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.