41 students graduate from Institute of Creative Arts

Despite challenges during the 2025/2026 academic year, the Institute of Creative Arts on Thursday, October 15, celebrated the graduation of 41 students across six areas of creative study, highlighting both academic achievement and continued progress in the development of the creative arts in Guyana.

During the academic year, programmes were offered in Dance, Fine Arts, Theatre Arts, and Drama, among other areas of study.
Speaking at the event, which was held at the National Cultural Centre, Director of Culture Tamika Boatswain reported on the challenges that shaped the academic year at the Institute of Creative Arts.
According to Boatswain, the National School of Dance experienced its most challenging year to date, as students at both the diploma and certificate levels struggled to balance their personal lives with their academic commitments.
“The National School of Dance experienced its most challenging year to date. Attrition at both the diploma and certificate levels was largely due to students balancing their studies with competing commitments,” she said.
Amid these challenges, new initiatives have been introduced to address the issues faced by students.
“Considering this, the Institute has begun examining new ways of addressing the high attrition rate, including revisiting the programme offerings, the times when courses are held and the length of the programmes. The lessons arising from examining this period of study will inform continued efforts to strengthen both participation and completion at the certificate and diploma levels,” she revealed.
Lending further perspective, Boatswain highlighted a notable milestone: the completion of the school’s second Associate’s Degree.
Latiefa Agard, the first graduate of the Associate’s Degree in Theatre Arts and Drama, earned a distinction, reflecting her dedication and strong academic performance.
“A notable milestone is the completion of the school’s second Associate’s Degree. The first graduate of the Associate’s Degree in Theatre Arts and Drama earned a distinction, an achievement that deserves special recognition and reflects both disciplined study and high academic performance. The school also celebrates its second cohort of graduates from the Introduction to Indian Folk Theatre,” she said.
She added: “Initially introduced as an experimental offering, the programme is now demonstrating clear promise and provides an important avenue for the study and practice of a significant cultural tradition. Graduates in makeup for screen and stage further represent the school’s effort to advance its makeup programme in response to the needs of film production and theatre. Welcome to the community of Guyana.”
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Steven Jacobs emphasised that the institution’s goal extends beyond simply providing students with an opportunity to complete their studies, noting that plans, programmes and opportunities are in place to support them after graduation.
“So I’m saying definitively, it is not just about giving you the opportunity to pass through the institution. It is making sure that the plan is there so when you finish, when you complete your diploma, your certificate, or your degree, a plan is there for you. The programmes are there for you; the opportunities are there for you. And when you see us taking a direct effort and placing significant emphasis on making sure that we bring events here, have more events and engage you, we understand what is needed. But the key is information and education, and that is where you’re positioned,” he noted.
Jacobs also addressed the challenges highlighted by Boatswain during the academic year, expressing optimism that they could be overcome through collaboration and continued effort.
“We need to find a way to fix those. And in anything, we’ll have challenges. But we need to find a way to sit and work and fix the challenges so that, at the end of the day, the product is something that we will all be proud of.”
Jacobs congratulated the graduates on their exceptional work and assured them that plans were in place to support their continued growth, adding that the creative arts offered limitless opportunities.