Youlou Arts Foundation founder reflects on the past 25 years
The Youlou Arts Foundation in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
And its founder, Vincentian artist Camille Saunders-Musser, has been reflecting on the journey of the non-profit entity which continues to promote the Visual Arts in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
“We named the organization the Youlou Arts Foundation because Youlou is an ancient name for St Vincent,” Saunders-Musser told SEARCHLIGHT in an interview.
She said the idea for the Foundation began taking shape in 1998 when she hosted her first solo exhibition. At that exhibition, she sold several of her paintings and began contemplating how she could reinvest her earnings into something meaningful for her country.
“I thought to myself, what am I going to do with this money…?”. Since all of her paintings were inspired by St Vincent, she decided that the best course of action was to give back to the community by creating opportunities for young people to engage with art. With this vision, the Foundation was launched with just 15 children in a 10-day programme. Despite its modest beginnings, the initiative quickly proved to be impactful. Saunders-Musser noted that the children were enthusiastic and deeply engaged, enjoying both the creative process of painting and the opportunity to interact with students from different schools. Encouraged by this positive response, the programme was extended to three weeks, allowing for a more immersive experience.
“After a few years, we decided to expand to Barrouallie…then we went to Georgetown.”
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