Kingston On The Edge Urban Art Festival (KOTE) is a nine day celebration of creativity that has quickly become a much anticipated fixture on the Jamaican art calendar.

By providing a forum outside of traditional exhibition spaces, KOTE encourages artists to express themselves while pushing the boundaries and definitions of their art. KOTE offers an opportunity for artists, venues and the general public to interact creatively, with the view to showcase, develop and harness the incredible artistic potential of Jamaica.

The Festival allows for opportunities to discover not only Kingston’s vibrant art, but also the city itself, as more than twenty- two individual events are held in disparate locations from the surrounding city hills to the downtown harbourfront.

KOTE is a non-profit group, and relies heavily on sponsorship, donations and goodwill to finance its activities.

Here’s the schedule for this year: 

FRIDAY 19TH JUNE

OPENING NIGHT SHOW

8pm – till, REDBONES BLUES CAFÉ / 21 Braemar Avenue
 Live Music, Film, Sculpture, Painting and more.

Admission: $1000, $500 (students with ID)

World Premiere documentary:
“WHY DO JAMAICANS RUN SO FAST”
Directed by Miquel Galofré
Produced by Fernando García-Guereta
Finalist in the 2009 American Black Film Festival

Concert: Gas Money, Michael Sean Harris & DeVices

Art on the lawn: Christopher Irons, Toby Grant, Dirk Koolmees, Warren Buckle, Inansi, Juanita Nunes, Lester Springer, Janelle Brown, Natalia Collister & Marcel Messem

 
SATURDAY 20TH JUNE

RED RUBBERBAND MURAL
10am – noon, 29 Heroes Circle (next to Wolmers Boys’)
Art as community, Art as rebirth, Art as Metamorphosis. Join us in bringing some beauty to our city. Some brushes, acrylic, oil, spray paints & reducer will be provided. However if you would like to contribute supplies to the whole, it would be greatly appreciated.

SPONTANEOUS THEATRE
1pm – 4pm, ASHANTI / Hope Gardens
Extemporaneous communication on a theatrical tip. Led by Aditi, this is a participatory workshop that explores the subconscious.

FÊTE DE LA MUSIQUE (music celebration day)
4pm-midnight, GROSVENOR GALLERY/ 1 Grosvenor Terrace
(Presentation by Alliance Française and The French Embassy in association with KOTE)
A midsummer night’s jam. Amateur & professional musicians are encouraged to participate in this annual world-wide celebration of music which began in France.

4-7pm, Open Mic Session: Everybody is welcome to perform.
8pm-11:30pm, Concert: Jacques Schwartz-Bart and his band and Maurice Gordon Trio
Artists: Marek Johnston, Petrus Chang, Adom Burke, Garfield Morgan, Anji Worton, Makeida Beckford & Noella Althea Costabile

 
SUNDAY 21ST JUNE

BLUE, BLUES AND JAZZ
11am -1pm, STUDIO 174 / 174 Harbour Street (Harbour & West St.)
Old meets new. Come check out this hip artist colony. Artists: Cecil Cooper, Omari Ra ‘African’, Brian McFarlane, graduates from Edna Manley & students from the Studio.

NATIONAL GALLERY OPEN HOUSE
1pm – 3pm, THE NATIONAL GALLERY / 12 Ocean Blvd.
NGJ gives free entry & guided tours of their collections.

Music: Philip Supersad & Mackeehan Solomon
MUSIC IS SACRED (Entrance on Johns Lane)
4pm – 6pm, SHAARE SHALOM SYNAGOGUE / 92 Duke St
The Pimento Players String Quartet present a pot-pourri of diverse musical genres arranged by Peter Ashbourn.

Music: Archangelo Corelli, Clyde Hoyt, Duke Ellington, Justin Hinds, Peter Ashbourn.
Players: Peter Ashbourn, Beatriz Pozueta, Ann McNamee, Emily Elliott, Rosina Moder & Norman McCallum

ARTIST OPEN HOUSE
7pm – 10pm, NAKAZZI / Skyline Drive
Perspective is key. Come share the solstice sunset from above as city lights illuminate brilliant art. Dj: Lucus Corthesy

SEH SUP’M
9:30pm till, VILLAGE CAFÉ / Orchid Patch Barbican
Admission: $500
poetry, music, vibes

 
MONDAY 22ND JUNE

FINAL YEAR SHOW
5pm – 7:30pm, EDNA MANLEY COLLEGE OF ART /
1 Arthur Wint Drive
As the city, the country and the world face a new and altered present, come and see, hear and feel what the bright young students of this venerable institution have to say about it.

Final Year student Visual Art & Drama Exhibition

Directing Projects:
“RIP” Written by Jose Martinez Querolo
Directed by Final Year Student Shelly Ann Sibbles
“Hairdresser” Written by Griselda Gambaro,
Directed by Final Year Student Melissa Giddings

DANCE ON THE EDGE

8pm – 10pm, PHILIP SHERLOCK CENTRE / UWI
Admission: Contributions welcomed the art of the body, the science of movement and the spirit of Jamaica.

Performances by: Neila Ebanks, Stephanie Belnavis,
Kerry-Ann Henry, Maria Hitchins Dancers of Jamaica, Keisha Patterson, Michael Holgate, Sodanne Professional Moves & Shady Squad

 
TUESDAY 23RD JUNE

GALLERY HOP
Hop, skip and jump across town as three distinguished galleries host very different shows in this Festival favourite.

6pm – 8pm, REVOLUTION GALLERY / 44 Lady Musgrave Road
PLAYING WITH LIFE
Artists: Tukula N’Tama & A-dZiko Simba
Reading: excerpt from “The Damp in Things” by Milicent Graham

7pm – 9pm, MUTUAL LIFE GALLERY / 2 Oxford Road,
Ceramics by Phillip Supersad and David Dunn.
Music: Katherine

8PM – 10PM, BOLIVAR GALLERY / 1D Grove Road,
YESTERDAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW
A 40 year retrospective of the Gallery’s openings, along with a special artist exhibition.

Artists: Charl Baker, Susan Dougall, Tracy Jackson & Claudette Powell

 
WEDNESSDAY 24TH JUNE

THEATRE ON THE EDGE
6pm – 9pm, PHILIP SHERLOCK CENTRE / UWI
Admission: Contributions welcomed
6pm – 7pm, Poetry: Sajoya, Chandis, Gina Rey Forest & Sabriya Simon
7pm – 9pm, 8 X Ten: 8 Ten minute plays directed by Brian Heap, Pierre Lemaire, Nadean Rawlins, Richard Nevers, Fabian Thomas, Randy McLaren, Carolyn Allen, Jean Small, Michael Daley, