Dear Editor,
Permit me to bring to the attention of readers the good news that the Guyana United Artists (GUA) has been selected as a recipient of the 2018 Guyana Cultural Association of New York award. As the General Secretary I wish to congratulate all members of the GUA for its definitive work in the pursuit of the noble goal of uniting Guyanese by way of the Creative Arts and promotion of Universal Peace and Harmony.
Our exhibitions over two decades have helped many contemporary artists increase their knowledge of Guyana’s social and cultural history and have dealt with some of the obstacles that have hindered the unification process such as the need for radical changes in the controversial 1980 constitution.
The support for the Visual Arts is not as it was in the early 1980’s under the late President Linden Forbes Burnham who used Guyanese Art as an instrument in his international diplomatic relations with nation states worldwide. It would appear that neither the PPP nor the APNU+AFC are aware of or appreciate the importance of the Creative Arts as part of Guyana’s diplomacy which is very unfortunate. As a South American Nation our art would have greatly improved our diplomatic relations and helped Guyana gain the solidarity and support it needs to resolve the Venezuela–Guyana Border issue, as well as promote our tourism industry.
Many of our senior members have died over the years and many more have migrated. Left behind are a handful of hardcore GUA members who continue to strive under hardened economic realities, our work remains unappreciated in our own country, while in the diaspora the GCA recognizes our contribution.
The Guyana Cultural Association of New York has sent an invitation to the GUA for its attendance at this Prestigious Award Ceremony that will be held on Wednesday August 29th, 2018 at Borough Hall, Brooklyn, New York. We have sent a copy of the GCA letter and a covering letter to the Minister of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. George Norton requesting support to send one member to receive the award and at the same time to seek art marketing possibilities for our art works.
The artist community needs an international market for our art works in order to make it a sustainable industry.
Yours faithfully,
Desmond Alli
General Secretary of the Guyana
United Artists
