Both Sides of The Coin: The Story of The Central Bank of Barbados 1972-2017

Chapter 5: Some Notable Developments 195 Akyem and Grafton Woodpecker were among the painters and sculptors in that first exhibition. Since then, the Grande Salle has been the location of several such events, the most prestigious of which has been the annual Visual Arts Exhibition held by the National Cultural Foundation. The Bank had started to sponsor this event in 1993 at another location, but in 1994 it was moved to the Grande Salle and has remained there every year since except for a temporary move to the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Conference Centre (formerly Sherbourne) in 2000. Central Bank sponsorship for this event rose from $6,000 to $30,000 between 1993 and 2000; it amounted to $40,000 in 2010 and $55,000 in 2017. In 2001, when the Exhibition returned to the Grande Salle, the Purchase Award was won by 19-year-old Rommel Yearwood. The Governor’s Award was introduced in 2003 and the first winner was Ellon Lewis, a former NCF curator and visual artist. From 2007 onward, there is evidence of efforts to refresh the event. Every year a CD was published featuring the works of the various exhibitors for that year. There was also some restructuring, with separate categories for fibre arts, dimensional fine arts and dimension work that were displayed at the Bank and two other locations. The 2011 event opened with a crafts symposium bearing the title, The Preservation of Our Heritage Through Re-Cycling . During the next two years, the Bank committed to a three-year contract and increased the prize money; the organisers added a People’s Choice award, more art appreciation sessions and included a marketing strategy to help boost sales of the exhibits. For the 50th Anniversary of Independence edition in 2016, the theme of the Exhibition was Strict Guardians of Our Heritage, Firm Craftsmen of Our Fate . As was mentioned earlier, the Bank acquired pieces of art from among the exhibits. The first piece to be purchased was a painting, Shaggy Bear by Arthur Atkinson, in 1994. In February 1999, the Board approved the establishment of a Corporate Art Collection and the Bank allocated $150,000 for purchases over a three-year period. Since then a modest budget has been made available every year for purchases and a curator engaged to advise on the acquisition programme. 96