The Where Culture Lives project has entered its next phase with the appointment of Island Coordinators across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Statia, St. Maarten, and Saba. Over the summer, focus group discussions and interviews brought together cultural practitioners, educators, heritage experts, policymakers, and community members who shared their perspectives on arts, heritage, and creative expression in the Dutch Caribbean.
Aruba was the last island to complete its focus groups this week. Led by anthropologist and Island Coordinator Dr. Gregory Richardson, Aruba’s sessions saw strong participation from local organizations and community members. Together with fellow lead researchers Ludmila Duncan (St. Maarten) and Elton Villarreal (Curaçao), Richardson will now work on transcribing and analyzing the findings.
The newly appointed coordinators—Gregory Richardson (Aruba), Lara Chirino (Bonaire), Elton Villarreal (Curaçao), Sharifa Balfour (Saba), Paula Pandt-Pompier (Statia), and Ludmila Duncan with Ashayna Nisbett (St. Maarten)—played a key role in ensuring meaningful engagement and representation during this phase.
With more than 100 voices contributing across the islands, the project now moves into the survey stage. Beginning in October, both digital and physical surveys will invite residents to share their experiences with culture, arts, and heritage. These responses will help create the first comprehensive cultural mapping of the Dutch Caribbean, with the island coordinators continuing to lead efforts locally.
Project principal Jorien Wuite emphasized the importance of this phase: “These practices and voices matter to our sense of identity and future.”
The Where Culture Lives project is commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science (OCW) and managed by St. Maarten-based consultancy Lemonade B.V.
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