Recently we were features on Jamaica Information Service’s Arts Page. See the video below.

GOLA Day Flyer

Manifesto|JA, Rastafari Youth Initiative Council and other community-based organizations will be on display at the GOLA Day Expo this Wednesday, May 16 @ Emancipation Park, 11am-6pm. It’s FREE to the public! Entertainment by Alaine, Jah9, Pentateuch, Chronixx & project participants begins at 4pm. Support community activism and involvement.

Certificates of Participation

One hundred young persons were acknowledged as Manifesto Volunteer Personnel (MVP) on Saturday, March 17, at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in a graduation ceremony as part of the European Union-funded Youth Empowerment through Art and Culture Project being executed by grassroots arts organization, Manifesto|Jamaica.

The youth, who came from Seaview Gardens, Waterhouse, Trench Town, Denham Town, Tivoli Gardens, Fletcher’s Land, Nannyville and Mountain View participated in a series of arts-based workshops held by Manifesto|Jamaica. On March 3^rd and 4^th, dozens of youth from the aforementioned communities attended workshops on Yoga, Filmmaking, The Business of Music, Capoeira, Live Food, Dub Poetry and Movements in Dancehall.

Participants meditate during a yoga session

On Saturday, many of the same young persons attended Manifesto|Jamaica’s MVP training, which included presentations on Project Management, Public Speaking and Social Media. This took place before the evening’s graduation ceremony at which many of these young persons were awarded certificates and Manifesto|Jamaica badges.

The ceremony featured performances by the dance groups, Black Eagles and Overload Skankers, as well as Keina Morrison, who delivered a poem. Musical performances by Iba Mahr and Chevaughn followed. Kevin Wallen of the S.E.T. Foundation then gave a moving speech to inspire the youth on their paths of success.

Kevin Wallen of the S.E.T. Foundation

Afterwards, a total of one hundred young persons were visibly excited as they received their certificates and badges. They have been participants in the three-month Youth Empowerment through Art and Culture Project, which is supervised by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). This EU-funded Manifesto|Jamaica initiative, ends on Saturday, March 24 with a ‘Minifesto’ in Seaview Gardens. This ‘Minifesto’ will feature arts-based workshops, an open art studio for children and ‘edutainment’ provided by Manifesto|Jamaica.

Manifesto Jamaica in the press:

“You are what Jamaica need. You are the only ones who can do it. If you don’t recognise the power in you, you cant make it happen,”

Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/Youths-given-survival-tools_11085731#ixzz1v06c7RpF

Earlier this year Manifesto Jamaica was featured in Arc the magazine. To read what they had to say about us CLICK HERE.

Greetings Festo Fam

This weekend’s activity is a Workshop Series to be held @ The Edna Manley College, Drama School.

Workshops include:

Mykal Cushnie on the Art of Filmmaking

The Business of Music by Edna Manley’s Cecile Green

Capoeira by Capoeira Alafia

Dub Poetry presented by Shaun Drysdale

a Live Food demo courtesy of Ben from Aisoor Firelight

& Movement in Dancehall guided by Tippa.

Each day starts at 9am and ends at about 4pm.

As always, we look forward to seeing as many ones as possible.

Come out and be a PART of it.

August Town Minifesto

Greetings Festo

We’ll be in Nannyville this Saturday, Feb. 18 for our first 2012 Minifesto. We’ll be at the community center from 9am-4pm doing Filmmaking and Music workshops, then we’ll host an Open Mic segment featuring the community talent and maybe a guest artiste or few.

The education and exposure is one thing…the workshops take care of that. When it comes to the empowerment part now, it’s the people power and the energy of the ones who are willing to come out and share with the yutes that makes the difference. So if is even an hour you can find, fawud and hol’ a vibes. Giv thnx: Workshop 1 is Photo and Film making with Varun Baker and Workshop 2 is Breakdancing with Martino Redwood of the Demolition Dancers. Keida is our guest performer to kick off a talent segment. The outline of the day is below. Please assist with getting the word out:

Greetings/Registration 10:00am
Spiritual Breathing exercise 10:30am – 10:50am
Workshop 1 11:00am – 11:50pm
BREAK/Free Art 12:00pm – 12:50pm
Workshop 2 12:50pm – 2:00pm
Performances/ ‘Edutainment’ 2:15pm – 3:30pm
Wrap up & Pack up 3:30pm – 4:00pm

The Nannyville Community Center is off Mountain View Avenue, the turnoff is opposite the Rifle Association. Once you turn into the community the center going to be right on your left. Unnu can call Laava (868-9422) or Nata (483-4994) for directions on the day.