JCDC Nurturing Jamaica’s Cultural Prowess Through Festival

Jamaica has become a world power in culture, which is being nurtured through the strength of the annual Festival of the Performing Arts Competition.

Executive Director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), Lenford Salmon, who made the declaration at a recent JIS Think Tank, said that the country’s cultural prowess is not by accident.

“It’s because of the nursery that we have and have/ nurtured throughout the years. Jamaica is ahead of the game because not even in the United States (US) is there a competition that showcases their creative talents and culture,” he said.

He noted that while there may be variations of cultural competitions in other Caribbean countries, the format and level of importance of the JCDC-organised activities is unique to Jamaica.

“Come September morning, we start all over again once school opens, with the Festival of the Arts, which is driven primarily through the… schools,” Mr. Salmon noted.

The festival competition is held annually to unearth, develop, and showcase the creative talents of Jamaicans from all walks of life.

Mr. Salmon said the JCDC competition does not only serve to maintain the culture, but also benefit the students who enter.

“There is a plethora of studies that will show that students who are involved in the arts are not just more disciplined students but achieve more academically,” he pointed out.

“Even at our University of the West Indies (UWI), preliminary studies show that students who were in the performing societies on campus – University Singers, University Dance Society – they were getting more first-class honours per capita than the students across the rest of the university. So, there’s no question as to what involvement in the arts, the transformative power it has,” Mr. Salmon contended.