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Yard Mas Carnival released an immersive and visually striking costume presentation on Sunday at the Palace Cineplex inside Sovereign Centre in St Andrew. The highly anticipated showcase, the first under Creative Director Anna-Lisa Guthrie, unveiled Galleria, Yard Mas’ 2026 theme, transforming the cinema into a living art gallery where classic masterpieces met carnival creativity.
From early, the theatre was packed with ‘yardies’ eager to see what Yard Mas had in store. Setting the stage for the big reveal was a montage which played on the big screen, showcasing the costume design journey from early sketches and fabric selections to detailed craftsmanship and final fittings.
For 2026, Yard Mas’ theme Galleria reimagines carnival as a moving museum, with masqueraders becoming walking works of art. Inspired by iconic artists and legendary masterpieces, the costumes blended fine art with the vibrancy of carnival culture.
Director of Yard Mas Carnival, Dania Beckford, explained the concept to The Gleaner at the event. “Galleria is the Yard Mas gallery,” Beckford shared. “Think of going to a museum, and you’re seeing paintings on the wall, but this time, it’s not actually still paintings, it’s costumes that we have reimagined from various famous artists. As such, the masqueraders in these costumes then become moving art on the road,” said Beckford.
This coming carnival season will feature eight designs – seven full carnival costumes and one specially created Monday wear, inspired by the Trinidad Carnival tradition where revellers opt for a lighter, more relaxed look ahead of the grand Tuesday parade.
The Galleria collection at the Cineplex reflected a diverse Caribbean creative collaboration, bringing together designers from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados. Spearheading this was none other than Guthrie, who designed two costumes – Venus and Dali. The other Jamaican designer in the mix was Designs by Dru, who designed the Picasso costume. Ebony, Starry Night and Monet were creations from Trinidadian designers Fonrose, Emma Aqui and David Dewer, respectively, while Frida was designed by Barbados-based designer Lauren Austin.
Beckford highlighted that three of the costumes include men’s pieces, ensuring inclusivity while maintaining Yard Mas’ signature aesthetic.
At its core, Galleria is about breaking the idea that art belongs only to elite spaces. “Some people feel like art is for the upper echelons and not for you, the regular person; that’s not so!” Beckford said. “So for us, we wanted everybody to be like art on the road.”
While the artistry takes centre stage, Yard Mas promises that the vibes remain untouched. From J’ouvert and returning to the air-conditioned National Indoor Sports Centre post-road march, to their sought-after post-carnival beach party, the brand aims to balance creativity with premium carnival experiences.
Managing Director Andrew Bellamy reflected on Yard Mas’ journey since its inception in 2023. “We knew we wanted to create a brand that’s going to be very relevant, that all Jamaicans and carnival chasers would identify with and love,” Bellamy said. “But, we didn’t anticipate that in this short period of time we’d have this amount of relevance and popularity.”
Bellamy also acknowledged the impact of Hurricane Melissa, which delayed the launch as the Yard Mas team shifted focus to relief efforts in affected communities. “Yard Mas is fully Jamaican, and we love giving back, so we spent some time prioritising the needs of the country,” he said.
Now back on track, Bellamy described 2026 as a year of expansion and refinement. “We’re on the verge of redefining how carnival should be done,” he stated confidently.
Adding national perspective to the evening was Delano Seiveright, state minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, who emphasised carnival’s growing contribution to Jamaica’s economy.
“Carnival has contributed significantly over the last several years to Jamaica’s economy. Earlier this year, carnival made in excess of 5 billion Jamaican dollars in direct revenues,” he stated on stage. “This goes to the pan chicken man, the barbers, the hairdressers, the costume designers, the taxi man, the regular ground transportation operators, restaurants, bars, production team, security, everybody, this money filters through the economy of the Kingston metropolitan area.”
“So as we move forward, you have the full support of the Government of Jamaica,” Seiveright said.
Galleria was conceptualised by Yard Mas Director Richard ‘Richie Ras’ Spence.
English (US) ·