The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

A NEW government arts school offering free, high-level training in acting, dance, and singing will open in September with help from a top Hollywood talent agency representing such stars as Tom Hanks and Reese Witherspoon.

The Bahamas Creative and Performing Arts School (CAPAS) will operate out of the former Phil’s Food Service building on Gladstone Road, which is being renovated at a cost of between $5m and $7m. The site will feature studio spaces for singing, dancing, and acting.

The school will open with an initial enrolment of 20 performing arts students and 40 production students. Applications will open in May for the autumn term, which runs from September to December. Students must be at least 18 years old and will be required to audition with an acting piece, song, or dance routine. Applicants may enrol full-time in a three-year programme or take part-time courses.

 CAPAS is partnering with United Talent Agency (UTA), one of the entertainment industry’s most prominent agencies, which represents such high-profile actors as Timothée Chalamet. UTA will play a central role in shaping the curriculum and bringing industry professionals to train students.

 At a press conference at Island House, Ian Poitier, policy and communications advisor in the Office of the Prime Minister, said UTA will help with curriculum modules, master classes, guest lectures, sponsorships, and job placement for students. Some instructors will be full-time, while others will be part-time.

 Education Minister Glenys Hanna-Martin highlighted the importance of the initiative, pointing to a shortage of creative arts instructors, particularly in public schools.

 Officials said Bahamian-qualified teachers will be preferred to open positions at the school, though international instructors will also be hired. For the first semester, CAPAS will employ about ten instructors.

 Sam Glynne of UTA said the agency will bring top-level dancers, writers, set designers, and directors to the country and offer internships for Bahamian students in Los Angeles, New York, and London.

 The government will pay UTA more than $300,000 a year, covering around nine paid positions. Under the agreement, UTA instructors may be terminated at any time.

 Although CAPAS is a public initiative, officials seek private donations, corporate sponsors, and contributions to an endowment fund. The programme will be free for Bahamian students, while international students will be required to pay tuition.

 When asked about the school’s operating costs, Mr Poitier did not provide a precise figure. He said the $5m to $7m budget for renovations would focus on transforming the interior of the building, but he expressed concern that government funding alone would be insufficient to fully develop the space.

 “We’re hoping that the public, corporate Bahamas, philanthropic individuals will assist us in the transformation,” Mr Poitier said. “We want to have something that is not just good for now, but is sustainable for the long-term.”

 He added that the final budget allocation would be determined during the upcoming budget exercise, but said even a $10m investment might not be enough.

 CAPAS will also collaborate with the Dundas Centre for the Performing Arts and the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI).

 Graduates of the programme will be entered into a talent registry, giving them opportunities to work in productions throughout The Bahamas.