Since 1972, Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning has offered high-quality arts programs and innovative, accessible educational opportunities to residents, neighbors and friends across Southeast Queens and beyond. For generations, our programs have championed the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging. Today, we ask you to help us strengthen this legacy. To celebrate Black History Month—February 2021—JCAL will roll out several exciting, impactful and ongoing programs in Dance, Music, Film, Spoken Word, Theatre and more. Read a description of each program below.
With your holiday donation, you can directly lift up JCAL and the artists of JCAL to realize their vision—and you can support and inspire the next generation.
100% of your donation will go to the programs below. For donations of $50 or more, JCAL is offering custom merchandise designed by a Queens-based artist. (Be sure to leave an address during checkout to receive the bag).
Below are the programs that will directly benefit from your donation today. To stay up to date with our fundraiser and other programs, join our mailing list by texting JCAL to 22828.
Fanike Dance
Fanike African Dance Troupe embraces and respects the dance, rhythm, historic and growing culture tied to African movement. Their mission is to perpetuate the survival of African/African Diaspora culture and arts through dance and percussion presentation.
Directed by Patricia Ghizamboule Robinson, JCAL will stream Fanike’s signature libation, drumming and dance performance honoring the ancestors of the African Diaspora.
10 Minute Film Festival
All NYC-based filmmakers (priority to Queens-based artists of color) can submit a film of up to 10 minutes in length on the following theme: "2020." (Yep, you read that right.)
A three-member jury will pick 15 films that will be streamed on JCAL's YouTube channel, awarding a first place ($500) and second place prize ($300); we’ll have an audience pick ($300) as well. Submissions open Tue., Dec.
2nd Thursday Night Jazz
2nd Thursday Night Jazz is a landmark monthly program curated by Rio Sakairi, Artistic Director of The Jazz Gallery. The 2020-21 season features a diverse lineup of the most exciting names in contemporary jazz. For JCAL’s “community first, digital first” season, we are bringing together jazz artists from up-and-coming and mid-career musicians to Grammy-winning performers.
Riddim Section
A new monthly music series that draws life directly from the cultures found across Queens. After all, where there is culture, there is music—and where there is music, there is life. The socially distanced artists in Riddim Section, live-streamed from JCAL, cover genres including afrobeat, calypso, chutney, kompa, reggae, R&B and more. The program includes six performances, January to June, 2021.
JCAL TALKS
We want to hear from and speak with the endlessly diverse spectrum of thought leaders who live in, represent and originate from our Queens community. In this new speaker series over Zoom, we’ll introduce you to top-level figures in local and regional arts and entertainment, education, politics, religion, and more for in-depth dialogues conducted by equally well-known figures.
Southeast Queens Artist Alliance Exhibition
JCAL is excited to partner with the Southeast Queens Artist Alliance to present Process → Project: What Comes Out of Our Sketchbooks, curated by Margaret Rose Vendryes.
The exhibition will feature work from local artists that shows various stages of the creative process; it will span both of our first floor galleries and include interactive online components. Pictured: the Southeast Queens Biennial at JCAL’s Miller Gallery in Spring 2020, co-curated by Vendryes.
Meet The Playwright
Meet the Playwright explores new work by emerging and established writers for the stage. In a live webinar format, a professional director will rehearse a scene with professional actors, and the author will participate in both a pre-show discussion and moderated post-show Q&A with the audience. This program kicks off during Black History Month and runs monthly through June 2021.
Donate to receive exclusive JCAL Merch!
In September 2020, JCAL held a competition for local artists to reimagine the existing JCAL logo. The winning design was created by St Albans artist Austin Lindo. With a donation of $50 or more, you’ll receive a tote bag with this limited edition design!
As donations come in, the fundraising thermometer goes up!
Join us on the journey to our goal, and help contribute to these impactful programs being showcased right here in Queens.
