JCDC to Host Online Workshops for Literary Arts/Creative Writing Competition

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) will be hosting a series of online workshops to prepare participants for the Literary Arts/Creative Writing Competitions.

The workshops, which run from January 15 to 27, will cover five subject areas –Screenwriting, Playwriting, Poetry, Novels and Essay writing.

Among the scheduled presenters are Lecturer in Literary and Cultural Studies, Institute of Caribbean Studies, University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, Dr. Lisa Tomlinson; Educator and Director, Eugene Williams; Screenwriter-Director and Educator, Natasha Griffiths, and Educator, Trisan Brown.

JCDC Director of Arts Development and Training, Andrew Brodber, told JIS News that the annual workshops have attracted entrants from overseas.

“We are having the workshops online and we are seeing hundreds of persons participating. Because it is online, we have had more participation than ever before,” he said, noting that an additional 400 persons participated in the 2023 competition, compared to the previous year.

“We have had a good increase, making it some 46 per cent increase, based on the numbers that we had last year,” Mr. Brodber added.
Meanwhile, the Director is reminding persons to submit their entries in triplicate.

“So, whether it’s a poem or a novel, the person is required to submit three copies because there are three adjudicators who would be given copies to mark… then we go through the process of adjudication,” he informed.

Persons can participate in the workshops via the Zoom platform and on the JCDC’s YouTube and Facebook pages.

To participate, they may contact the JCDC at 876-926-5726-9 for the daily link and the dates and times for the workshops.

The JCDC is now in its 60th year of unearthing, developing and showcasing Jamaica’s creative talents.