The Calypso Project 2022
“…A truly ground-breaking music and visual arts project especially for the Deaf community based on the island of Barbados”.
The Calypso project brought together deaf and hearing professionals from across three continents in a truly ground-breaking music and visual arts project based on the island of Barbados. Drawing on Calypso’s vibrant history, the activities emphasised the island’s culture, as well as looking at deafness in the world at large. The message was loud and clear: deaf people can do anything, except hear perfectly, and deaf Barbadians demand that their voice is heard. It is society - not deafness - that disables, and Calypso raises awareness of this across the community, inspiring a new generation of deaf Barbadians. The project has a community focus, involving people from all walks of life from Barbados.
We wanted to create opportunities and worldwide networks for the deaf community in Barbados. It was our intention to create three new Calypso/Hip-hop fusion songs with videos in collaboration with deaf artists and the deaf community. You can see the music videos for each of the three songs below.
We think this project was very important as the creative arts have a wonderful and instant way of giving the deaf community a voice through the medium of music, visual arts and sign language at a mainstream level.
As Music is powerful enough to bring communities together, this project was unique because it is rare to see Music and Deafness/Sign Language being used together. Through music and with top professionals, we can show that Deaf people can achieve the same as hearing people.
British Deaf Photojournalist Stephen Iliffe spent 5 weeks interviewing deaf Barbadians as part of the Calypso project. The aim was clear; to get a real sense of what life is like for deaf people living on the island from deaf people themselves.
To accompany the stories, Stephen took photographs of each person which formed an exhibition to accompany the concert held at Frank Collymore Hall. Until now this exhibition has been unseen by those outside of the island. Below you can see Stephen’s work in all of its glory, and read the amazing stories.
For more information on team details and resources please visit www.thecalypsoproject.com
This project is supported by a myriad of partners and involvement:
via local donations, Peter & Jan Boos Family Foundation, Decibels Charity UK, Barbados Council for the Disabled, Barbados Horizon Deaf Charity, Audiolabbs Studios, Barbados Community College (Music Department), Irving Wilson School for the Deaf, The Deaf Heart Project, Frank Collymore Hall Bridgetown, Specialkidz International and Positive Vibrations UK.
