FESTIVAL CITY A CREATIVE COMMUNE


Georgetown will not be the same during the three weeks

of CARIFESTA '72. Which city could be, when a thousand ex-

ponents of the creative arts from thirty countries and visitors

come to see them perform, converge for an occasion of the

magnitude of the Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts.



And Festival City, the city within Georgetown where

the participants in this historic exposition of the indigenous

cultures of the region will live from August 25 to September 15,

is being prepared with all the physical attributes of an

artistic commune.



No fences. Just hedges and shrubbery and landscaping

executed by the Curator of the Botanical Gardens. In the

homey garden-suburb atmosphere -.150 three-bedroomed houses

on stilts furnished with Neebee reed furniture made by Guyanals

Amerindian Community. And contingency arrangements being

made for extra accommodation. According to Mr. Horace Caines,

CARIFESTA's Placement Officer the entire decor of the

CARIFESTA houses will utilise local articles, ornaments, floral

arrangements and so on.



The furnishings said Mr. Gaines, a former Information

Officer with the Guyana High Commission in London are made

up of a sofa, two chairs and a coffee table for each house.

They have almost all been completed through the co-operation

of Sister Theresa La Rose of the Interior Development

Department who is in constant touch with the Amerindian manu-

facturers of the intricately designed furniture.


tree e L


Festival City ........2/
\
N, -
L -












Festival City is situated in North Ruimveldt, East of

Tucville on the outskirts of Georgetown. When completed it

will be self contained and sufficient with its own Bank and

Post Office, Resident Doctor and Nurses on duty, Police

Station and Fire Brigade, Laundry Depot and other services.



Says It. Caines, an attempt is also being made to add

a creative touch to dining at Festival City. In lieu of a

dining hall the possibility of utilising condemned railway

coaches gaily painted, renovated and converted into dining

cars is being explored.



The coaches will be arranged in square formation en-

closing a stage which would facilitate artists' rehearsals

and act as a night club setting for the evenings.



In this setting no doubt will take place the in-

evitable cross fertilisation of the pot-pourri of cultures

which will electrify the CARIFESTA Festival City atmosphere.



A 24-hour canteen providing snacks will facilitate

the entertainment of artists' guests who will not be permitted

in the dining hall,



Festival City will be just right for the meshing of

artistic vibrations but it is not expected that the

Caribbean artists will remain there for the duration of their

stay in Guyana. Arrangements are being made for adequate

transportation services ..... from Festival City to the

various venues of their performances,


000o