The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is now accepting entries for the National Festival of the Performing Arts Competition. The areas covered are Dance, Drama, Music, Speech and the Traditional Folk Forms. The Commission stages these competitions annually to unearth develop, showcase, preserve and promote the creative talents and expressions of the Jamaican people.
The competitions in the Performing Arts are opened to all persons residing in Jamaica for a period not less than two years at the closing date for entries. The includes schools, community groups, youth clubs, social clubs, performing arts clubs, churches as well as individual performers. Participants are engaged in a number of workshops throughout the year before competing at the zone, parish and national levels.
Stephen Davidson, Director Marketing & Public Relations, noted these competitions are staged annually by the JCDC with the kind support of sponsors. He further stated that over 10,000 entries were received last year and the JCDC aims to increase that amount in keeping with its mission. The prizes for the various competitions include cash incentives, trophies gift packages and many of these participants are called upon to perform at various public and private functions, including national celebratory events.
Deadline for the entries for National Festival of the Performing Arts is Friday, January 31, 2014. Entry forms for the 2014 competitions are now available online at www.jcdc.gov.jm, at the JCDC Head Office located at 3-5 Phoenix Avenue, Kingston 10 and all JCDC parish offices island-wide