Ministry of Creative Industries Announces National Adjudication Workshop for Calypso and Soca Competitions
Tuesday10th, June 2025 – St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda – The Ministry of Creative Industries is pleased to announce the hosting of the National Adjudication Workshop for both new and returning adjudicators of the nation’s premier Soca and Calypso vocal competitions.
The two-day workshop will be held on Saturday, June 21st and Sunday, June 22nd, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day, at the State Insurance Company Limited Conference Room, located in the Treasury Building at the corner of St. Mary’s Street and Independence Avenue.
This workshop is a critical component of the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to elevating the standards of cultural adjudication and ensuring fairness, transparency, and cultural integrity in the judging process. It is mandatory for all adjudicators wishing to be considered for selection in the 2025 national Soca and Calypso competitions to attend this workshop.
Workshop sessions will be facilitated by the esteemed Sylvester “King Socrates” Hodge, a celebrated cultural icon, veteran calypsonian, and respected adjudicator with decades of experience in the field.
This year’s training will include sessions on:
• Understanding Calypso as a Cultural Expression
• A Deep Dive into the Calypso Criteria
• A Deep Dive into the Soca Criteria
• Practical Sessions: Approaches to Scoring
• Understanding Soca: Structure and Purpose
• Ethical Judging and Bias Awareness
• Open Session with Artists, Writers, and Composers
All persons interested in participating must register in advance at the Festival Office on Redcliff Street. For more information, please call the Festival Office at 562-7267 or 562-9606.
The Ministry encourages the participation of both seasoned adjudicators and newcomers who are passionate about the development and fair evaluation of Antigua and Barbuda’s vibrant musical traditions.
Ministry of Creative Industries
Fostering Excellence in Cultural Expression
So much time and energy being spent on irrelevant issues. There are many things these young people could be involved in. Some of the lyrics for these songs are nasty. Then festivals commission will spend money on a workshop to enhance their vocals. Im just saying.
A National Adjudication Workshop is exactly what’s needed to strengthen our Calypso and Soca competitions. Well done, Ministry of Creative Industries!”
This is great news! It’s important to keep our cultural competitions fair and professional. Looking forward to seeing the results this year.
I hope this workshop includes discussions on how to judge new music styles fairly, especially with how Soca keeps evolving.