The Belize Centre for Art Education and Cultural Understanding opened in May 2001. It grew out of the SJC Art Room which was established around 1970 when Michele Perdomo led the way to start art classes in a space the size of a closet then moving to a room in the school gymnasium. Eventualy art was given a small room in Jacoby Hall until the big expansion to the Art Centre.
The Art Centre is a multi-diciplinary space dedicated to the practical development of the visual and performing arts. Courses are offered at the High School, Junior College, certificate, general interest and Professional Studies level. The Art Centre also has a mandate to provide outreach programs to the community. Art courses are offered to ther High Schools and a special program allows young offenders from the Kolbe Prison to take classes at the centre.
Today an average of 450-500 students are served by the Art Centre annually.
Specialized courses include painting, drawing, graphic arts, printmaking, ceramics, dance and drama. Each section of the Centre is organized around the Jesuit tradition of wholistic growth - intellectual, physical and spritual.
Nurturing and developing natural talent for art and for thinking visually is hard work. It is only through dicipline and a healthy respect when fostered between student and instructor that real potential can be realized.
