On February 20, 2025, the Institute of Creative Arts opened a new exhibit at the Museum of Art within the Belize City House of Culture. The traveling exhibit, titled “HandmadeByBze“, celebrates Belizean craftsmanship and creativity, showcasing 27 artists’ traditional and contemporary handmade designs. The exhibit will be showcased throughout the country until mid-July 2025. Hailing from around the country, the featured artists display their unique talent using various materials. Each masterpiece embodies the talents of its maker, utilizing clay, jippi jappa (crafted from the Jipijapa palm), calabash gourds, bamboo, stone, wood, slate, embroidery, crochet, and even butterfly wings!

The extraordinary artisans featured include Victoria Bedran, from Cayo: Sculptor: Clay – Keith Francisco: John Canoe “Jankunu” Headdress maker from Dangriga, Stan Creek - Candelaria Kukul: Jippi Jappa Weaving, from Aguacate Village Toledo – Austin “Bobby” Sanchez: Drum maker, from Seine Bight, Stann Creek – Daniel Cab: Calabash carver and painter from Punta Gorda Town, Toledo – Emilio Perera: Handbag Designer from Belize City – Victor “Raskeemo Marin: John Canoe “Jankunu” mask maker from Dangriga, Stann Creek – Mercy Sabal: Traditional Doll Maker, from Dangriga, Stann Creek – Seraphim Gabourel:  bamboo carpenter from  Harmonyville, Cayo – Anthony Vacaro Sr., Sculptor: stone, wood from Maskall Village – Elmer Panti, Sculptor: Slate, from San Jose Succotz, Cayo – Susano Blanco, Sculptor: wood, from August Pine Ridge, Orange Walk – Humberto Chulin: Banana Fiber Weaving from Banana Bank, Cayo – Emmeth Young: Drummaker from Gales Point Manatee – Zyania Alonzo: Crochet: handbag from Belize City – Maria Angelita Magana: Traditional embroidery and Terno-Stitch from San Joaquin, Corozal – German Magana Sr., Sculptor: Clay, from San Jose Succotz, Cayo – Esteban “Ebano” Cano, Sculptor: Stone, from Santa Elena, Cayo – Baron Neal: Butterfly Art, from Santa Elena, Cayo – Frank Tzib: Mayan Glyph Artist from San Antonio, Cayo – Miranda Mes, Mayflower Women’s Group: Traditional Embroidery from San Jose Village, Toledo – Margaret Welcome: Tie-Tie or “Titai” Basket Weaver from Teakettle, Cayo and Chris Salas, Carpenter: logwood from Isabella Bank.

The exhibit travels throughout the country and concludes in July. Within the next few months, there will be many opportunities to experience HandmadeByBze from wherever you may be. If you are in the area, don’t miss out on this authentic experience. To learn more about the artisans, please visit https://tinyurl.com/handmadebybze.

EXHIBIT SCHEDULE

11^th April – 24^th April – Corozal House of Culture
28^th April -8^th May – Banquitas, Orange Walk
9^th May- 22^nd – Benque House of Culture
23^rd May – 5^th June – San Ignacio-Santa Elena House of Culture 
6^th June – 19^th June – Dangriga House of Culture
20^th June – 3^rd July – Seine Bight Welcome Center
4^th July- 18^th July – Punta Gorda Welcome Center