Museum of Belizean Art is Launched at Government House  

This morning at the Government House in Belize City, a Museum of Belizean Art was officially launched.  The gallery is important for the preservation of Belize’s cultural and artistic heritage, safeguarding important works of art for future generations.  It also allows individuals to learn about art history, cultural contexts, and artistic techniques which can inspire both creativity and a deeper appreciation for the arts.

 

Ilona Smiling, Museum of Belize

”For generations, artists in Belize have toiled tirelessly, pouring their hearts and souls into their craft, often amidst adversity and limited resources.  Today, we honor their legacy by providing a space solely dedicated to the exhibition, research and development of Belizean art.  But before I delve deeper into a vision for this museum, let’s take a moment to reflect on the significance of this venue.  Today, as we gather in this historic government house, we are not merely opening a museum, we are expanding on the reclamation of this space that holds significance in our nation’s history.  This space is now a beacon of inclusivity, creativity and empowerment.  This museum is more than just a building, it’s a symbol of our resilience, a space where voices of the past, future and present artists converge.”

 

Francis Fonseca, Minister of Culture

“It’s a fantastic, exciting initiative.  I am very proud of the fact that NICH has been able to do this, to develop our first museum of Belizean art to showcase the great talent and creativity and innovation of our Belizean artists. So it’s a very, very proud day for us at NICH, it’s a historic day, you know.  Culture is so important to the identity of a nation and the visual arts are an integral part of culture and we have not done a sufficient job in Belize of documenting that visual art history. So this is an opportunity for us to do that to showcase, you know, on the walls of what was once the colonial governor’s mansion, the art of our people, the strong, proud, Belizean people, diverse cultures. So we have many, many different artists from many different cultures represented here today.  And, of course, it will be a revolving display.  We have, I think, sixty-eight different artists represented here and that will be on display for a few months and then we will bring in and engage other artists as well. So it’s an exciting initiative.”