The Cultural Development Foundation (CDF) has officially launched the 2025 edition of its flagship youth initiative, the Youth Summer Arts Platform (YSAP).
This year, the junior calypso winners were awarded scholarships to participate in a four-week immersive summer programme. The 2025 YSAP scholarship recipients are: Alex Pinel, Khloe Joseph, Milan Armstrong, Zanye Laurencin, Milan Dante Armstrong, Kenyan Osman, Jheanne Divine LeCompte and Zalaya Fannis.
YSAP will engage nearly 200 youth in artistic disciplines such as steel pan, traditional drumming, film, photography and stagecraft, culminating in a public theatrical production during its final week.
The CDF’s collaboration with the Carnival Planning and Management Committee (CPMC) further cements the initiative’s importance in the broader cultural landscape. Speaking at the launch, Chelsea Jongue, the CPMC’s public relations officer, praised the programme’s alignment with key goals of Lucian Carnival 2025 – sustainability and cultural development.
“The decision to award Youth Summer Arts scholarships to the 2025 Junior Calypso Competition winners is a powerful gesture,” Jongue stated. “It shows that the talents of our youth are not only celebrated on stage but tangibly supported beyond the spotlight,” she said at the scholarship ceremony.
Jongue added that the success of Saint Lucia’s creative industries rests in the nation’s ability to invest in its young artists.
“Programmes like YSAP ensure cultural education is not seasonal, but sustained.”
According to Anthony Wilkie Jr, senior officer for training at the CDF, the annual programme plays a vital role in youth development.
“The Youth Summer Arts Platform primarily focuses on creating an avenue for young people to express themselves in a safe space,” he said in a press statement. “Our goal is also to expose them to careers in the creative and cultural industries… and create an atmosphere of fun and creativity.”
Wilkie emphasised that YSAP is not simply another summer camp, but a structured space where participants are empowered artistically and socially.
“We want young people to have a good time while learning and honing their skills in the arts and culture of Saint Lucia,” he said.
