The Cedar International School broke ground on its Arts Centre on May 16, 2026. Photo: Facebook

Chair of the Board of Cedar International School, Mrs Vanessa M. King, said that upon completion, the Cedar Arts Centre will be a vital community space. Photo: Facebook

The Cedar Arts Centre will have an auditorium with a stage which can be converted to a large open space for teaching, rehearsals, exhibitions, or events, a kitchen, a dedicated steel pan room and additional rooms for dance, music, and drama, and a storage area. Photo: Facebook

Chair of the Board of Cedar International School, Mrs Vanessa M. King, said when the idea of a performing arts centre was shared a few years ago, the vision was simple. 

“We imagined transforming the music room into a stage that would extend down to the court with a classroom or two above. We called the project Raising the Roof, because that was what we intended to do: raise the roof of the music centre.”

She said the plan then was “conservative” and “understandably shaped” by the challenges that were just faced, including Hurricanes Irma and Maria and the COVID-19 Pandemic, which had significantly impacted the school. 

“However, it did not take long for us to realise that this vision, while practical, was not ambitious enough. It could not fully support our mission, nor could we or should we allow the future of Cedar to be defined by the struggles of those difficult years.”

Committed to developing the whole child

Mrs King added that the institution has always been “committed to developing the whole child”, and the arts play an important role in doing so. 

“With this in mind, and the possibility that this land offered, we expanded our vision, and what began as a small performance arts space evolved into something far greater; a centre dedicated to celebrating and nurturing our students and their participation in the arts in all its forms.”

At Cedar International, she said, it is believed that school is more than classrooms and must include spaces that allow children to express, share and develop their creativity in the different ways it may flow and for the community to celebrate it. 

“A school must include environments in which our teachers can grow and inspire our students to discover their voices, nurture their talents, and be all they can be to be confident in their role as artists, thinkers, and leaders.”

A responsibility to the wider VI

King added that the institution's growth has never been solely about the school. 

“From the beginning, we have recognised our responsibility to the wider BVI community. Every capital project we undertake is guided by a broader perspective.”

The Cedar Arts Centre, upon completion, will have an auditorium with a stage which can be converted to a large open space for teaching, rehearsals, exhibitions, or events, a kitchen, a dedicated steel pan room and additional rooms for dance, music, and drama, and a storage area. 

Mrs King said the Arts Centre will be a vital community space. 

“It will support the preservation, celebration, and sharing of our BVI and Caribbean cultural traditions. It will provide a home for the rhythms of the fungi music, the splendour of the steel pan… the power of the spoken word, the joy of dance, and the beauty of the visual arts. It will be a place where stories are shared, our culture is honoured, and our traditions continue to thrive.”