(US Embassy) -Grammy award-winning musician Tim Kubart and his band, Tim and the Space Cadets, joined the Dominica Festival of Arts, DOMFESTA, with concerts across the island May 20-23.  The U.S. Embassy hosted the award-winning musical group as part of its arts envoy program in partnership with the Dominica Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Community Development.  From schools in Colihaut and Soufriere to the Portsmouth Public Library and Old Mill Cultural Centre, Tim and the Space Cadets had audiences on their feet celebrating music, education, and the arts.

Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Chandler Hyacinth welcomed Tim Kubart, Alex MacDonald, and the delegation from the U.S. Embassy to the first performance at Colihaut Primary School, with the participation of the Honorable Parliamentary Representative for the Colihaut Constituency, Catherine Daniel, and the Honorable Senator Nicholas Esprit.  Tim Kubart said, “We are so happy to be in Dominica and to celebrate music and education with new audiences.”  Tap dancer and choreographer Alex MacDonald added, “It’s always wonderful to have our art influenced by the energy of the country we’re in and the people in the room.”  Permanent Secretary Hyacinth thanked the group for the performance saying, “We are grateful for your time and energy to be with us and thankful to the U.S. Embassy for all the support for our ministry – from the books in our library to the study and exchange programs offered in the United States.”

Tim and the Space Cadets performed at several locations linked to U.S. support for Dominica.  A US$50,000 grant through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation helped rebuild the Old Mill Cultural Centre and its dance studio, artisan workshop, and stage following Hurricane Maria.  The Pointe Michel Community Centre was refurbished with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

“As Secretary Blinken has stated, ‘The partnership between the United States and Dominica offers endless opportunities’,” said U.S. Public Affairs Officer Larry Socha, who is traveling with the group.  “The performances and educational message of Tim and the Space Cadets come a week after the return of the U.S. Peace Corps to the Eastern Caribbean, an investment in primary education and literacy that Dominica benefits from directly.  From its classrooms to its Coast Guard, the United States stands shoulder to shoulder with Dominica to build a more secure, prosperous, and democratic Caribbean.”