Caribbean Contemporary Arts (CCA) was established to provide a space and structure in response to the social, political and cultural concerns of the many peoples who comprise the Caribbean Basin. The complex task of providing a medium for expression to a population that traces its influences to a number of continents, cultures, traditions and histories is important, both regionally and internationally. We believe that it is necessary for these new expressions of acculturation to first find recognition from the 'inside'.

CCA is an international arts organisation that works with contemporary visual artists, curators, writers, historians and art educators from the Caribbean and the Caribbean Diaspora to exhibit, publish and document our region's art practice, influences and ideas.

CCA maintains an active interest in work, which investigates and includes a diversity of subjects within contemporary art practice, art theory, art history and art criticism.

 

Mission

CCA is an autonomous regional developmental arts organisation which initiates exchanges and programmes that bridge the many island states and the Latin American rim that make up the Caribbean region. These exchanges reinforce the unique culture of the region as our most under utilised developmental tool.

 

The Space: CCA7 Centre for the Contemporary Arts

CCA7 is dedicated to the memory of the work and life of Beryl McBurnie: a pioneer in the field of dance and theatre in the Caribbean.
1913 - 2000.

In June 2000, CCA opened Trinidad's first multi-purpose contemporary arts centre, CCA7. It is located in the Fernandes Industrial Centre in East Port-of-Spain. CCA7 occupies 19,000 square feet of urban industrial space which includes: the Main Gallery which measures 4350 square feet and the InterAmericas Space (the first acclimatised gallery space in Trinidad) which measures 1400 square feet.

CCA7 houses:
2 Exhibition spaces
7 Artists' Studios
Information Centre and Offices
Lecture and Meeting Facilities
A Library and Climate Controlled Archive

CCA7 is the first 'studio building' in the English speaking Caribbean, to provide artists with a facility in which to work without the interruptions of daily life.

Moreover, for the first time in Trinidad's history, CCA7 provides a space dedicated to planning, education, dialogue, exchange, and research in the Arts. Through its physical resources, CCA7 supports the making of art as a viable and worthwhile enterprise. The space and resources at CCA7 is part of a regional initiative towards the exchange of ideas and practice.

 

History

CCA was established in 1997 during a time of cultural and artistic fermentation, which yielded controversial views on the development of culture and cultural product. The organisation was formed out of a collective acknowledgement of the relative deficiency (both regionally and internationally) of accessible information on Caribbean arts and artists. We could point to very few well-organised, fully supported cultural archives, contemporary museums and libraries in the region. In fact, in many cases, individuals and organisations require the means to preserve new additions to the archives if they are to make them fully available to scholars. At the core of CCA's origin is a commitment to institutionalising a tradition for appreciating, preserving, and exhibiting the contemporary arts and cultural products emerging from our region today.

CCA decided to initiate the following:

CCA's fundamental goal is to cultivate cultural and artistic development by recognising and encouraging the works of regionally committed, practising visual artists and culture professionals. Our plan was to do this through the creation of CCA7, a Centre for Contemporary Arts, which, through its physical resources, endorses art as a critical practice.

CCA continues to break new ground in many significant and critical areas of artistic endeavour. Bringing artists together, fostering dialogue and creating accessible documentation all make CCA a unique vital presence in the region.

 

The Context: Trinidad and Tobago

The current Government ministry with responsibility for Culture combines its portfolio with Human Development and Youth. In this regard, the culture of the country is perceived as "folk" and extends to Carnival, Pan, Calypso, 'Best Village', local fusion music such as Chutney and Rapso and the observance of specific religious or festival holidays.

There is a National Museum and Art Gallery, which includes art, natural history and historical artefacts, but functions with limited resources and support.

A few commercial galleries act as sales outlets and brokers, and thereby provide commercially based, private sector support for art, mainly painting and sculpture, ceramics and wearable art. The situation in Trinidad is largely reflective of the Southern Caribbean.

