Jamaica delivered a strong showing on the international performing arts stage, securing 42 medals and awards at the 2026 World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA), with six Jamaican acts advancing to the Finale and Montego Bay pianist Nathan Smith emerging as a world champion.
Team Jamaica finished the championships with 18 gold medals, 16 silver medals and four bronze medals, inclusive of divisional awards. The team also secured four divisional championships, awarded to competitors achieving the highest scores within their respective age groups and categories.
Among the standout achievements was Nathan Smith crowned Senior Instrumentalist of the World, the highest honour earned by a member of Team Jamaica at this year’s championships. The Montego Bay pianist, who trained at Western Tutorial Music Studio, was the only Jamaican competitor to leave the championships with a World Title.
It was one of several major accomplishments for the Jamaican delegation at an international competition often described as the “Talent Olympics” for aspiring performers.
What is WCOPA?
The World Championships of Performing Arts is an international competition for aspiring performers and entertainers representing countries from around the world.
Now in its 28th year, the competition brings together invited and qualified performers, known as “Worldstars”, who compete while representing their respective countries. This year, 45 countries were represented at the championships, while WCOPA currently has licences in more than 70 countries worldwide.
Competition spans several areas of the performing arts, including singing, dancing, acting, modelling, instrumental music and variety performance.
Much like athletes seeking to represent their countries at an international championship, performers must first qualify for their respective national teams.
In Jamaica, the process is overseen by National Director Antonio Dennis. Contestants are screened and selected according to WCOPA guidelines, with Dennis holding auditions for the 2026 Jamaican team in September 2025 before overseeing preparations leading up to the championships.
20 Jamaican Performers Take on the World
This year’s Team Jamaica featured 20 contestants, comprising 10 solo acts and two groups of six and four performers respectively.
The Jamaicans competed across modelling, vocals, instrumental music, acting and dance, with variety circus performance the only WCOPA discipline in which Jamaica was not represented. Accompanied by 35 parents and supporters, the country’s full delegation numbered 55 people.
Six Jamaican acts — three junior competitors under 16 and three senior competitors aged 16 and older — advanced to the Finale, the largest number to do so since Antonio Dennis took over as National Director. Four Jamaican acts were also named Divisional Champions after earning the highest scores in their respective age groups and categories.
Beyond the medals and titles, the championships also opened doors for further training and development, with four scholarships awarded to Jamaican performers.
Jayla Hutchinson received a New York Film Academy scholarship valued at US$20,000 per year towards a degree programme. Arya Chin received 25 per cent off a New York Film Academy Short Term Youth Camp as well as a consultancy with Grammy Award-winning producer Jeff Webber, while Savannah Steele also received a 25 per cent discount off a New York Film Academy Short Term Youth Camp. PAH! Deaf Dance Company also received a US$250 Dance Scholarship Cash Award towards dance education.
For Dennis, the team’s performance reinforces Jamaica’s standing as a serious competitor at the championships.
“Jamaica does well consistently, and this year being one of the most entries in the Finals from Jamaica, is a testament that the Team Jamaica process is working, and that Jamaica is among the best talent in the world,” he said.
Montego Bay Pianist Nathan Smith Earns World Title
At the head of Jamaica’s list of accomplishments was pianist Nathan Smith.
Smith advanced further in the competition than any other member of Team Jamaica and ultimately secured the title of Senior Instrumentalist of the World, recognising him as the top senior instrumentalist at the 2026 championships.
The Montego Bay musician was trained by Western Tutorial Music Studio and became Team Jamaica’s sole World Title holder for the year.
His achievement follows another major Jamaican success at WCOPA.
Andrene Brown, who represented Jamaica and was crowned the 2024 Grand Champion Performer of the World, returned to the championships this year. Brown performed her winning rendition of Prince’s “Purple Rain” on saxophone before handing over the title to a new champion.
Dennis described watching Brown return to the stage as an especially proud moment, having scouted and mentored her through her WCOPA journey.
PAH! Deaf Dance Company Strikes Gold
Jamaica also made an important mark through PAH! Deaf Dance Company, which was the only Deaf dance group competing at this year’s championships.
The Jamaican dancers earned two gold medals, one for their Ethnic Dance piece and another for their Open – Dancehall Dance performance. They also received commemorative medals for advancing to the Semi-Finals and Finale.
For Dennis, their achievement was significant not simply because they represented the Deaf community, but because they competed on the same terms as the other performers.
“They competed not because of their disability but despite their disability,” Dennis said, noting that the dancers received no preferential treatment and instead used sound vibrations to execute their performances.
He said PAH!’s participation demonstrated the need for greater representation of Deaf and hard-of-hearing performers and other performers with disabilities at international competitions.
Their performances also left an impression on audiences.
“If they were not announced as a Deaf Dance Company by the announcer, you would not have known that they were performing with a disability,” Dennis said.
“They were in sync, they were expressive, they were consummate professionals.”
He credited Artistic Director Stephanie McIntyre Groves and choreographers Tara Pryce and Shavaughn Byndloss for preparing the dancers for the international stage.
Team Jamaica Already Looking to 2027
With another successful championships behind them, Team Jamaica is already preparing to find the next group of performers capable of representing the country internationally.
Auditions for the 2027 team are scheduled for September 20 at the NDTC Studio in Kingston and September 27 at JAMDANCE Studio in Montego Bay.
Dennis encouraged aspiring Jamaican performers to train seriously, develop what makes their artistry distinctive and begin building communities around their work.
“Believe that you can do it too,” he advised. “It takes a lot of work, and sacrifice, it’s not an easy road… but to those who succeed, it is very rewarding.”
He also encouraged prospective competitors to seek sponsorship, use social media to build support, remain receptive to criticism and make the most of the opportunities the WCOPA experience provides.
After returning from this year’s championships with a world title, six Finale acts, four divisional champions and 42 medals and awards, Team Jamaica will be hoping to raise the bar even higher in 2027.
