CIBC Caribbean Bank has made a donation of ten thousand dollars to Creative Waves on April 29, 2025. Photo: Facebook

Creative Waves help and support the local artistic community, promoting the arts across the Virgin Islands, recognising and helping to nurture artistic talent. Photo: Creative Waves

Creative Waves will open its new gallery with an exhibition of Rondel H. Smith, a photographer from Anegada. Photo: Facebook/Rondel H. Smith

During the cheque presentation ceremony on April 29, 2025, CIBC Country Head Mr Fabian S. Devenish said, “It’s a pleasure for us to support Creative Waves in this venture, and it's also a pleasure for us to support the BVI community and local artists.”

Miss Sophie Stanton of Creative Waves thanked the financial institution for the donation. 

“I couldn’t be more grateful for the incredible support shown to Creative Waves by CIBC,” she said. 

New gallery space for Creative Waves

It was at the ceremony that Miss Stanton revealed that for the first time Creative Waves will have a gallery space to showcase the work of local artists.

“We're delighted to announce that just this morning we signed a lease on a gallery space, and we will be opening in Road Reef Plaza, not too far away, in the very close future.”

CIBC’s generous donation, she said, will aid Creative Waves as they continue to help and support the local artistic community, promoting the arts across the Virgin Islands, recognising and helping to nurture artistic talent.

Creative Waves will open its new gallery with an exhibition of Rondel H. Smith, a photographer from Anegada, who she described as having “great talent”. 

The gallery’s first major highlight exhibition, however, will begin in June 2025. 

“Thanks to the support of CIBC, we've been able to put together something incredibly special. This will be a show of women artists…all with different stories, all with very different backgrounds…[and] huge talent amongst them.”

Walk for the Cure to be launched @ Creative Waves event

Other activities include Sip and Paint evenings, where the Walk for the Cure Campaign for 2025 will be launched. 

“Different events will be happening throughout the community, culminating, of course, in the walk. So we're really delighted that the Creative Wave Arts Hub will offer a backdrop for the start of this very important campaign, which CIBC have been putting together for some time,” she said. 

Mr Devonish said, “It is our intention to raise $75,000 this year, and Sophie, with the help of her special artist, will help us to get there. So we appreciate that as well.”

Creative Waves will also host children’s workshops and panel discussions.