JCDC Hosts Free Online Workshops

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is encouraging Jamaicans to attend the free online workshops, in preparation for the upcoming festival of the Performing Arts Competition.

Persons can participate in the workshops via the Zoom platform and on the JCDC’s YouTube and Facebook pages. Persons who would like to participate in the workshops may contact the JCDC at 876-926-5726 for the daily link and the dates and times for the workshops.

Director of Arts Development and Training, Andrew Brodber, told JIS News that persons entering the competition can benefit from the workshops, which will cover subject areas, such as dance, drama, music, culinary arts, speech, literary arts, visual arts and traditional folk forms.

He said that the JCDC has introduced a “solo performance category” concept for this year’s competition, due to the need for continued social distancing, in light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“So, the workshops will help persons to focus in each of the areas on how to enter and be successful as a soloist,” he said, adding that the workshops will train and guide participants in their respective areas.

Further, he said that the JCDC will not be hosting a competition in the traditional folk forms category this year, but that focus will be placed on training and demonstrations for participants.

“Persons would have been used to groups, trio and duet, but we are not working with the groups this season,” he emphasised, noting that persons will learn how to submit entries as a soloist.

With regard to the submission of entries, he said that participants will be required to upload a video entry to a “specially-designed online platform for adjudication.”

Further, he said that participants will not be required to pay an ‘entry fee’ for the competitions this year, as the JCDC will be sponsoring all entry fees.