Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine October 2017 | Page 336
Liguanea Art Festival,the Artbeat of Jamaica
Founders, June and Tony Wong Sunday December 3, 2017 By Alethia Barker 2004 saw the birth of the Liguanea Art Festival, fulfilling a dream by June and Tony Wong, to bring to the Jamaican people fine art in the form of painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, ceramic and jewellery. This unique event has drawn hundreds of thousands of people since its inception. It has given everyone - patrons and vacationers - the opportunity to learn about Jamaican art and culture; to forge relationships with the artists; to expand existing art collections or just to have a magical and unforgettable experience in Jamaica’s capital city, Kingston. The Liguanea Art Festival has truly become #theartbeatofjamaica. There is great buzz about the ‘charms’ in Kingston and the Liguanea Art Festival, held in December, must be included as an attraction for vacationers at that time. The fusion of Jamaican culture and art at the festival is done amidst the backdrop of entertainment, Jamaican music and tasty food which permeates the entire Liguanea Plaza garden setting, creating the ideal ambience for everyone, especially vacationers. Now in its 13th year of staging, it is the largest outdoor art festival of its kind in the Caribbean region, and, yet it is still more than that. The Liguanea Art Festival is a product of selfless devotion to, and passion for, the visual arts.