Above: John Cox

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The Baha Mar resort is planning to put a major emphasis on the arts, having named local artist John Cox as the new “Creative Arts Director” for the $3.5 million project.

Cox, the chief curator of the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, will oversee the resort’s art gallery and oversee the production of art in on-site artist studios, according to the project.

“As an art lover and collector, some of my favorite pieces are by Bahamian artists,” said Sarkis Izmirlian, chairman and CEO of Baha Mar. “They embody the characteristics which inspired the vision of Baha Mar – the colors, the culture and the warmth of the people of The Bahamas that I know; I want to share this creative experience with our guests.”

The resort said its art gallery would feature the largest collection of Bahamian art in the country.

The Baha Mar project will have more than 2,900 hotel rooms across brands including Rosewood, Mondrian, Grand Hyatt and Melia.