Volume 4 Issue 1: August – October 2017
Editor’s Notes
As we prepared for the first issue of Volume 4 Collegiate, I caught myself humming to the tune of the popular Barbados tourism advert - “There is never a dull moment in Barbados”. There is never a dull moment at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. We started the academic year with a full calendar of events and an evenly packed academic calendar – closing out our fortieth anniversary celebrations with preparations for the fourth staging of the Rex Nettleford Arts Conference. The general thrust for academic year 2017/2018 is guided by an over-arching theme – “Reimagining higher Education at EMCVPA” which allows us the opportunity to join the global conversations on trends in higher education. The College is committed to ensuring that creative education is accessible, affordable and relevant in an era where digital is ‘king’ and students more tech savvy. We started the conversation with the Rex Nettleford Arts conference
which looked at Arts and Culture for the 21st Century: Millennial Dis-Engagement – Engagement – Re-Engagement. In this issue we highlight one of Jamaica’s cultural icon the Hon. Louise Bennet Coverley through a conversation with College Orator, Amina Blackwood Meeks, celebrate our “Friends of the Arts” who consistently provide much needed scholarships to students. As usual, we invite you to stay connected with us via telephone, email, social media or a visit. Please continue sending us your suggestions and feedback and I encourage you to submit interesting articles, photos of your work/ event so we could share it with our audiences. One love, Coleen Douglas Director, Marketing and Communications _______________________________ Submit all editorial material to marketing@emc.edu.jm with “The Collegiate Editorial” included in the subject line.
PRINCIPAL’S DESK
The Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts (EMCVPA) has a rich cultural legacy of being a one-of-a-kind regional arts college. I truly believe, that one of the greatest developments in Jamaica’s history was the establishment of the Cultural Training Centre (CTC) in 1976. The College has, before that time, and since been a place for the creative and determined few whom, through the visual and performing arts and later arts management, reach for personal and national empowerment and transformation. It is a place where you CREATE. PERSEVERE. ACHIEVE.
CREATE… The late Hon. Rex Nettleford, a champion for the establishment of the CTC, noted that this art, this single medium of expression, is critical to the development of the region. Nettleford in 1986 articulated, “Artistic manifestations are just one of the many cultural indices to be found in any civilization. They come easily to all human beings because we have what is called the creative imagination and the intellect...”
PERSEVERE… I will admit that the journey at the EMCVPA is not an easy traverse, and our students are challenged constantly to define and have faith in their art. However, they persevere under the guidance of highly educated, artistic, technical and administrative skills among faculty, staff and fellow students, and a diverse curriculum offering, rooted in the strength and power of Caribbean history and culture.
ACHIEVE… It is acknowledged that the achievement of this regional arts institution, as an academic institution of higher learning in the arts, and as a repository of creative genius, has a firm foundation in its visionaries.
We continue to build through engagements in various productions, exhibitions, administrative and academic activities and collaborations with other educational institutions, government and non-governmental organisations and agencies.
The College closed its fortieth anniversary celebrations with the Rex Nettleford Arts Conference and we enter this academic year with a new focus on Re-imagining Higher Education at EMCVPA, join us as we continue to fulfill our mission to enrich the aesthetic sensibilities and promote the cultural diversity of the Caribbean through the highest quality education and training in the visual and performing arts.
Sincerely, Nicholeen DeGrasse-Johnson, PhD Principal, EMCVPA
Talking on Purpose celebrates
Te Hn. Lus Bnet -Cvre Simone Simpson chatted with Amina Blackwood Meeks on the occasion of
Amina Blackwood Meeks PhD, College Orator
Ms Lou’s Birthday The EMCVPA is privileged to have writer, director, performer, and custodian of the oral tradition in Jamaica, Amina Blackwood Meeks as College Orator. She is widely acknowledged for her instrumental contribution to the recent renaissance of the artform of traditional Caribbean storytelling. Her deep, rich, dramatic and deliberate voice brings stories from the heads of the ancestors, connecting ancient wit and wisdom with modern needs. Following the recent celebrations in honour of the Hon. Louise Bennett, Public Relations Officer, Simone Simpson sat with Amina for a conversation about the observations. Simone: What inspired you to look at Ms. Lou from the angle of her personal life and family? Amina: There is a relationship between the personal and the public, the personal is political. The personal is public otherwise we are not true to who we are being, we’re putting on an act; we bow and the resortation done, and we go home. I don’t think Ms. Lou was acting. I think she is one of the cases of a sincere being that is reflected totally in the public art that she created for the rest of us.
