Gov’t Looking to Identify Space for Iconic Music Museum

The Government is looking to identify a suitable space for the establishment of an iconic music museum and performing arts centre in Kingston.

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, said the Ministry is working with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Creative City Steering Committee, the Urban Development Corporation and the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAC) on the initiative.

She said that efforts will also be made to collaborate with other Creative Cities across the world. Kingston was designated a Creative City of Music by UNESCO on December 11, 2015.

The Minister’s remarks came in a message read by the Director of Entertainment, Policy and Monitoring in the Ministry, Gillian Wilkinson McDaniel, at the launch of the 2017 Grounation series on Saturday (February 4) at the Institute of Jamaica, 10-16 East Street, downtown Kingston.

Grounation is the Jamaica Music Museum’s flagship education and cultural community outreach programme. This year’s series is being observed under the theme: ‘Mento: Is ow de Music Sweet So’.

In her message, Ms. Grange hailed the discussion series and the focus on Mento, which is Jamaica’s first popular music.

“This intellectual discussion and discourse that happens at Grounation allows us to understand the power of music beyond itself…the speakers help us to understand music as a marker and conveyor of history,” she noted.

Ms. Grange said the Ministry is committed to providing financial support and facilitation of the programmes at the Jamaica Music Museum “in its quest to convey to all Jamaicans that music has the capacity to spur innovation and nurture cultural and creative expressions.”

“Culture, music and the arts are what will raise us and move us beyond poverty and disenchantment,” she added.

Grounation will be held each Sunday in the month of February, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Institute’s Lecture Hall.

On February 12, the discussion will focus on the topic ‘Noisy Spring: Mento’s Sexual innuendoes, Double Entendre and Downright Slackness’, which will be led by Sexologist, Dr. Karen Carpenter.