2021/2022 National Children’s Festival of the Arts (NCFA) Adjudications Begin Using Hybrid Format

15 February 2022, 05:30 AM

Entertainment, Education

The Department of Education Services (DES) announces the start of adjudications for the 40^th staging of the annual National Children's Festival of the Arts (NCFA).

On Monday, 14 February, adjudications of approximately 289 entries from 19 public schools, private schools and homeschoolers across the Cayman Islands will commence in categories, including instrumentals (solo, bands and ensembles), speech, drama, and dance using a hybrid format.

All solo performances will be assessed on-site. Attendees will also be limited to a small group of persons, including the performers, their coaches, adjudicators and a small number of representatives from the DES.

Group performances, including large choirs and bands, will be recorded at entrants' respective schools and later submitted for adjudication.

DES Director Mr. Mark Ray explained the shift from the usual adjudication format. "In light of the current COVID-19 guidelines and out of an abundance of caution for student and staff safety, the decision was taken, following consultation with the various schools, to limit attendance at the daily performances and conduct large group adjudications remotely,” Mr. Ray explained.

"Understanding that parents would be disappointed by their inability to attend their children's performances, provisions have been made to have all the daily performances recorded and broadcast on CIGTV once adjudications have concluded," added DES Customer Service Manager Mrs. Gloria Bell.

Daily broadcasts on CIGTV will commence on Monday, 28 February per the below schedule:

EVENT	BROADCAST DATE	TIME
*Vocal – Solos & Choirs*	28 February	6PM-8:30PM
*Instrumental Solos & Ensembles–*	1 March	6PM-8:30 PM
*Speech: Solos & Speech Choirs* *Instrumental Solos & Ensembles* *Dance &* *Drama*	2 March 3 March 4 March	6PM-8:30 PM 6PM-8:30PM 6PM-8:30PM
*Speech & Dance-Sister Islands*	5 March	6PM-8:30PM
*Speech-Sister Islands*	6 March	6PM-8:30PM

To view the entire 2021/2022 NCFA schedule, visit www.gov.ky/education.

For more details about the National Children Festival of the Arts (NCFA), contact DES Senior Customer Service Officer Ms. Nicki Samuels by telephone at 945-1199 or by email at Nicki.Samuels@gov.ky or Customer Service Manager Mrs. Gloria Bell by telephone at 926-9727, or 945-1199 or by email at gloria.bell@gov.ky.

To learn more about other DES programmes and activities, visit the Department of Education’s website at https://schools.edu.ky/Pages/Home.aspx.