Simone: Do you think Ms. Lou had a major impact on young people? Amina: Mi no know. That is something we really should research. I do know I have had a number of experiences where children believe they own Ms. Lou. And I will share two of them with you. One is that I took a group of children from one of my outreach projects to the Louise Bennett Garden Theatre and one little girl was there working out her bus fare. She “can tek a bus from ya so or a bus to deh so and walk from Half Way Tree”. She a talk to herself you know and den she say “wait til I tell my fren dem say I siddung inna Ms. Lou garden”. Cause if the thing name Louise Bennett Garden Theatre (bursts out laughing) a mus Ms. Lou plant de garden. And se was just elated that she could sit in a garden whey Ms. Lou plant. And that’s where as a story teller we say there are only two kinds of stories - them which are true and them which ought to be - Because that story ought to be true because it did so much for her sense of being and belonging and connecting. How mi fi go tell ar a no Ms. Lou plant de garden, yu mad? Mek ar grow big and find out (laughing). And the other one was several years ago I was assisting the National Housing Trust with their, either Indepence or Heritage Week programme so I was rehearsing with the staff and the children came around. This was after school the rehearsal was. So one likkle girl who belonged to a staff member, nine years old come to me and she said “So you knew Ms. Lou?” So mi haffi tell ar. “And how did you know Ms. Lou?” So mi haffi tell ar. Mi tell ar all this long wonderful ting. And then she just look pon mi scornfully an say “Well, she was my friend too”.
And she walk off. Ms. Lou lef Jamaica long before fi ar parents dem would have met (laughing). But she waan me fi know say a no me one have big fren. So there are those children who possess Ms. Lou like that and it’s wonderful. And part of it is in the work of the JCDC (Jamaica Cultural Development Commission) that Ms. Lou’s poems, whatever we think of the content, always appear in the catalogue. And children get a chance to do that. There is another reason that they possess Louise Bennett like that. Barry Chevannes once spoke with me about the difference between two people who we love: Jose Marti and Antonio Maceo and he said “one of them wrote consistently and one didn’t”. So, we give thanks that Ms. Lou wrote consistently and that her writing is so real for so many people that dem jus baan and a tell mi say dem and Ms. Lou a fren (laughing). Simone: Are we celebrating her enough? How do we move beyond her birthday and give her more? Amina: It depends on what we mean by “we”. Whenever we say are we doing enough, I have to ask myself that question because there are some people who will never do. And if by “we”, we mean officialdom, then we have to remember that the agenda of the common man and the agenda of officialdom, don’t always come together, a two seperate things. Sometimes they
come together and sometimes they don’t. And in the case of Ms. Lou they come together in a superficial way. Is ar birthday, is piece a bandana, is so and so...and isn’t it wonderful Ms. Lou teach us how to trace in patios. I heard someone, highly placed someone say that at her funeral when they went up to speak. So all these superficial, undignified ways that we believe we are serving the purpose. I’m glad you raised Marcus Garvey, because the way in which we need to treat Marcus Garvey is the same way in which we need to treat Louise Bennett and all the other heroes. There are more heroes than Nanny, my madda, your madda, me (laughing). There are more heroes than Nanny. And the kind of treatment required is not about if they are proclaimed a national hero, a national icon or we like whey dem wear or nuttin. It’s whether we understand their philosophy and understand the benefits of their philosophy in its application to national development. And that’s where we are missing the mark because when Louise Bennett is taught in schools, she isn’t even taught as a human being. She is taught as a “say a dialect”. Everything else we say a poem you know, we say a poem by somebody, but we say a dialect by Louise Bennett. So we can’t even elevate what she has said or we compete in a Ms. Lou peom and that’s not it at all. But the common people who me did see line the streets on the day of her funeral waiting for her to pass where they think she would pass, many of them disappointed because Officialdom never put her coffin fi pass deh so. The common man who understands that, who tek ova Heroes Park after the official funeral finish say “A no so Ms. Lou fi bury”, we fi sing de National Anthem and we fi sing ar favourite folk song. An dem a sing “Long Time Gyal” an all
kinda folk song an have the nine night and the set up and the funeral all in one, they understand even when they can’t articulate it. In terms that we have been discussing they understand that she, and I’m going to paraphrase Carolyn Cooper now, she will understand and forgive me, “Ms. Lou ought to be a noise in their blood. Ms. Lou ought to be an echo in their bone”. They understand that. Officialdom don’t understand it and don’t want it (laughing). Simone: How would you like to see her honoured and are there festivals or events you want to see honouring her? Amina: Well her birthday, clearly her birthday. The closest example I can think of now is how Cuba celebrate the birthday of fi dem poets. A waan big ting. Fidel Castro come out an tell yu whey dis man did stan fa. An whey de poems mean. I go to storytelling festivals where Cuban storytellers are present and where they say but we have to do a poem by Jose Marti, we have to quote something from Antonio Maceo because dem grow up wid it, dem know say it important. An jus like how we no start a meeting unless we pray, whether we believe in the prayer or not, there are cultures that know that once you begin to talk about the spoken word you have to speak a word from these people.
