International Reggae Poster Contest moves submission date to International Reggae Day (JulyOne) to encourage more Jamaican entries
As a part of the collaboration between International Reggae Day and the International Reggae Poster Contest (RPC), the submission date has been moved to JulyOne in an effort to attract the participation of more Jamaican artists in the contest.. The theme of the contest ‘Towards a Reggae Hall of Fame: Celebrating Great Jamaican Music’, has attracted submissions and contributions from professional graphic artists in over 90 countries around the world.
Currently in its third staging, the competition has received thousands of entries from over 80 countries, but only two were submitted from Jamaica last year, one of which won 5th place with a poster of Lee Scratch Perry. The IRPC is open to designers worldwide and posters may be designed by individuals or a team and there is no limit on the number of posters submitted. Submissions must be original artworks and should not have been published in prints, internet and social media. There is no entry fee and the three top winners will received the grand prize awards and their works will be included in a published book and various exhibits around the world.
Founded by Jamaican graphic artist Michael Thompson and Greek designer Maria Papaefstathiou in 2011, the IRPC has produced seven exhibits including the National Gallery in Jamaica, AMA Art Museum of the Americas in Washington DC and the Jamaican High Commission in Mexico City. A global campaign designed to celebrate the cultural diversity and richness of Reggae music, the IRPC and IRD share objectives and strategies to use the initiative as a catalyst for a new vision.
As a platform for Creative Jamaica, the collaboration between IRD and IRPC will further their shared objectives to 1) strengthen the appreciation for Jamaican music culture 2) support the Alpha Boys School 3) celebrate Reggae’s global achievements and community 4) highlight the positive impact of Jamaican music culture on the world and 5) promote ‘This Is My Kingston’ campaign. “I love my country, Jamaica, and I wish to do something positive for the music of my heart, and for the pioneers and institutions that created this global treasure we call Reggae” states IRPC founder and coordinator Michael Thompson. He says the “IRPC was established in 2011 to promote and celebrate the Jamaican cultural heritage by exploring Reggae music through social design”.
The primary objective of the IRPC is to build an international platform to mobilize resources toward the establishment of a Reggae Hall of Fame Museum and Performance Center in Kingston as the home of Jamaican music where “big things start’. IRD JulyOne celebrations will exhibit some of the impressive art from the IRPC movement from the gallery space to the streets with a digital exhibit curated from the over 2000 posters in the collection. For IRD founder and producer Andrea Davis, “the evolution and convergence of technology have impacted consumption in the digital age where people do not only listen to music, they watch it so the IRPC movement is an excellent way for fans to explore and experience the best of Jamaica’s culture” .
Contest guidelines require entrants to interpret Jamaican music culture including Mento, Ska, Dub, Rock Steady, Dancehall, Reggae and lifestyle expressions and icons from Rasta to Rudeboy, Garvey to Marley.
The submission date for the International Reggae Poster Contest is JulyOne and runs until October 1, 2014. The official rules and entry form for submissions can be found at reggaepostercontest.com.