Six years in, Cayman Art Week just keeps getting bigger. This May, CAW26 brings together 10 galleries, 12 studios, 5 museums, 32 pop-up exhibitions and more than 50 art events across Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Running from Tuesday 26 May to Sunday 31 May, all events are free and open to everyone, celebrating the breadth of creative talent that calls these islands home.
Whether you’ve been coming since year one or you’re new to Cayman Art Week, here’s what you need to know to make the most of CAW26:
WEDNESDAY 27 MAY: DON’T MISS OPENING NIGHT
Cayman Art Week’s official launch takes place on Wednesday 27 May from 7pm at the National Gallery who co-host the event as lead partners for Cayman Art Week. The evening brings together a vibrant mix of collectors, artists, gallerists and art lovers, and it’s a great opportunity to see the Gallery’s current exhibitions:
• Next Wave: Emerging Voices in Cayman Art is a showcase of work by young local artists aged 16 to 20 following an open call by the National Gallery. Cayman Art Week has sponsored a young Caymanian curator to stage this exhibition as part of its support for the next generation of creatives building a career in the arts. Opening for Cayman Art Week, the exhibition runs until 12 June.
• Conversations in the 7th Dimension honours the remarkable creative journey of Randy Chollette — artist, musician, educator and a central figure in the Native Sons collective whose work has helped shape contemporary Caymanian art.
GET ON THE BUS
With ten CAW venues at Camana Bay alone, it’s never been easier to spend a lunchbreak or an afternoon gallery-hopping. But the real magic of Art Week is in getting out and exploring — and the free hop-on hop-off bus tours make it easy:
• Thursday 28 May — CAW West: Free hop-on hop-off buses connect venues along the Seven Mile Beach corridor to the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Hotel Indigo, Cayman Art Week’s Culture Partners for CAW West. With ten venues in Camana Bay alone, start your evening at the CAW Hub on The Paseo from 5pm, with buses running on a loop 6pm-10pm.
• Friday 29 May — CAW Central: Free hop-on hop-off buses run on loops through George Town and Industrial Park from 6pm–10pm. Start the evening at the CAW Hub on Cardinal Avenue for a complimentary Aperol Spritz and pick up your map for those exploring by foot or car.
• Saturday 30 May — CAW East: A curator-led bus tour heads through South Sound, Savannah, Bodden Town, Breakers, North Side and East End, departing the National Gallery at 9am. Ticketed at $10, with a box lunch option available, reserve your space at eventpros.ky.
• Saturday 30 May — CAW Brac: Leaving from Cayman Brac Heritage House, a dedicated free bus tour takes in Gordon Solomon Studio, Nim Things/SimoneS Art Gallery, Eldemire House and the Cayman Brac Beach Resort.
This year, Flow have come on board as supporting partners to provide free Wi-Fi on all buses, making it easier than ever to plan your route using the CAW Google Map, and to learn more about the venues and artists you’ll find on route.
GO DEEPER WITH THE CURATOR’S TOURS & PANEL DISCUSSIONS
For those who want more than a browse, several participating galleries will also host panel discussions and artist talks across the week. Highlights include:
Thursday 28 May
· Evolutions: Continuity and Change in Caymanian Art: a walk through the permanent collection at the National Gallery tracing the islands’ artistic history through a period of rapid social and cultural transformation. (12:30-1:30pm)
· Spatial Dialogue: A Conversation Between Art & Interior by IDG: Exploring the relationship between art, interior architecture and spatial design with artists Al Ebanks and Janine Every (6:30 -7:30pm)
Friday 29 May
· Maritime Art in the National Gallery Collection: Collection Curator William Helfrecht focuses on works by Davin Ebanks, John Broad, Charles Long, Simon Tatum, Miguel Powery, Bendel Hydes and John Reno Jackson. (12:30-1:30pm)
Saturday 30 May
· Conversations in the 7th Dimension: Curatorial Assistant Daniela Granados leads a guided tour of the major Randy Chollette exhibition at the National Gallery. (12:30-1:30pm)
· TimeBack: Community Archive - Panel Discussion: Dive deeper into TimeBack archives journey with the National Gallery and Compass Media at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort (6:30pm–7:15pm)
Sunday 31 May
· In Conversation with Keri Elaine & John Reno Jackson: Join the artists for an intimate discussion about their creative practice at Hotel Indigo (5-6pm)
· Art, Wellness & Expression at Kimpton Seafire Resort & Spa: This immersive evening brings together women artists and guests for a multidisciplinary exploration of women’s self-expression and wellbeing through art (6-8pm)
MORE TO EXPLORE
Across the six days there’s something on at every turn with many one-off events and creative collaborations to explore:
• An interactive large-scale painting and drum circle at Next Door in Camana Bay (Thursday 28 May)
• A sunset session mixing art and vinyl at Whale Rider Records (Friday 29 May)
• A one-night exhibition at The Well in Bayshore Mall (Friday 29 May)
• A photographer’s talk and creative collaboration conversation at Magenta Creative Studio (Saturday 30 May)
• St. Ignatius Catholic School’s Tour d’Art — now in its seventh year (Saturday 30 May)
• A still life drawing workshop at the Farmers Market (Sunday 31 May)
• Catch Gordon Solomon’s new exhibition honouring the Fairweather project at his studio in Cayman Brac
• Drop in for art and coffee at the Seahorse Boutique and Gallery in Little Cayman
• Enjoy an interactive art workshop hosted by Simone Scott at Eldemire House in Cayman Brac