Kingston Creatives: Arts on the Rise
Organisers of the fourth Kingston Creative Artwalk and Market Street event are still in celebratory mode following last month’s successful staging of Jamaica Rising – a partnership that proved a worthwhile investment for both purveyors and attendees.
The day’s events formed part of a larger mandate – to afford local creatives an avenue to monetise their work, as well as provide a network for potential collaborations through creative clusters.
The Bookophilia-endorsed “maker’s market” on Water Lane kickstarted the day’s activities with over 30 vendors offering an array of locally manufactured products – herbal wines, ital food, jewellery, and beauty products.
The course ran between Water Lane and Port Royal Street for a viewing of near 40 of the most outstanding works from this year’s Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) visual arts competition. There, too, art lovers viewed the 51-piece pen-and-ink-on-paper exhibition by noted local artist Patrick Kitson.
Riveting renditions and vocal acrobatics, jazzed up with the occasional anecdote, underscored the Nickeishia Barnes Sunday’s performance hosted at the National Gallery of Jamaica.
Thereafter, it was back to Water Lane for the final leg of the walk. Performing collective Tribe Sankofa, delivered poems and spoken word pieces as they manoeuvred their way through the audience. They were joined by artistic director Fabian Thomas who threaded the performances with Dennis Brown and Tarrus Riley hits.
The kids’ corner found favour with the many young patrons who eagerly queued to have their faces painted and to participate in a yoga session.
Activities climaxed at the F&B Swiss Stores Downtown-hosted post-walk after-party with performances by Sarah Couch and Kai Wakeling and a fund-raising Back 2 School block party at Water Lane.
DJ Iset Sankofa provided music on the night, and patrons enjoyed performances from Tijean Bennett, Indie Allen, Yaksta, Dann I and Martei Korley.
Saturday Social shares highlights.