Hope restored - Sagicor Foundation $25-m investment restores painting studio at Edna Manley College

Sagicor Foundation Jamaica has officially handed over the rebuilt upper floor of the Hope Brooks Painting Studio at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, completing a major restoration project funded through a $25-million investment.

The facility, part of the college’s School of Visual Arts, was rebuilt using funds raised through the 2023 Sagicor SIGMA Corporate Run. The college received $25 million from the event’s then record haul of more than $91.8 million. Ground was broken for the reconstruction in November 2024.

The new facility replaces the studio that was damaged by fire in October 2021 and provides students and faculty with a renewed space in which to develop their skills, create work, and contribute to the creative industries of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Christopher Zacca, president and CEO of Sagicor Group and chairman of Sagicor Foundation, said the completed studio reflects the collective impact of the SIGMA Run community.

“This studio is a powerful example of what we can achieve when we come together around a shared purpose. It is a space where ideas will be explored, talent will be nurtured, and outstanding work that represents the best of our region will be produced,” he said. “More importantly, it is an investment in the students whose creativity will help shape the Caribbean’s cultural legacy and strengthen our creative economy.”

The partnership between Sagicor Foundation and the college predates the rebuilding project. Since 2016, students and lecturers from the School of Visual Arts have supported the Sagicor SIGMA Corporate Run by creating the event’s signature start-line mural.

Interim Principal of the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts DorrettRCampbell expressed gratitude for the support, noting that the relationship between the two institutions extends well beyond the studio project.

“Edna Manley College is grateful for the partnership and relationship forged with Sagicor. It is not a partnership predicated on the rebuilding of the first floor of the studio only. It existed before, as it is our same painting students who paint the mural for the annual Sagicor SIGMA Run,” said Campbell.

“By supporting Edna, Sagicor has demonstrated that it understands the value and importance of the arts and the pivotal role Edna plays as the enabler, hub, and driver of the creative industry in the English-speaking Caribbean. For us, the arts are neither tangential nor peripheral. They are critical to social transformation and national development.”

The facility is named in honour of Hope Brooks, former head of the college’s School of Visual Arts, who played a significant role in shaping generations of Jamaican artists and continues to serve the institution as an adjunct lecturer.

For students, the reopening of the studio restores a dedicated space in which they can strengthen their practice, collaborate with peers, and prepare for careers in the arts.

“Having this studio available to us means that we have a space where we can focus fully on developing our ideas and improving our work,” said Lavanya Jones, a fourth-year Bachelor of Fine Arts Painting student. “It also reminds us that there are organisations and individuals who believe in the value of what we do. We are excited to make the space our own and to create work that honours the legacy of Hope Brooks.”