Port of Spain, Trinidad – In a continued demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment to enhancing Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural infrastructure, the Honourable Michelle Benjamin, Minister of Culture and Community Development (MCCD), accompanied by other Ministry representatives, conducted an official site visit to the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts (SAPA) on Tuesday July 15, 2025. This visit is part of the Ministry’s ongoing strategies to assess the operational and structural functions of the respective performance spaces under its remit and their capabilities in response to the needs of the creative sector and communities at large.
Minister Benjamin received a guided tour of SAPA led by Mr. Ian King, General Manager (Ag.). The walkthrough included key areas of the facility such as the main auditorium, conference rooms, and dance spaces, offering valuable insight into the daily procedures and logistics of the venue. Additionally, Minister Benjamin had the opportunity to officially meet and engage with staff based at SAPA, gaining a deeper understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities.
This site visit also permitted a thorough assessment of both immediate and long-term requirements essential to SAPA’s function as a premier cultural institution, in not only the southern region but in Trinidad and Tobago. These interactions shed light on the vital contributions made by all on-site personnel in ensuring the smooth operation of SAPA, and highlighted the importance of technical staff in sustaining the cultural life of the facility and, by extension, the national arts landscape.
In sharing remarks at the close of the official tour, Minister Benjamin cemented that these engagements serve as a foundational step towards ensuring the holistic evolution of all performance spaces, she stated that, “It’s not just about maintenance, it’s about building another league of performance excellence, inclusion, and access. SAPA holds immense cultural value, especially to the southern region, and we are determined to ensure it fulfils its potential.”
This visit follows Minister Benjamin’s recent meeting with the respective Heads of the Ministry’s Statutory Entities, as the work to transform these venues into world-class institutions that effectively serve both artists and audiences continues. In this regard, Minister Benjamin has affirmed that additional site visits are planned in the coming months, as part of the Ministry’s broader cultural renewal agenda aimed at positioning national spaces as pillars of both artistic expression and economic opportunity. She emphasised that the upkeep and enhancement of these facilities is essential to ensuring their long-term impact and relevance within Trinidad and Tobago’s cultural landscape.
The Ministry of Culture and Community Development underscores that strategies such as these relate to an urgent need to assess and strengthen the governance and developmental frameworks of these cultural landmarks, particularly as we advance our wider goals of revitalising the creative economy and fostering deeper community engagement. In this regard, the Ministry reaffirms its commitment to placing performance venues at the heart of cultural policy and development, recognising their potential to serve as catalysts for both artistic innovation and social cohesion.
Below are some photo highlights of the Ministerial tour.
Photo 1: The Honourbale Michelle Benjamin, Minister of Culture and Community Development, alongside other Ministry representatives tour the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts guided by Mr. Ian King, General Manager (Ag.) and other members of SAPA staff on Tuesday July 15, 2025.
Photo 2: Minister Benjamin is given a walkthrough of an auditorium at SAPA during her official tour of the facility on Tuesday July 15, 2025.
Photo 3: Minister Benjamin tours one of the conference rooms at SAPA, engaging with staff and stakeholders as part of her official site visit focused on facility maintenance, upgrades, and long-term development planning on Tuesday July 15, 2025.
Photo 4: Minister Benjamin is briefed during the walk-through during her official tour of the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts by Mr. Ian King, General Manager (Ag.) on Tuesday July 15, 2025.
Photo 5: Minister Benjamin meets members of a dance school during their rehearsal session in one of the ballrooms at the SAPA facility on Tuesday July 15, 2025 while conducting her tour of the space.
Photo 6: Members of SAPA staff look on as Minister Benjamin gives a brief address during her visit on Tuesday July 15, 2025.
Photo 7: An executive member of staff presents the Honourable Michelle Benjamin, Minister of Culture and Community Development with artwork of the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts as a token of appreciation for her Ministerial tour.
Photo 8: The Honourable Michelle Benjamin, Minister of Culture and Community Development poses with members of staff at the Southern Academy for the Performing Arts, completing her official Ministerial tour of the performance facility on Tuesday July 15, 2025.