Neala Luna is a Warrior Poet, inspired by the Moon and the Light that burns fiercely in each of us. A philosopher and explorer who is passionate about books, music, true love and talking, she has a keen interest in human expression, personal growth and creative healing.

Through the expressive arts, she endeavours to understand the nature of light and shadow in her surroundings, herself and in others.

 “We are all creative. Its source lies at the very core of each of us. When we are creating anything, - art, music, stories, food, - we connect to the purest, deepest and most honest parts of ourselves.

 As social creatures, sharing our creations enhances the way we experience the world. Creative expression, ultimately helps us to discover meaning in the madness of life.”

Scribbling her stories from the tiny island of Trinidad in the Caribbean, Neala Luna’s watercolours, coffee paintings and poetry reflect what she loves about life in all its beautiful complexities.

'Kyle “Skeeto” Amos is the founder of ONE MIC - a spoken word and performance open mic event hosted in San Fernando. Find out more about this insightful talent! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19MZHOhJ-mg

"I consider myself an introvert-extravert. I love being on stage, that is where I can truly be myself. I love moving people emotionally with my voice. I become someone else when I am on stage. In person I am shy and will disappear in a crowd.

My goal is to pass on to every child the love of music and performing. It gives you the chance to escape or create a different world, or just for a moment make this one better.

I had the privilege of leading both my school choirs and my alumni choir to victory in the Trinidad & Tobago Music Festival 2018. Both groups came away with 6 trophies each including the trophies for most outstanding choir/performance in the festival at junior and open classes. What an accomplishment. I have seen changes in students that started off very shy and reserved to become vocal and brave and friendly. I have seen students with drive and initiative take their learning and performance in hand.

I borrowed this from another teacher but I live it every day: the proof of the pudding (teaching) is in the performance. Performance involves communication and if just one person is moved in my audience then my goal is achieved."

Natalie Howe is the Founder and Creative Director behind the name DÉ-COLLE-TÉ by Natalie Howe, a brand which specializes in fashion accessories made from ankara printed fabric. She describes her jewellery pieces as “wearable art”.

 “DÉ-COLLE-TÉ by Natalie Howe is the coalescence of a love for fashion and the arts with the crisp aesthetic of our cultural identity. It has developed into a lifestyle brand. It is the expression of a woman who is bold and unafraid to stand out, who is free to express herself effortlessly through her wardrobe choices and inspires others to extract the beauty of everything this life has to offer.”

Natalie describes herself as a dreamer, thinker, God fearing, purpose driven positivity junkie. She is a firm believer that everything happens in this life is not by coincidence, but by design. She is the unstoppable female juggernaut who has challenges in life but has made a decision rise and soar.

Natalie has no formal training in jewellery design and strongly believes that she is divinely lead into the direction of her gifts and talents. Creating pieces comes naturally. Her passion for life keeps her inspired to create.

The brand continues to make appearances at local pop up and cultural events and remains focused on developing regional and international linkages.

For further information Natalie Howe can be contacted:

DÉ-COLLE-TÉ by Natalie Howe

"For 18 years, the St. Hilaire Brothers (STB) have been teasing our ears with notes of sweetness. Privileged to carry the torch of family ties, STB bears the musical influences of their parentage through rhythmic choruses and colourful harmonies. Music is the lifeblood of this family and natural inheritance of the listener.

STB has graciously presented as openers for the likes of Kevin Bond, Larnelle Harris, Steve Green, Alvin Slaughter, Vashawn Mitchell and Wintley Phipps upon their visits to the beautiful twin island Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

Winners of the October 2017 USC Acapella competition, STB served as finalists at the Gospel Music Award of Trinidad & Tobago for Vocal Group of the Year in January of 2018. The unique tunefulness of their blend and inspirational lyrics continue to encourage many the world over.

The St. Hilaire Brothers have released three (3) full albums and several singles, available on CD and digital platforms including iTunes, CDbaby and Amazon. 

Akinola Sennon is the Executive Director of the Deltones Institute of Steel drums and Music; Cousoumeh Caravan Project Director; Lecturer, Ellie Mannette Festival in West Virginia; Workshop facilitator, Great lakes Festival, Chicago.

