UNLIKE Cayman: a weekend of film, art & music

(CNS): In celebration of its 30th anniversary, UWC Cayman Islands is collaborating with Friends of Film (FoF) and UNLIKE Festivals to host UNLIKE Cayman this month. UNLIKE is a touring arts and culture festival that gives artists an opportunity to showcase their work while bridging different cultures through the arts. By providing music, art and film in a relaxed environment and without entry fees, it also breaks the barriers that often surround these media and supports talented young artists. Through the efforts of committed volunteers, UNLIKE has already featured in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; Oslo, Norway; and Helsinki, Finland in its first year.

“The goal of each and every UNLIKE festival is to encourage people to think outside of the box and beyond given borders and limitations,” explained UNLIKE’s managing director, Janne Koivisto. “Promoting multicultural understanding by raising awareness using art and media as the medium gives the audience a great opportunity to experience unique artworks and connect with artists around the world. We’re very excited to be bringing it to the Cayman Islands.”

UNLIKE is partnering with FoF, UWC Cayman Islands, and a number of other volunteers from the local arts scene to produce the festival. FoF is a diverse group of working film professionals dedicated to motion picture production in the Cayman Islands. UWC Cayman Islands is a national committee of the global United World Colleges movement, whose mission is to use education as a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future. 

The event will take place the weekend of 26-28 September. All proceeds will go toward the charitable foundation’s scholarship programme that ensures a need-blind selection process based entirely on merit for all Caymanian UWC scholars.

“FoF is delighted to be part of UNLIKE Cayman. It’s rewarding to be able to help an organisation like UWC Cayman Islands that gives students a transformational educational experience in which they find ways to achieve a more peaceful and sustainable future and we are thrilled to be partnering also with the inspiring UNLIKE Festival,” said Colleen Dahlstrom, co-founder of FoF.

UNLIKE Cayman will give many different types of local artists with varying levels of experience an opportunity to showcase their hard work and talent,while also giving the community a chance to come together and enjoy themselves. The main festival will take place all day Saturday, 27th September at Camana Bay, with an opening Cocktail Reception at the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands on Friday 26th September and a Closing Brunch on Sunday 28th September at Royal Palms. Saturday’s festival will be completely free for all to attend and tickets for other events will go on sale in the coming weeks.

“Our focus now is on collaborating to make the festival in September one to remember, by connecting likeminded people and experiencing everything the cultural community in Cayman has to offer,” Dahlstrom emphasised.

Aubrey Bodden, Chairperson of UWC Cayman Islands, also expressed appreciation to the various companies that have already come on board as sponsors, noting “Without our corporate partners we would not be able to host this world-class festival and ensure that it is open to everyone to participate. UNLIKE Cayman began with the desire to do something that has never been done before in the Cayman Islands and has really grown into something even more awesome than we could have imagined.”

All filmmakers, visual artists, artisans, craftspersons, musicians, dancers, authors, poets and other performers and artists are welcome to participate in the festival. For more information about participation, tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please contact UNLIKECayman@gmail.com.

The Platinum Sponsor of UNLIKE Cayman is Dart Enterprises Limited. Gold Sponsors include Greenlight Re, the Ministry of Health, Sports, Youth & Culture, Morval Bank & Trust and Regal Cinemas; Silver Sponsors include Awesome Productions, Grant Thornton, Touch of Thai, Kensington Management Group, Pcreative, Hopscotch Productions, Lion’s Productions and CML TV; and Bronze Sponsors include Strategic Risk Solutions, Global Captive Management, CUC, Ogier, Island Heritage, BCQS, Cayman Spirits Company and the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands.