Sarah Bretz, ContributorRoyal Caribbean has announced the return of its Artist Discovery Program to the Caribbean, calling on artists across the region to showcase their work on the line’s upcoming ship Star of the Seas.
Set to debut in Port Canaveral this August, Star of the Seas will provide a dynamic canvas for up-and-coming artists to capture and share the rich Caribbean spirit onboard with vacationers from all over the world. Local artists across the Caribbean can send their submissions starting today through February 15th here.
Introduced on Icon of the Seas, the program will highlight rising stars among local Caribbean artists featured in Star‘s curated art collection, giving budding artists the opportunity to share their talent.
“We are excited for this next edition of The Artist Discovery Program and can’t wait to be awestruck by visionary artists across the Caribbean. Last year, our first-ever call to artists received an overwhelming response with more than 140 artists across 25 Caribbean countries submitting pieces that told a unique story and captured the allure of the region,” said Jay Schneider, chief product innovation officer, Royal Caribbean International. “Our goal is to connect our guests to the enduring beauty and creativity of the Caribbean, and this immersive program is a pathway to celebrating and exploring local culture while onboard the next Icon of vacations – Star of the Seas.”
How It Works
The program’s next group of artists will be commissioned to paint large-scale murals in four highly visible locations on the ship:
- The Royal Promenade neighborhood representing the heartbeat of the vacation
- The embarkation area which will be among the first spots guests see
- The Suite Sundeck Lobby
- The Suite Sundeck
The murals will join a collection onboard that includes an array of pieces created by local artists and inspired by the Caribbean region.
Every artist will receive a grant from Royal Caribbean, ranging from $20,000 to more than $100,000, to see their vision through. As artists in residence, the winners will work closely with the Royal Caribbean team later this year to bring their concepts to life in Turku, Finland where Star of the Seas is currently under construction.
Artists interested in joining the Artist Discovery Program must submit:
- Five samples of previous original works
- A brief artist statement that helps explain their work, inspiration, and other details regarding the pieces submitted
- A copy of their CV/resume
This year’s selected artists will join the 2023 inaugural cohort that created iconic murals that are featured throughout Icon of the Seas. The artists in-residence include Angelika Wallace-Whitfield in The Bahamas, Phillipe Dodard in Haiti, and Jason Hospedales in Trinidad & Tobago. To date, millions of guests embarking on Icon have had the privilege of experiencing their captivating works of art firsthand, celebrating the essence of The Bahamas.
Star of the Seas will sail year-round from Port Canaveral, offering seven-night eastern and western Caribbean voyages. Every sailing will visit Royal Caribbean’s private island Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Future editions of the Artist Discovery Program will be announced at a later date.
Comments
Have you cruised on Icon of the Seas, or are planning to sail Icon or Star of the Seas in the near future? Do you like when cruise ships have large, colorful murals around their public spaces?
