2025 Festival of Arts Season Kicks Off at the Bliss

Since the 1950s, the Festival of Arts has been a cherished national stage for creative expression. Students from preschool, primary, and secondary schools get to shine, showcasing their talents in drama, dance, singing, and various arts. Earlier today, the excitement kicked off with the Preschool Festival of Arts, featuring delightful performances from thirty-one urban and twenty-eight rural preschools from the Belize District. The festivities will continue into Friday, promising two days of inspiring and heartwarming displays of young talent.

 

Kim Vasquez, Director, Institute of Creative Arts

“Today is the opening of the Preschool Festival of Arts and it’s starting with the Belize District Festival of Arts, but it is also the opening of the entire season for 2025 for the Festival of Arts. And so this is a time of excitement for us, it’s my favorite time and we are just here in support of the Belize District Education Center.  This is Belize Rural happening here, simultaneously out in San Pedro as well, it’s underway already and tomorrow we are going to be back for the city schools and then it takes off from there.  Toledo on Monday, and thereafter Stann Creek and then they go west and then up north and then we are straight into the Secondary [School] Festival of Arts at the end of the month, taking a couple weeks break and then continuing with primary and in April and then we expect to be back here, of course, for the exciting golden showcase at the end of the month of May.”

 

Reporter

“How important is this to keep the creative juices of our young students flowing?”

 

Kim Vasquez

“It’s so important.  As I just said in there, it starts right here with the Preschool Festival of Arts.  This is the nurturing and the fun and enjoying introduction to the arts that we want for the young students, and we want to see this continue and we want them to have the support and the recognition even at this young age.  We know that along with their teachers, they have put in the work and preparation and they are passionate, and they are so vibrant and creative.  When you see them on stage, you can’t help but get cold seed.  And so, it’s really important that we have this national platform for all our children, from pre-school, all the way up until secondary and beyond.”