Entries for the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) performing arts competitions can now be submitted online.
The JCDC, with support from the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund, recently developed a digital platform that will facilitate the uploading of entries and videos via the Commission’s website – www.jcdc.gov.jm.
Acting Executive Director, Marjorie Leyden-Kirton, says the Commission opted to go digital at the onset of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March 2020, when it was forced to halt the finals for parish-level competitions and cancel the corresponding national finals.
Despite this, she says the national festival and gospel song competitions were held via virtual shows, with online voting by the public being facilitated to determine the winners.
Mrs. Leyden-Kirton informs, however, that the biggest challenge was identifying a safe medium that would enable young participants, especially students, the elders and members of cultural and community groups to participate in the competitions.
