:00 a.m., followed by “Readings & Rhythms” at 7:00 p.m., setting a celebratory tone for creativity and community.
One of the program’s highlights is the Cultural Icon Series Gala Dinner on April 24 and 25 at Sandals Grande. This special event honors legendary Saint Lucian culinary pioneer Edward ‘Chef Harry’ Joseph with a tribute that beautifully blends gastronomy, music, and performance.
Theatre will also take center stage at Warehouse 11, with playwright and director Travis Weekes presenting “Don’t Call Me Baby Doll” on April 26 and 27. Film enthusiasts can enjoy screenings from The Jumpstart Film Project at Caribbean Cinemas on the same dates.
Visual arts will shine with “Life in Colour,” a major exhibition running from April 27 to May 16 at the Audi Showroom, Choc and Orange Grove Plaza, Bois D’Orange.
This exhibition will feature works by Alwyn St. Omer, Shallon Fadlien, Nancy Cole, John Phulchere, and Cecil Fevrier. Musical theatre will take its turn on April 29 with “Ten to One,” the Mighty Sparrow musical produced by Rawle Gibbons and directed by Louis McWilliams, staged at Sandals Grande.
Additionally, storytelling will be a highlight during the community’s famed Anse La Raye Fish Friday on May 1, featuring storyteller George ‘Fish’ Alphonse and Kiedel Sonny.
Audiences can look forward to “Triptych,” directed by Kendel Hippolyte, at Warehouse 11 on May 2 and 3, alongside the compelling spoken-word showcase “Voices of the Underground” on May 4 at the National Cultural Centre, featuring internationally acclaimed dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson and CARIFESTA Poetry Slam Champion Shyne Savory.
In an exciting new format, the festival will replace the familiar Jazz on the Square with “Artscape Pop-Up Concerts,” taking place from May 5 to 7. These dynamic performances of dance, theatre, and music will unfold in unexpected spaces, transforming everyday environments into vibrant stages for artistic expression.
The celebration will conclude with “Ti Tak Sent Lisi,” the Craft and Souvenir Market on the Rodney Bay Strip, on May 7 and 8, offering visitors a chance to discover handcrafted works by talented Saint Lucian artisans.
Through its expanded geographic reach and innovative programming, “Art and the City 2026” reaffirms the CDF’s commitment to celebrating Saint Lucia’s creative spirit and supporting the continuous growth of the island’s cultural and creative industries.