Tita Puente Jr performed at the Performing Arts Series of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in March 2026, with funding through a UniteBVI grant. Photo: Facebook

(L-R) Talking Points Co-hosts Damion C. Grange, Violet Thomas-Gaul, guest President of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, Dr Richard W. Georges. Photo: Facebook

Dr Georges, who was a guest on Talking Points on ZBVI 780 AM on April 27, 2026, said, “We have aspirations to bring it back. We had our first event, the Tita Puente Jr.  Concert, earlier this year. We want to keep it going.”

The Tita Puente Jr concert was held on March 21, 2026, at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium at the HLSCC grounds. 

“We have to be a bit more intentional in terms of the acts that we identify to make sure that we can get that turnout. I will say the concert, for all intents and purposes, was exceptional in quality, but we definitely would have liked to have a few more bodies in the auditorium,” Dr Georges said. 

That concert was made possible through grant funding by UniteBVI, he revealed. 

More support needed

Dr Georges added that additional support would be necessary to bring back the Performing Arts Series fully. He also said community involvement and sponsorship would be vital. 

“We also want to make sure that we can bring it back to the same level of energy that it had in yesteryear. It is a bit difficult; we probably need a bit more funding and sponsorship to facilitate it.”

While the college works on bringing the series back, Dr Georges assured, “The Performing Arts Series is an essential thing that we are working on bringing back.”