I would like to see that for Louise Bennett and Paul Bogle and Marcus Garvey and your granny and my granny who raised us with certain values. I would certainly like to see that. I would like to see a collection of Ms. Lou’s videos and books available in every single library, so you can walk in and go to the Ms. Lou collection. And if not in every single parish library in every single school library. And we can do it, we can more than afford it. And if the Ministry of Education can not afford it then the publishers who have the rights to Louise Bennett’s books and videos can make that their own contribution to our patrimony. We have what 1200 public schools, I’m not counting the early childhood institutions. I’m talking about primary and secondary schools, we have likkle under 1200 and Ms. Lou mussi dead lef 4 books, 1200 x 4 dat ago bruk yuh (laughing) when the evening of carnival yu caan even find the costume whey yuh spen so much money pan? Yuh haffi go buil a new one next year. No man it naa go bruk yu to give every school in Jamaica a collection of the distinguished Louise Bennett.
Simone: Are we preparing young people to fill her shoes? Amina: But mi no want us to do dat. She wear ar shoes and she done. An ar shoes caan fit nobody else. Like when a basket baller retire, we heng up him numba. Dat a fi him numba. Ms. Lou’s shoes is there. Are we preparing young people to learn from the greatness that they have inherited so tha-t they too can be great? You see once yuh tell mi say look pon Ms. Lou mi feel say mi no haffi badda try for it do a’ready. It exist. No but what I have come to do, don’t exist. A my two han one God mek fi do wha him sen mi fi do. So yea revere and value and use what we revere and value to find our own purpose and deliver our own greatness and take our place beside Louise and Bob and Bunny and Peter and Protoje and Chronixx. Dem naa wear nobody shoes but they’re coming in hot, hot, hot, firing dem owna shot.
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he Rex Nettleford Arts Conference was definitely the liveliest little conference on eARTh, Lisa Callendar, one of our patrons shared that “I was working and playing at the Rex Nettleford Arts Conference 2017 at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts here at home in Jamaica. Well organized and structured, highly enjoyable, global in outlook and relevant in terms of content, with lots of events and networking opportunities, this year’s conference was definitely a class act! This year’s theme focused on Arts and Culture in the 21st Century and issues of Millennial Engagement, Dis-engagement and Re-Engagement. Really very impressed that such a small college can be so world class in its outlook and tallawah! Kudos to everyone who was involved!”
Shaneaka Gibbs (School of Dance): My creative mission is to break stereotypes and build bridges in my home Grenada. Grenada doesn’t necessarily see the economic value of culture and more specifically dance, me breaking stereotypes and building bridges is to create awareness, to show the avenues the country can take culturally to better themselves. Kadisha Davis (School of Drama): My creative mission is to aspire to inspire others through my art, creativity, through my drama, through my acting. Every aspect of me I just want to put it all into my art and hopefully inspire others to do the same.
What’s your Mission? The EMCVPA’s mission is to enrich the aesthetic sensibilities and promote the cultural diversity of the Caribbean through the highest quality education and training in the visual and performing arts. We asked students on the campus what was their personal mission based on the college’s wider mission. Melisa Williams (School of Arts Management & Humanities): My passion is helping artists to learn how they can earn money and not starve. I’m all about how they can market themselves, how can they increase their earning potential, and position themselves in such a way where they actually end up leaving a legacy that doesn’t say “I’m a starving artist” but as an artist that thrived in the course of their career. I feel like I have been commissioned to try and unearth how can I help that.
Tresana Pearson (School of Art) My creative mission is to change the world through photography. I will do this by letting people know what is happening. The mission is going to places where you wouldn’t normally go at hours you wouldn’t normally go there. Follow me on my journey and find out. Johane Nelson (School of Music) I see music as a means and a way out, we can reach out to youths in Jamaica in a very creative manner and in different styles than the regular dancehall pattern. I see e music as a way of creating an impact on the hs. world and youths. n. That’s my mission.
