Press Release: First Lady presents Art Exhibit Proceeds to the Crisis Centre

On November 28, 2021, Equity Bank Bahamas Limited held its 4th Annual Charitable Art Exhibition entitled: RESILIENCE. The art exhibition featured 100+ art pieces from over 20 local and foreign artists. The art sales revenues were kept by the artist, with 15% proceeds returned to Equity to be donated to the Crisis Centre which is a charity selected by the Office of the Spouse of the Prime Minister, First Lady Ann Marie Davis. The Crisis Centre serves to combat violence against women and children throughout The Bahamas.

On March 2, 2022, First Lady Ann Marie Davis graciously presented the 15% proceeds cheque to the Crisis Centre on behalf of Equity Bank Bahamas Limited and the talented artists that participated in the 4th Annual Charitable Art Exhibition. The First Lady made brief remarks and said that “the scale of violence and abuse against women, girls, men and children has grown profoundly and every angel out there that is in this fight…to protect, and to house and to safeguard, to talk to and to counsel, I encourage them to continue doing what they’re doing.”

When asked why the Crisis Centre was chosen as the designated charity for proceeds, Gilbert Cassar, Head of Business Development & Fintech of Equity Group International, explained that “at Equity, we really do stand hand in hand with the community. This has been our 4th annual charitable art exhibition. Every year we stage an amazing ambience for local artists to exhibit their work and then we choose a substantive charity that we know will do amazing work, and this is why the Crisis Centre was the perfect fit. It is an annual event that Equity has committed to and the 5th annual will even be bigger and better. There’s a quote that goes ‘I dreamt my painting and then I painted my dream’. We want to encourage everyone to paint a better future and we believe that the Crisis Centre is doing just that. Its reforming those who have been devasted by such unfair circumstances and we believe that the Crisis Centre is one of the aspects of society that is completely selfless.”

Grateful for the donation, Administrator at the Crisis Centre, Mrs. Cleopatra Christie said “we see any number of clients on a daily basis, with a variety of problems: sexual, mental abuse, domestic violence, intimate partner abuse and many of them apart from the abuse that they are suffering from, have challenges: they’re not employed, they don’t have anywhere to live, they have children to take care of; and it is through donations like this [from Equity Bank Bahamas Limited] that will assist us in assisting our clients - and remember we’re a non-profit. We depend on volunteers; the volunteers, they’re the engine behind this establishment and so the donation, it’s timely and will be well spent.”