JCDC to Expose Talent on ‘The Big Stage’

Jamaicans will get a chance to ‘bus out’ on ‘The Big Stage’, a talent search competition organized by the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC).

‘The Big Stage’ is one of the redesigned programmes for the annual Jamaica Festival 2014 celebrations, and entry forms for the competition are available on the JCDC’s website: www.jcdc.gov.jm. Persons can also collect and submit their entries at any of the JCDC parish offices islandwide.

Details of the contest were outlined by Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna, at a recent ceremony, held at the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre in Kingston.

She said the competition will showcase talent from the community level, advancing to the parish and then the national level.

“This will provide unprecedented exposure for creative talent and present an opportunity for development,” the Minister said.

National Coordinator of The Big Stage, David Reid, told JIS News that the JCDC will conduct community talent searches between June 1 and 30. He said the competition is geared to identify, promote and train talents in the areas of dancing, singing, deejaying, stand-up comedy and novelty acts, particularly those that are not normally seen at JCDC performing arts competitions.

He added that the competition will also provide an opportunity for unattached youth in rural and inner-city communities to hone their talents and be exposed to the national stage.

“With the creative industry one of the leading income earners, we are trying to give those talented Jamaicans an avenue to showcase themselves, so they can be employed and earn from their talent,” Mr. Reid said.

He pointed out that the competition will be similar to the Pop and Variety Contest which the Commission introduced in 2003 for its 40^th anniversary celebrations.

“Persons have been asking for it. We are trying to create a database of talents within Jamaica and so we have brought back the competition and rebranded it, so that persons will get a chance on the big stage once they have talent.” he said.

Mr. Reid, who is also the National Festival Song Coordinator, said ‘The Big Stage’ will begin at the community level with talent searches organized by officers of the JCDC parish offices, in collaboration with community groups and the Social Development Commission (SDC).

He said that selected persons will attend training sessions in stage craft, microphone techniques, presentation and choreography. Following the training, auditions will be held to select the top two acts to advance to the national finals. The parish finals will be held on July 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, and 13.