The 2021 National Festival of the Performing Arts is currently accepting entries in the subject areas of Dance, Drama & Theatre, Speech and Music.
The competition, which is free for entry, will take place in a virtual sphere this year due to the national social distancing protocols caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Persons who are interested in entering any of the available subject areas may do so via the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) website www.jcdc.gov.jm.
“The National Festival of the Performing Arts is an annual staple on the JCDC calendar, and it attracts the best of the best performers in the various subject areas each year. Therefore we were elated to be able to host the competition this year, despite the ongoing pandemic, and unearth all the talent this competition is known for,” said Andrew Clunis, Director of Marketing and Public Relations at the JCDC.
“As such, we have dubbed the 2021 competition cycle ‘The Year of the Soloist’, and will only be accepting solo entries in the available subject areas, in an effort to keep our participants, adjudicators and audiences safe,” Clunis added.
Clunis further clarified that the Traditional Folk Forms subject area will not host a competition this year, but instead focus on training and demonstrations for participants, due to the nature of the subject area, which has a heavy focus on group participation.
Clunis also noted that persons interested in entering the 2021 competition must first register for a JCDC ID number on the JCDC’s website, as the ID number will be required to complete their entry for submission. Persons should also note that they are limited to one entry per category per class.
Potential participants are also being encouraged to access the various 2021 Performing Arts subject area handbooks for each of their respective subject areas, via the JCDC’s website for additional guidance on this year’s entry process and competition cycle.
The deadline for entry for the National Festival of the Performing Arts is Monday, May 31, 2021.
