Arts and Culture Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Project #15455

St. Vincent Teaching Art to Children

by Youlou Arts Foundation Inc.

Project Report | Nov 3, 2026
"Growing Young SVG Artists", July 2026

By Camille Musser | The founder

A Forest on Brown Paper made by children

As the year draws to a close we thank our donors for their continued support. Your donations have made for a very busy and fruitful year at the Youlou Arts Centre.

In July the annual "Growing Young SVG Artists" took place.This two part programme, started on July 8 and ended July 24 . The Teachers Training Workshop, was the first part of the programme, teachers were instructed in this year's art activities. They then returned to their town/village and taught the children in their area the art activities. for the 2026 art programme. The programme was held in four locations, Tourama, Georgetown Layou and in the Kingstown area at the Youlou Art Centre. it was the first time the programme was offered in Layou. The 2026 theme was "Creating Beauty in SVG". Several murals were created, a mosaic mural and a painted mural in the Uptpwn Market, Another tiny forest was planted in the Georgetown location., behind the school where the programme is held. A forest was made in each location, using brown paper, coloured paper and paste paper made by the children. Other activities were creating books about various ways to make marks with various objects and making a collage of the national bird.There were field trips, one to the Leeward side of the island to visit the Hand 2 Earth project in Troumaca.The children in the Layou area were able to visit this project, they had the opportunity to see how planting the vetiver grass is used to save soil erosion in rural communities and also to see how the vetiver grass can be woven to make various products, such as mats, and various domestic products. The other field trip was to the Botanical Garden to see the national bird of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Amazona Guildingii. The "Growing Young SVG Artists' programme celebrated its twenty fifth anniversary without great fanfare. The children enjoyed the painting activities and are looking forward to the 2027 programme. Donors, we thank you for making this programme possible without your donations we would not be able to produce it. A huge thank you and We hope you continue to support us.

Children making their markmaking book

Visit to the Veviter Centre and Craft Workshop

Children having a snack at the Botanical gardens

Learning to plait vetiver grass at the Centre

The completed mosaic mural "The Setting Sun"

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Jul 11, 2026
Youlou Arts Persists In 2026

By Camille Musser | Founder of Youlou Arts Foundation

Preparing bamboo strips for basket making

Dear donors, Youlou Art has had a very busy spring and from the look of things the summer is shaping up to be just as busy. In May we started offering bamboo basket making classes. It was a huge accomplishment. We have been planning to offer this class for several years.There were many obstacles to overcome. But we persevered. The class is happening. Participants are learning how to prep and make bamboo strips, and have just started to weave baskets. The plan is to continue offering the class. Youlou Arts is focused on encouraging crafts which are sustainable. Bamboo grows easily on the island, yet there are few people who use it in their basket making practice. The focus is to encourage creatives to use bamboo.

Currently Youlou Arts is in the midst of getting ready for the 2026 art programme titled "Growing Young SVG Artists". The programme starts Monday, July 13 and ends Friday, July 24. This year the theme is climate change which focuses on creating beauty in the environment. Preparations for creating a mural in the Uptown market started in June. The background has already been painted by two local artists. Next the artwork from the children attending the 2026 programme will be added to the mural. The plan is to have the mural completed by the end of this year's programme.

The Teachers Training Workshop which precedes the children's programme has started. Teachers from four locations attended the workshop. During the workshop teachers spent time preparing for the children's programme. Activities centered on the various methods of making marks and patterns and making paste papers. At the end of the workshop teachers produced books on their pattern and mark making practice. A mural of a forest was also created, using paste paper.

Donors we thank you sincerely for your support and hope you will continue supporting us as we celebrate twenty five years of Youlou Arts.

Starting to weave with the bamboo strips

Finished Bamboo Baskets

Mark Making and Pattern Books From The workshop

Mural Made From Paste Paper By The Teachers

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Mar 20, 2026
Preperations To Celebrate 25 Years Of "Growing Young SVG Artists" Programme

By Camille Musser | Founder of Youlou Arts

Point person from the Layou location

Hello donors, we are excited, proud, and happy! This year will mark 25 years we have been offering our annual art programme titled "Growing Young SVG Artists" throughout the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

As I write this report I am in St. Vincent and the Grenadines preparing for this year's programme. The plan is to visit the point person in each location and make sure they are getting ready for the programme. The need to ensure a suitable wall where a mosaic mural can be created in each school. Also a letter asking for permission must be written. There is a great deal of "red tape" which needs to be dealt with which works better if one is on the ground to sort out the issues which might arise.

In 2024 we started creating tiny forests. That year we were able to establish one tiny forest on the grounds of Tourama Government School. We were unable to continue the project in 2025, however the plan for 2026 is to create more tiny forests. There was a meeting with the director of the forestry department to ask for their help in securing plants and help with the planting. They have agreed to help with the activity and finish creating the tiny forest on the grounds of the Georgetown Government Primary School, which was started in 2024. The Spring Village location is next in line to have a tiny forest created, the forestry department is on board with the project and they are keen to offer their services.The forestry department is in the process of helping to figure out where a tiny forest can be created in the Kingstown area, which is our main town.

Another activity is to create a mural in the Uptown Market building in Kingstown. The mural will be created around the theme of celebrating the natural beauty of the island. A local artist has been identified who will be able to help with the mural project in the market.

Donors, you have always given us your support. Our focus is to offer a memorable 2026 programme. We are deeply committed to the "Growing Young SVG Artists" programme. We do want to make the 2026 programme, memorable, and fun for the children. We hope you will continue to give us your support.

The Point Person for the Tourama Location with me

School children in the tiny forest with me

Plunbrose trees In the tiny forest at Tourama

The Point Person with children at Georgetown

The spot for the tiny forest for Georgetown

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