Jamaica Center For Arts And Learning Inc

JAMAICA CENTER FOR ARTS AND LEARNING (JCAL) IS A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ART CENTER THAT CELEBRATES CREATIVE EXPRESSION BY PROMOTING THE WORKS OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTISTS, AND PROVIDES ACCESSIBLE ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN ORDER TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF QUEENS AND SURROUNDING NEW YORK COUNTIES.

PERFORMING ARTS: JCAL PRESENTS A WIDE VARIETY OF MUSIC, DANCE, THEATER, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS AT THE JAMAICA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (JPAC). THESE PROGRAMS CELEBRATE QUEENS RICH CULTURAL DIVERSITY AND ATTRACT AUDIENCES FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND LONG ISLAND ALTHOUGH WITH A FOCUS ON SERVING JAMAICA AND SOUTHEAST QUEENS. IN ADDITION, JCAL PRODUCES A NUMBER OF FESTIVALS, INCLUDING MAKING MOVES, AN ANNUAL DANCE FESTIVAL THAT FEATURES PERFORMANCES BY EMERGING CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANIES. THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY ARTS PANTERSHIPS, BY WORKING WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS, JCAL IS ABLE TO BRING A DIVERSE ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICE TO SERVE A BROADER AUDIENCE AND INCREASE ITS ARTISTIC PRESENTATIONS. YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS: SINCE ITS FOUNDING, JCAL HAS BEEN COMMITTED TO OFFERING HIGH QUALITY, ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHEAST QUEENS. ITS COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF IN-SCHOOL, AFTER-SCHOOL, AND SUMMER ARTS PROGRAMS SUPPLEMENT ACADEMIC LEARNING AND PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPLORE AND REFINE THEIR ARTISTIC TALENTS; INCREASE THEIR CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING; AND BUILD ACADEMIC, INTERPERSONAL, AND COGNITIVE SKILLS. JCALS EDUCATIONAL AND FAMILY PROGRAMS INCLUDE ARTS CENTER WORKSHOPS, OFFERING MORE THAN 40 CLASSES FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN SUBJECTS RANGING FROM KEYBOARD AND BALLET TO DRAMA, CARTOONING, AND AFRICAN DANCE. FAMILY FUN DAYS, A SERIES OF EVENTS THAT INVITIE PARENTS AND CHILDREN TO PARTICIPATE IN ARTS AND ACITIVITIES AT NO CHARGE. ARTVENTURE, AN AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM WHICH BRINGS ARTISTS INTO LOCAL SCHOOLS AND YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS. THE 21ST CENTURY CHALLENGE, JCALS SIGNATURE IN-SCHOOL PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH AUTHENTIC ARTS EXPERIENCES AND PREPARES THEM FOR SUCCESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY BY CULTIVATING CRITICAL THINKING, PROBLEM SOLVING, CREATIVITY, AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS. VISUAL ARTS: SINCE ITS FOUNDING, JCAL HAS SUPPORTED THE CREATION AND PRESENTATION OF LOCAL, EMERGING OR ESTABLISHED ARTISTS. EACH YEAR, JCAL MOUNTS FOUR TO SIX EXHIBITIONS THAT EXPLORE ISSUES IN CONTEMPORARY ART AND CULTURE.; JCAL SERVES LOCAL ARTISTS BY PROVIDING FREE/LOW COSTWORK AND EXHIVIT SPACE. JAMAICA FLUX, IS AN ACCLAIMED, INNOVATIVE, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL, AND TRIENNIAL PROJECT, CONCEIVED TO HELP ARTISTS PRODUCE NEW, TEMPORARY, SITE-SPECIFIC PUBLIC ART WORKS. THROUGH ART INSTALLATIONS, PERFORMANCE ART ACTIVITIES, AND VIRTUAL PRESENTATIONS IN STREET-LEVEL PUBLIC SPACES, THE PROJECT SEEKS TO BRING CONTEMPORARY ART TO THE PUBLIC ON DAILY BASIS. JAMAICA FLUX IS A PIONEER PROJECT THAT STAYS AHEAD OF THE FIELD IN PLACE-MAKING AND IN SUPPORTING THE CREATION AND PRESENTATION OF THOUGHT-PROVOKING NEW WORKS BY EMERGING AND UNDERREPRESENTED ARTISTS. IT HAS HAD A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE DOWNTOWN AND ITS ENVIRONS - DEMONSTRATING THE EFFICACY OF JAMAICA AS A HOME FOR ARTISTS AND CREATIVE ENDEAVORS. RESIDENCY: JCAL HAS BEEN PROVIDING ITS SPACES TO VISUAL ARTISTS AND CHOREOGRAPHERS FOR FREE THROUGH ITS VARIOUS RESIDENCY PROGRAMS. NEXT STAGE RESIDENCY PROVIDES DANCE COMPANIES WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE/REHEARSE NEW WORK WITH SMALL STIPEND AND CHANCES TO BE SHOWCASED AT THE JAMAICA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER; MAKING MOVES DANCE FESTIVAL, AN ANNUAL DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA GIVING EMERGING COMPANIES TO BE FEATURED AT THE DANCE FESTIVAL WITH REHEARSAL TIME AND COMMISSION COMPONENT; IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NYFA, JCAL ALSO PROVIDE YEAR-LONG STUDIO SPACE FOR CREATIVE ARTISTS TO CREATE THEIR WORK FOR FREE AND TO BE EXHIBITED AT THE JCAL MILLER GALLERY