On an invitation to a research conference at the University of Belize on March 20, Belize Sol sat down with Art Shack during lunch at their featured booth in the conference center. Founder and owner of Art Shack Belize, Saidy Goddette-Moore, is the Belmopan gallery owner who is 'big on collaboration" has a tremendous dedication to promoting Belizean artists and art made in Belize. Choosing this path was natural for Saidy who was raised in a family in the midst of artists like her her mother and brother surrounded by art in her childhood home in Guyana. She went from creating her own art while growing up to organizing early exhibits in her home in Belize as the Coordinator of programs with The George Price Centre.
Saidy attended The University of Guyana with a Bachelor's in History and Geography. She then went on to pursue a Masters in Education from The University of The West Indies. Graduating in 2019 and with strong support and mentoring she initially opened Art Shack in 2020, but when the Covid pandemic swept in and shifted her gears to an online business. Beginning initially with a collective of 5 artists she's expanded her support through the gallery to over 300 artists and counting.
Godette-Moore attributes her determination to establish and grow Art Shack as a business to her accumulation of skills learned from being in multiple industries and her adaptability stemming from immigrating from her home country of Guyana to Belize. Her ability to thoughtfully network led to building strong alliances with artists and collaborations with Beltraide, the Audubon Society and 'Skybound' exhibit opening at the Naia Resort, a Belizean owned business in the upcoming in Placencia. Art Shack also also collaborated with Naia resort on the Jaguar exhibition in November 2025. Through collaboration the Gallery also been able to help curate shows through organizations such as the Home of Indigenous Arts Belize Gallery in Punta Gorda that opened in the fall of 2025.
The entrepreneur discussed the challenges for artists who sow promise in the arts but have to balance earning a living to support families while trying to create art consistently. Talents like Kelvin Baizar and Fernando Reyna have been prolific in creating artworks that Art Shack featured at the UB research conference and Saidy has amassed and sold their paintings since the opening of the gallery. These artists are among some of the most incredible visionaries in Belize celebrating the marriage of nature and fine art with precise photo realistic rendering in their painting style. While working with these established artists, the gallery owner also focuses on supporting youth and emerging artists. One example was on display of a 15-year-old artist's original hummingbird painting who clearly showed promise, but wasn't able to continue consistently painting because of her need to work full time to support her family.
In reflecting on the exponential growth of the number of women in the arts as represented by the 105 women in the "Womxn in Art" exhibition at the Institute of Creative Arts in Belize City, she acknowledged the gathering as a celebration of Women's History Month up through the end of March 2026. Saidy beamed at the thought of how many more women she sees exhibiting their art in exhibits, while also recognizing the prohibitive costs of presenting their art at festivals, as well as the need to prioritize their families relative to male artists.
In addition to running the Art Shack gallery, Godette-Moore also curates, teaches, presents at symposiums including the annual Heritage Education Network Belize's K.U.L.C.H.A (‘Keeping Up with Language, Culture, Heritage and the Arts') Symposium. In 2021 in she presented 'How the Cohune Industry can Preserve the May Culture in Belize' where she discussed 'how the adaptation of the Cohune Industry in Belize is a positive step towards sustainability and conservation...it can be applied and cultivated in such a manner that it nurtures traditional practices through sustainable and conscious behaviour.'
What was abundantly clear in our discussion is how deeply passionate Saidy Godette-Moore is about 'building a [thriving] art community,' so much so it is the hash tag on her Facebook page. She was also clear that the artists and collaborations should be centered in any promotion of the gallery as a matter of priority. While she acknowledges that youth haven't yet gravitated towards art as a business she does keep top of mind, passing the torch through education to future generations who will continue to build up the arts community throughout Belize.
'Saidy is an awesome woman who has embraced our handmade products into the Art Shack as it was her own. Sharing our products with her family'- Naturally Belize Cosmetics 2020
'Entrepreneurship advocate and art enthusiast Saidy Godette-Moore has graciously made room for IKOOMA in her cozy Art Shack! - Ikooma owner Jodie Goddard 2020
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