ABOUT JCDC

JCDC’s History

In 1963, with the establishment of the Festival Office, the Commission was formed. An Act of Parliament in September, Act 32 of 1968, established it as the Jamaica Festival Commission with the mandate to encourage the annual Independence Anniversary Celebrations throughout the island, as well as to stimulate the development of local talents. In May of 1980, the Commission’s mandate was extended by another Act of Parliament (Act No. 8 of 1980), and with this, its name was changed to the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

Functions of the JCDC (As Outlined in the Act No.8 of 1980) are to:

"Promote cultural programmes and activities in communities throughout the Island;encourage and organize each year, Independence Anniversary Celebrations and other celebrations marking occasions of national interest;stimulate the development of local talent by means of training, workshops, competitions, exhibitions, pageants, parades, displays and such other activities as the Commission may from time to time determine;complement the work of other agencies engaged in the carrying out of community development programmes throughout the island.”

Re-branding 2010

The Commission is responsible for National Celebratory and Commemorative Events

These include:

• Independence Anniversary Celebrations
• Emancipation Celebrations
• Floral & Civic Ceremonies
• Sir Alexander Bustamante
• Norman Manley
• Marcus Garvey
• National Heritage Week
• Miss Lou Week
• Bob Marley Symposia

The Committee for the Promotion of National Religious Services (CPNRS) organizes all National Church Services.

Performing Arts

Through the staging of the annual Festival of the Arts Competitions, the talents of many Jamaicans are exposed and developed. Subsequently, the Commission has created a hub of distinguished cultural practitioners that impact positively on the cultural landscape of Jamaica. Through its Arts Development Programmes participants are trained in and exposed to workshops, seminars, and symposia. The subject areas include:

• Speech
• Drama
• Music
• Dance (includes the Deaf Dance Competition)
• Traditional Folk Forms (Children's Jonkunnu and Mento Band Competitions)

A part from the Perfoming Arts Prorgams the Commission stages the following events:

• National Creative Writing and Exhibition
• Culinary Arts
• National Visual Arts and Exhibition

Entertainment Arts

There are a number of other Competitions that are staged annually which are referred to as the Entertainment Arts. These are :

Miss Jamaica Festival Queen Competition

Festival Song Competition (formerly Popular Song Competition)

World Reggae Dance Competition

National Children's Gospel Song Competition

Jamaica Gospel Song Competition

Our Mission

To enhance national development through cultural practices by creating opportunities that unearth, develop, preserve and promote creative talents and expressions of the Jamaican people. This will be achieved in an innovative and creative manner through professional and responsive staff collaborating with all stakeholders. 

 

JCDC Core Values

• Professionalism
• Integrity
• Excellence
• Creativity

 

Vision

Global Centre for Cultural Excellence.