Kingston, Jamaica:- The non-profit youth-led organization Manifesto|Jamaica, committed more than ever to fulfill its vision to uplift the nation’s youths through the Arts and Culture, will be staging its 2nd annual Festival of ART’ical Empowerment from November 18 – 20, once again at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

In its inaugural year, the Festival was held for four days, from October 14-17, 2010. It featured a host of activities including interactive youth focused workshops, mural painting, poetry and music performances by several noted Jamaican artistes. Some of these entertainers included Ken Boothe, Tarrus Riley, Assassin, Tifa, Protoje, Jah9, No-Maddz, Sherieta Lewis, Kabaka Pyramid, Five Steez as well as D’Bi Young and Michie Mee along with a host of hip-hop artistes from Canada.

Art Exhibition
This year, from Wednesday, November 9 to the end of the month, Manifesto|Jamaica in collaboration with Studio 174 Art Gallery at 174 Harbour Street in Kingston, will showcase artwork by young artiste from inner-city communities. This 2011 Festival of ART’ical Empowerment is a three-day Arts & Culture exhibition will again cover Performing Arts, Visual, Culinary, Literary, Spiritual and Martial Arts and even the Advocacy for the Arts. The main focus of the Festival is to equip youths at the community level with the tools and knowledge to explore and undertake art and Jamaica’s culture as options for livelihood.

Festival of ART’icle Empowerment Nov 18-20
Day one (1) of the Festival, Friday November 18, 2011 will commence with a Town Hall Reasoning – a discussion series to bring to light issues and potential solutions in the field of arts and culture. On days two (2) and three (3), there will be several workshops of the Arts; Culinary, Literary, Visual, Performing, Spiritual and Martial Arts. The ART’ical Village also at the Festival, features art and craft displays, drumming, performances, booths, live mural painting and a Pickney Park with workshops and activities for children.

Meet the Artiste, conversations with well known Jamaican artists and acoustic performances plus a special tribute to a Veteran Musical Icon.

ART’ical Empowerment Live, is the Festival’s main live concert, will take place on Saturday, November 19 featuring performances from Jamaica’s leading as well as on-the-rise musical talents.

On Sunday, November 20, the festival will end with ART’ical Empowerment -Word in Motion, a live dance- infused, poetry-heavy event featuring upcoming and seasoned acts from Jamaica and Canada.
Festival Producer Lesley- Ann Welsh says, “Our 2nd annual festival of ART’ical Empowerment will be another fun-filled, edu-taining weekend that the entire family can look forward to. Patrons can visit the festival village and enjoy the sights, sounds and flavours that we’ll have on display; attend our arts-workshops on Filmaking and West African Dance, amongst others; or take in the live performances on Saturday and Sunday night.”

Welsh continues “We want all artists and lovers of art to spend some time with us at Edna Manley between the November 18-20; especially our peers, the youth, who are the inspiration behind Manifesto|Jamaica’s mission to Educate, Expose and Empower Jamaica’s youth through art and culture.”