"After attending the Amsterdam conservatory of music jazz program in the summer of 2015, I was immediately inspired to record an album. After hearing my playing I was getting questions like where is your tour schedule or where can your albums be found? So I went to work immediately and recorded the Cousoumeh album which was signed to a leading live music label called Rope-a-dope records. The concept of this album was so strong that it evolved into a festival called the Cousoumeh Festival... which shows this space that is Trinidad and its heritage via art, music, food. The concept also evolved into a caravan called the Cousoumeh Caravan which engages its cultural exchanges internationally.

Vanessa Alexandra Headley is a musical Arranger, Composer, Educator, and steel pan/percussion devotee for the past 25 years.

Her pursuit of music through high school awarded her 1st place in the Caribbean at CSEC Music. She received her 1st degree with honours, specialised in Musical Arts at The University of the West Indies in 2010 and in 2011 she was a selected member of the Berklee College of Music All Star Funk Fusion Band and earned the first Steelpan Major scholarship to continue studies at the College.  She also holds a master’s degree in music psychology from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.

 Ms. Headley holds the positions of Vice President and Musical Director of the renowned NGO - Golden Hands. She is the first steelpan arranger to compose, perform and arrange an original composition for the National Panorama. This she has done on four (4) consecutive occasions for Golden Hands, emerging with the coveted title of Champion Arranger in 2018 with her song TROUBLE.  As a Golden Hands member she has shared in over one hundred national and International trophies and awards, many of which are due to her phenomenal performance as a soloist.

​Ms. Headley is also engaged as the Radio Show Hostess of “Steelpan City with Vanessa’’ on WACK 90.1 FM, a platform she uses to analyze music through the years and educate listeners on the exponential evolution of the steelpan. Her passion for the development of the instrument is expressed in her current authoring of a book series. She is one of the editors of 

The UWI Graded Steelpan Examinations Books and has composed and transcribed extensively for various publications, most recently that of Steelpan icon Len ‘Boogsie’ Sharpe.

Vanessa Alexandra Headley is deeply committed to building on the foundation of our steelpan pioneers by sharing the essence of steelpan music, through education. ​

Kassandra Pemberton is a creative being who is never afraid to answer that voice in her head that says : DO IT. Born in Belmont, Port of Spain, Pemberton is an internationally trained yoga instructor and message therapist who was trained in India, Thailand, Canada and the USA; a fashionista and model. Only recently Pemberton added headwear designer to her growing ‘to do’ list. Pemberton’s GloRi Retrofit headwear is much like its designer – offbeat and bold like her personality, dramatic like her laugh and standout like her entrance to any room (every floor is this girl’s catwalk… we swear).

Pemberton continues to be amazed by how quickly her headwear brand is growing and places that its taking her. She just returned from a successful Caribbean Fashion Week collaboration with veteran designer Claudia Pegus and prior to that was featured with said designer at the O2N’s Style in Trinidad. The designer will next head out to Guadeloupe and St Lucia. Her goal GloRI Retrofit is to empower women to be adventurous in fashion.

“I want people to reach out to me to help fan the fire of individuality, to tap into latent, creative parts of themselves—to self-express, to think outside-the-box.”

Keegan Taylor is no stranger to the stage as he started a successful career in the entertainment arena at the early age of 8. As an avid contender and performer in cultural arts during his primary and secondary school years, Keegan developed an extensive body of work and contributed to the art forms of calypso and soca over his 25-year involvement in culture and entertainment. 

As the first Junior Soca Monarch of Trinidad and Tobago, Keegan has also took his brand of music and performance internationally with popular bands like Caribbean Traffic Jam (Traffik) and many other groups including well known chutney bands like Melobugz and Triveni to name a few. 

In 2009, Keegan's less talked-about love and experience in martial arts led him to explore and discover the world of Kalinda or stick-fighting in a very intimate way. In an almost anthropological manner, he immersed himself in it with the guidance of Moruga stick masters. He began a journey to seek mastery in this ancient African tradition, hoping to acquire and transfer the learnings of the art to the present generation of youth. 

He aims to merge his love and competency in these diverse areas of Trinidad and Tobago culture to develop new ideas for change, innovation and even some level of retention of the old ways. With this, he hopes to create a better and more creative world for our children’s future. Keegan Taylor and his friend and business partner, Rondel Benjamin are the founders of Bois Academy of Trinidad and Tobago (B.A.T.T.). Together, they starred in the documentary film ‘No Bois Man No Fraid’ by Christopher Laird. Keegan was part of the duo for a TEDx Port-of-Spain talk on kalinda in 2013.