“Friends of the ARTS”… Scholarship providers consistently support Creative Education
There is a Jamaican proverb that goes
“Howdy an tenky neva bruk no square”. A hearty thank you to our 2017/2018 “ friends of the arts.
2017/2018
Scholarships JEROME “JAH JERRY “ HAYNES Awardees: Janoy Ellis & Jevhaugn Jones EBONY PATTERSON PAINTERS GRANT Awardee: Kevin McIntyre GRACE KENNEDY FOUNDATION Awardees: Ryan Hall, Waldane Walker, Tiana Coore, Paulashay Forbes, Lashaun Douglas SAGICOR Awardees: Vanessa Williams, Kemar Williams CARRERAS Awardees: Ryan Scott, Shannon Murray,Chadwick Barnes, Marlon Tomlinson JOAN DUNCAN Awardee: Shelly-Ann Thompson, Shanique Benjamin LOUIS SHERWOOD (BURGER KING) Awardee: Sasheina Williams “JULIE-LYN – MANDEVILLE ART FAIR” Awardee: Tyrone Rowe CHRISTINA BENNETT SCHOLARSHIP -JMTC. Awardee: Flavia Bradshaw-Beswick Edna Manley Foundation Awardees: Kevin McIntyre, Antonio Mundell JPENT Bursary Awardee: Flavia Bradshaw-Beswick BETTING GAMING & LOTTERY COMMISSION Ryan Hall, Johnnoy Johnson Ebony Patterson Painters’ Grant Awardee: Kevin McIntyre
School of Continuing Education and Allied Programmes exciting
Ceramics After Dark Contributor: Miriam Smith, Dean, School of Visual Arts
The Continuing Education programme offers short courses across all schools in various disciplines. Our featured programme for this issue – “Ceramics After Dark” provides an engaging and exciting opportunity to work with renowned artists in the field of Ceramics. All participants including beginners are encouraged to be adventurous and expressive while exploring the fluid tactile medium of clay. The malleability and responsive nature of the medium allows for the creation of a myriad of forms and structures. One-on-one tutorials and demonstrations are key in providing insights in developing and exploring ideas and concepts. The hands are the core as well as simple tools are employed to carve and create the most elegant and unpretentious to the most extraordinary creations birth through fire! Glazing and colouring are also explored to enhance works through various methods and approaches. An extraordinary journey awaits you at
Ceramics After Dark Group rates available Call 619 EDNA (3362) ext. 2041
THE
Meet Student Council President 2017/2018
Nadi! Brown “outspoken, driven, loyal, committed...”
School of Drama Carol for Money Bags
Jamaican by birth, Nadia calls herself a ‘Jamtigan’ as she spent most of her life in Antigua. She enjoys the culture, environment and experiences in both places and finds similarities in the cultures. She feels there is no need to choose as she considers both to be home.
November 10-11 at 7:00pm & November 12 at @ 6:00pm November 17 -18 at 7:00 pm & November 19 at 6:00 pm I Dennis Scott Studio Theatre
Honours Scholars Awards November 16 I 6:00 pm I Vera Moody Concert Hall
A natural busy bee, she has several plans for the academic year as Student Council President including pop up jam sessions on campus where students can vibe together and build the Edna spirit. She also plans to engage communities with a focus on Joy Town by getting residents involved in art therapy as part of her community outreach project.
Graduation Ceremony 2017 November 18 Vera Moody Concert Hall @ 2:00 pm
Shop and Rock at Artstock December 2 from 10am - 8pm
EMCVPA Carol Service - December 3 at 5pm Kingston Music Week Jamsations December 7 at 7:00 pm
Nadia aspires to have her own state of the art production company somewhere in the Caribbean. She believes that the arts may be used as a tourism product and a marketing strong point for the Caribbean region. She is a final year student at the School of Drama pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Drama Education. Her studies merge both her passion for teaching and performance.
The Collegiate is a Bi-monthly newsletter published by the Marketing and Communications Department of EMCVPA
Back Row: Shannan Lawes International Students Representative, Yohan Renolds Sports and Activities Coordinator, Mikhail Williams School of Arts Management Representative Middle Row: Desanna Watson Treasurer, Shaneka Gibbs School of Drama Representative, Waldane Walker Public Relations Officer. Front Row: Kayan Wright Secretary, Nadia Brown President, Anthony Smith Vice President