THE results of the 2022 International Reggae Poster Contest (IRPC) are out and no Jamaican artist has been voted in the top 100 entries.

The winner was announced on Sunday, with Greek artist Vasilis Grivas taking the top spot with a piece titled Queen of the Maroons. Second place went to Mahmut Soyer from Turkey with a work entitled Woman’s Power, and the third place went to Iran’s Mina Nasliyani whose work was titled Inner Peace. These three emerged from the 1180 posters which were submitted from 653 artists in 53 countries.

A Jamaican artist is yet to win the IRPC in its entire 10-year history. In the first two years Jamaican artists fared reasonably well. In year one Taj Francis placed fifth, with the eventual winner being Alon Braier from Israel. In year two Rohan Mitchell copped fourth position to Balazs Pakodi of the United Kingdom who took the top spot.

In a previous interview with the Jamaica Observer, co founder of the IRPC Maria Papaefstathiou noted that over the years, locals have shied away from participating because of the lack of financial reward.

“Jamaica has amazing artists, and we can see that only by observing their fantastic murals. I believe they don’t want to participate in something where they will not have any financial benefits. What they should understand, though, is that recognition and more benefits will come by showing the world their skills and not reserve themselves for their small community of Jamaica,” she said.

For this year’s contest which coincides with Jamaica’s 60th anniversary of Independence, the IRPC focused on women in and of reggae and all other genres of Jamaican popular music. The organisers noted that they wished to highlight the many roles of women in the Jamaican music industry, such as songwriters, singers, DJs, producers, artiste managers, tour managers, booking agents, publicists and entertainment journalists.

“The outstanding careers of these women have been central to the development and expansion of Jamaica’s greatest cultural export,” Papaefstathiou shared in her brief.

“We also honour the women whose powerful roles in society as freedom fighter, cultural activist and nurturer are documented in Jamaican music. We are looking for creative visual expressions that evoke this year’s theme, showcasing women with the energy and vibe for which Jamaican culture is known at home and internationally,” she continued.

The adjudication process was two-tiered, with panels of international judges — including Jamaicans — deciding on the final outcome.