MAVS, the Musicians, Artists and Vocalists Showcase, creates platforms for musicians, vocalists, dancers, visual and spoken-word artists to gain meaningful industry connections and the opportunity for large-scale exposure.

The organization facilitates opportunities for networking, collaboration and communal learning with the influence of its mentors such as Dyson and Wendi Knight, Lee Callender, Fred Fergsuon, MDeez, Robert Bain, Philece Roberts, and B’Jon Da Poet.

MAVS aims to motivate, educate and accelerate young, undiscovered artists through a series of free educational workshops and their annual Summer Festival, a concert which headlines the participants.

“Mentorship in music is key and MAVS is on the cutting edge in ensuring that future musicians are equipped for our industry” says Wendi Knight, Bahamian Icon Award Winner.

The mentors donate their time in hopes of bridging the gap between generations and connecting lives through the arts.

The fourth annual MAVS Summer Festival will be held on Sunday, August 5, 2018 in Pompey Square, downtown Nassau.

The organization was founded in 2015 by twenty-five year old musician, Victor Johnson.

According to Johnson, MAVS allows him to serve the community by helping to connect fellow young artists with like-minded individuals and exposing them to seasoned professionals.

“It is not a competition, and there are no prizes.

We just want to create opportunities and nurture relationships for these artists,” says Johnson.

“An organization or program like MAVS is timely, necessary and it can only do good things if the artists take advantage of what it’s supposed to be” says Fred Ferguson, Cacique Award Winner.

When participants leave the program, MAVS hopes to have imparted knowledge that will equip them to become savvy industry professionals who have fine-tuned their skill sets within their particular fields.

“Professionalism and exposure are two essentials to success in the music industry internationally and MAVS delivers this exceptionally well” says Dyson Knight, front line vocalist with Bahamen and Visage.

Over twenty young Bahamians between the ages of sixteen and thirty will be highlighted this year at the festival.

The MAVS website was flooded with dozens of talented submissions. Those who emerged on top were visual artists Burchaino Archer, Aaliyah Davis, Lyndera Hall, Justin Moultrie, and Eddion Whyms; dancers Marciano Darling, Chelsea Johnson, and Lenelle Sawyer; rappers Julian Gibson, Teddy Hutcheson, and Alexandria Marshall; bands Foreign Sound and Paradise Jazz; instrumentalists Alden Chisholm and Bursel Gibson; vocalists Marvincia Adderley, Agajuan Culmer, Rashad Cunningham, Sherwood Rahming, Kenique Storr, and Joel Sweeting, and spoken word artist Andrew Gomez and Willard Barr.

The MAVS experience began on June 14 with a meet and greet for those selected and will culminate with the grand finale, MAVS Summer Festival on Sunday, August 5.

The mentors are all passionate about preserving the culture of the arts for future Bahamian creatives.

This allowed the organization to hold field specific workshops giving the participants one on one time with the mentors. 

International award winning artists Dyson and Wendi Knight hosted an intimate, two-part workshop on becoming self-assured performers for all genres. Experienced song writer, producer and reggae artist Davon “MDeez” Knight focused on developing an engaging stage presence.

3In demand proprietor of The Singer’s Loft and seasoned Bahamian pianist, Lee Callender, offered coaching.

Highly skilled, artistic director at The National Dance Company of The Bahamas, Robert Bain offered critiques to the dancers.

Original member of Bahamen and current band leader of Tingum Dem, Fred Ferguson offered his expertise to the bands.

Internationally renowned visual artist and illustrator Philece Roberts conducted an engaging and interactive session with the visual artists, and award winning poet B’Jon Bain inspired the spoken-word artists.

Highlights of the MAVS experience included an Artist Development Seminar themed “Presenting Your Brand To The World” which featured insight from media personality Ianthia Smith, and image consultant Cardell McClam.

Also Sammie “Starr” Poitier, entertainment manager at Albany Bahamas, allowed the group a tour of The Sanctuary, an internationally acclaimed, state of the art recording studio.

It has been open less than a year and has already drawn several high-profile clients because of the cutting edge technology offered.

MAVS Summer Festival 2018 promises to be an exciting event with dynamic live bands, spectacular vocalists, thought-provoking spoken word artists, skilled dancers, and talented visual artists creating live paintings during the event.

Entry is free to all events hosted by the organization and there is no registration fee for participants.

According the Johnson, “we want to show our local community and visitors just what The Bahamas has to offer.”

By Jaton Martin