On the world stage, West Indians of genius have distinguished the region. People such as historian and philosopher C.L.R James, writer V.S. Naipaul, poet and Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott, painter Aubrey Williams, dancer Geoffrey Holder and singer Heather Headley attest to the abundance of West Indian talent. They managed to escape the boundaries of provincialism and the absence of local institutional structures by working and gaining recognition in metropolitan centres outside of the region.

Revolutionary Cuba has long recognised the importance of arts education and cultural and architectural heritage. Haiti's artists may be among that island's few fiscal successes. But the Lesser Antilles and the anglophone Caribbean, with the possible exception of Jamaica, still view the arts as peripheral to national concerns.

CCA has broken new ground in many significant areas of artistic endeavour. CCA has pursued collaboration with the non-anglophone Caribbean. Our concerns attempt to bridge the gap between the region's artistic oases and deserts, bringing artists together, fostering 'talk' and creating accessible documentation.

 

Board Of Directors

The CCA Board of Directors comprises professionals whose backgrounds are in the Arts, Humanities, Education, Finance and Sciences.

Faris Al Rawi: Attorney at Law, Trinidad

Dr. Pat Bishop: Painter and Musician, Trinidad

Helen Drayton: Director, Royal Bank of Trinidad & Tobago, Trinidad

Charlotte Elias: Programme and Development Director, Caribbean Contemporary Arts, Trinidad

Richard Fung: Artist, Cultural Critic and Writer, Toronto

Christopher Laird: Director, Banyan Limited, Trinidad

Robert Loder CBE: Founding Trustee of the Triangle Arts Trust, London

Kynaston McShine: Senior Curator, Department of Painting and Sculpture, Museum of Modern Art, New York

 

Advisory Board

Laura Anderson Barbata: Artist, Mexico / New York

Lloyd Best: Editor, Trinidad and Tobago Review, Trinidad

Jane Gregory Rubin: Director, InterAmericas, New York

Professor Norman Girvan: Secretary General, The Association of Caribbean States, Trinidad

Marc Latamie: Artist, Martinique / New York

Dr. J.A. Martis: Associate Professor of Art History, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands

Malcolm Maclean: Director, Gaelic Arts Council, Isle of Lewis, Scotland

Gerardo Mosquera: Curator, Havana

Rex Nettleford: Pro Vice Chancellor, University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica

Dr Keith Nurse: Lecturer in International Relations, The University of the West Indies, Trinidad

David O’Brian: Vice President, Sagicor, Trinidad

 

CCA Staff

During this time we staff the organisation with a core professional staff of five. Support staff include an IT (Information and Technology) co-ordinator, accountant and legal counsel. Additionally, the organisation will commission and contract works from other personnel as required to supplement individual projects within its annual programme. CCA also has a local and international network of volunteer specialist advisors. Recently this has grown to include Rachel Watts, an summer intern from New York University's Museum Studies Programme, who has been co-ordinating the Art IN Tent programme and set up the 2001 Art Camp and who will work with us to initiate the Visual Thinking Strategies.

With the inauguration of CCA7 and our increased outreach, the need for additional human resources is paramount. CCA will soon recruit the skills of an Education Programme Co-ordinator and an Administrator.

Full time staff:

Programme and Development Director: Charlotte Elias
Programme and Development Co-ordinator: Simone Roach
CCA7 Maintenance and Services Co-ordinator: Gary Espinoza

Part-time, Contract & Volunteer Staff:
 
PR/Development Consultant: Pat Ganase
Accountant: Laurenta Glasgow

 

Major Affiliated Organisations:

Banyan Limited, Port of Spain, Trinidad
InterAmericas, New York, U.S.A.
The New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, U.S.A.
The Triangle Trust, London, England
Canada Council for the Arts, Ottawa, Canada
La Llama Foundation, Caracas, Venezuela
British Council, London, England.
Association of Caribbean States, Port of Spain, Trinidad

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