The Government has paid out more than $90,000 in grants to 26 artists who “represent the heart and soul of our creative community”.

The donations were made by the Bermuda Arts Council, a government quango set up to encourage the arts on the island, including dance, film making, poetry and painting.

Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, said that the handouts demonstrated the Government’s commitment to promoting island culture.

He said: “The Bermuda Arts Council grant recipients represent the heart and soul of our creative community.

“Their passion, dedication and talent remind us of the boundless potential that lies within our island.

“The ministry is committed to cultivating talent and creating opportunities for our creatives to shine, both locally and on the global stage.”

A government spokeswoman added that the grant system would be restructured next year “to better serve our artistic community’s evolving needs”.

This year’s grant awardees are:

• Alexander Winfield for his creation of a theatrical adaptation of The War of the Salamanders, featuring innovative puppetry and stage design

• Paul Maddern for his participation in a two-week writing residency at The Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland, focusing on poetry and literature

•Jordan Carey, who took a two-week course in Japan to explore traditional kite-making, natural dyeing techniques, and handmade papermaking methods

• Gherdai Hassell, who contributed to a mixed-media art exhibition for the Bermuda National Gallery biennial, featuring reclaimed fabric and site-specific installations

• Barbara Ann Dillas, who spearheads the Legacy Tapestry Roots family art exhibition, which showcases local and international artworks

• Wendell “Shine” Hayward, who gave a free outdoor midday jazz concert celebrating International Jazz Day

• T’aja Williams, who attended the American Dance Festival Summer Intensive to further develop her dance artistry

• Andrew Stevenson, creator of a series of documentaries on humpback whales in Bermuda’s waters

• Yesha Townsend, who took up residency at the University of the West Indies to develop creative writing projects

• Mischa and Gia Fubler, who wrote Creation of Truth in Time, Stories in Rhyme: The Theatre Boycott, a children’s book about Bermuda’s Theatre Boycott

• Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation for its support of children interested in the arts

• Hana Bushara, who runs a home studio for music composition

• Daisy Gould, who published a fine art catalogue spotlighting Bill Ming’s recent works, in conjunction with an exhibition at Masterworks Museum of Bermuda Art

• Wayne Raynor, the producer of the original song Havoc

• Alan C. Smith, to help his work in the development of Patchwork Sea, an auto-fiction novel

• Lisa Howie, the former National Gallery director, who has written a book on artist and lecturer Charles Zuill, one of the founders of the Bermuda National Gallery

• Troika Bermuda, which provided a course in technical training in the arts for youth and adults, aiming to create a sustainable talent pool

• Bayard Outerbridge, who made a film project exploring the healing benefits of Native American sweat lodges and their relevance to Bermuda’s history

• Sinead Simmons, the musician who recorded an album scheduled for release in February 2025

• Liana and Ajala Nanang Omodele, the film makers who produced Unchained on the Rock

• Meredith Andrews, the photographer who compiled a portfolio of Bermuda resident portraits

• Kayuntae Ming and Jahbarri Wilson, the pair who transferred their collaborative art exhibition Excavación Divina from the Peruvian Amazon to Bermuda.

.