An evening gallery tour, a live painting showdown, or a chance to make a West African mask: Antigua and Barbuda Art Week is giving travelers several ways to connect with the destination’s creative community this November.
Returning for its fourth edition from November 11–18, 2026, the festival brings together exhibitions, studio visits, public art, performances, and workshops across Antigua. The program includes events organized by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority alongside independent experiences hosted by artists, designers, galleries, and community organizations.
For visitors, it is an opportunity to build a Caribbean vacation around the people making art today, with time between events for the beach, local dining, and exploring the island.
An Opening Night at Redcliffe Quay
The week begins on November 11 with Symphony of Colours at Redcliffe Quay in St. John’s. Visual art, music, cuisine, and cultural performances will fill the evening, setting the scene for the days ahead.
Redcliffe Quay will also be home to the Tourism Authority’s Art Week exhibition, which moves this year from V.C. Bird International Airport to the new E.T. Henry Gallery. Featuring work by more than 30 artists from Antigua and Barbuda, the exhibition provides a starting point for discovering the range of talent represented during the festival.
The airport will retain its own creative welcome through the Rising Stars of Art student exhibition and Dual Thresholds, a public art project featuring artist-designed doors. These installations introduce visitors to both emerging talent and the wider Art Week program.
Jam Bull, Fashion, and Island Stories
Among this year’s cultural highlights is Out of the Krokus Bag at Makŏ Fine Art Gallery. The series combines exhibitions, dance, poetry, workshops, and performances, including the Jam Bull tradition. A preview during Symphony of Colours will introduce audiences to this expression of Antigua and Barbuda’s history and folklore.
Fashion joins the program through designer and creative stylist Shem Henry, who will open the Henré Designs studio to Art Week visitors for the first time. His intimate fashion and art experience, BE, offers a closer encounter with the creative work behind the garments.
At The Barracks Gallery, Stephen Murphy, in collaboration with Amaya Iztueta, will present an exhibition of works by Maria Ross Iztueta. Together, these events extend the festival beyond painting into performance, design, and personal artistic stories.
For more background on another of the destination’s creative traditions, explore DRIFT’s feature on the story of steelpan in Antigua and Barbuda.
Follow the Art Trail by Day or After Dark
Guided gallery tours offer a way to connect the festival’s different spaces. The daytime Art & Culture bus tour takes place on November 13, while the new Art After Dark experience follows on November 17, pairing evening art encounters with local wine tastings.
Both tours board at Redcliffe Quay, making it a useful meeting point when planning the day. The evening tour adds another option for travelers who want to spend daylight hours exploring the coast before turning their attention to galleries and cultural spaces.
Independent visitors can also follow the Art Trail at their own pace. Guides will be available at the Tourism Authority’s exhibition, with participating galleries, studios, and exhibition spaces welcoming visitors throughout the week. The Art Trail challenge encourages guests to discover as many galleries as possible and vote for their favorite artist.
Those interested in finding locally made pieces to bring home can also consult DRIFT’s guide to shopping in Antigua and Barbuda.
Make Something of Your Own
Several experiences invite visitors to become participants. At the Art and Cultural Village at Julees, multidisciplinary artist Iyaba Ibo Mandingo will lead West African mask-making and puppet workshops alongside Puppet Village.
Bind Your Story offers an introduction to creating a personalized handmade notebook, while Good Humans 268’s sustainable art activity uses recycled and repurposed materials.
November 14 brings two different approaches to painting. Art Battle at Bay Gardens Caribbean Village will showcase artists creating work live. Later, Flavours & Canvas at Dennis’s Beach Bar and Restaurant combines guided painting with tapas, cocktails, and music in a beachfront setting.
These sessions give visitors a chance to spend time with artists, learn about their processes, and leave with a memory of making something themselves.
Where to Stay for Antigua and Barbuda Art Week
With the announced events taking place across Antigua, staying on the island makes the most practical sense for attending several experiences. Choose a hotel around the events you most want to see, and arrange transport for gallery visits and evening outings.
Siboney Beach Club: A Boutique Stay on Dickenson Bay
Siboney Beach Club combines a beachfront location on Dickenson Bay with tropical gardens and a choice of suites. SaltPlage Restaurant and Starfish Beach Bar provide places to unwind by the water between outings. It is an appealing option for travelers who want a smaller hotel and a beach setting while spending much of their trip exploring independently.
Blue Waters Resort & Spa: Space to Unwind Between Events
On Antigua’s northwestern coast, Blue Waters Resort & Spa offers rooms, suites, villas, and cottages among 17 acres of gardens. Three beach coves, pools, and a spa give guests plenty to enjoy between exhibitions. The range of accommodations makes it worth considering for couples or groups seeking different room configurations within one resort.
Galley Bay Resort & Spa: An Adults-Only Beach Retreat
Galley Bay Resort & Spa is an adults-only, all-inclusive option for pairing the festival with a beach vacation. Accommodations include beachfront rooms and suites, along with Gauguin Cottages featuring plunge pools. Open-air dining and activities such as kayaking and paddleboarding offer ways to fill the hours between cultural outings.
Admiral’s Inn & Gunpowder Suites: A Stay with Historic Character
Set within Nelson’s Dockyard in English Harbour, Admiral’s Inn & Gunpowder Suites places guests among restored historic buildings on Antigua’s south coast. Its 32 rooms and suites occupy waterfront, garden, and hillside settings, with Pillars and Boom restaurants and an infinity pool adding to the experience. Choose it for a vacation that combines Art Week with English Harbour’s heritage, allowing time for travel to St. John’s events.
Planning Your Art Week Visit
Some workshops and guided experiences have limited capacity, so reserve the events that matter most before filling in the rest of your itinerary. Tickets for the Tourism Authority’s Flavours & Canvas event and Art Trail bus tours are available through the TickeTing app.
Consult the official Antigua and Barbuda Art Week program for current schedules, participating venues, and booking details. Leave room between reservations for conversations, studio discoveries, and the artwork that catches your attention along the way.
