Kingston prepares to transform into a vibrant poetry hub from March 15-21 as the inaugural Kingston Poetry Week launches with an ambitious program designed to appeal to diverse artistic tastes. Conceptualized by JAIKU founder Kacy Garvey, the festival emerged from her observation of fragmented poetry events occurring simultaneously throughout the city.
Garvey identified a critical need to consolidate Kingston’s poetry scene after noticing multiple organizations hosting isolated events during World Poetry Day celebrations. “I just thought it was ridiculous because we’re all trying to get the same people in the same room,” she explained to Observer Online. Her solution—creating a unified promotional platform—previously demonstrated remarkable success, tripling participation for writing workshops through centralized marketing.
This year’s comprehensive schedule showcases poetry’s multifaceted nature, ranging from technological innovation to traditional performances. The program includes a blockchain publishing symposium led by an IT specialist from the United Arab Emirates, contrasting with rootsy dub poetry nights and artsy gallery exhibitions. The week will feature cross-disciplinary collaborations with filmmakers, storytellers, jazz musicians, and visual artists, demonstrating poetry’s interdisciplinary potential.
International contributors from Bermuda, New York, and Uganda will join Jamaican poets in events carefully curated around the theme “Poetry that Builds Bridges.” Each event has been designed to ensure every poetry enthusiast finds their preferred expression, from spiritual gatherings at Fellowship Tabernacle to unfiltered discussions on masculinity at the US Embassy’s Robeson American Centre.
Garvey envisions the festival transforming public perception of poetry from academic obligation to dynamic art form and viable income source. “We want to take poetry off the page… and show it as a dynamic, exciting form of expression and income generation,” she emphasized. The festival culminates with a grand finale pop-up event in downtown Kingston’s artistic epicenter, Water Lane, symbolizing poetry’s return to public spaces.