The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC), an agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender Affairs, Entertainment and Sports, has partnered with the National Health Fund, Nestle Jamaica and the National Road Safety Council for the 2016 Jamaica Creative Writing Competition & Exhibition in an effort to promote special topics that writers can consider when submitting their entries.

Persons can enter the competition with pieces under the National Health Fund’s theme “Healthy Living Reimagining Food… Healthy Eating on a Low Budget”, Nestle Jamaica’s theme “Eat Healthy…Exercise…Knock-out Obesity”, the National Road Safety Council’s theme “Protect your life! Use safety devices” (with an emphasis on the use of helmets, seatbelts and car seats), or any other general theme depicting the Jamaican experience.

According to Stephen Davidson, Director Marketing & Public Relations, “The JCDC is pleased to partner with these organizations on these two important and relevant topics: eating healthy and road safety.” He further stated that “Jamaicans love to express themselves in a creative way and the Jamaica Creative Writing Competition is a perfect avenue to get these messages across.”

Davidson also noted that top writers will receive trophies, cash awards and other incentives from these sponsors as well as CHASE Fund and the Jamaican Copyright Licensing Agency (JamCopy).

The Jamaica Creative Writing Competition has been one of the best channels of providing Jamaican writers with the opportunity of recognizing and validating their talent, while showcasing and promoting writers and their original work through poetry, essay, short story, novels, and plays/scripts.

Entries for the competition are now open, and will remain so until April 29, 2016. Persons can access entry forms, rules and competition guidelines from the JCDC website, www.jcdc.gov.jm, its Head Office at 3-5 Phoenix Avenue in Kingston or Parish Offices across the island.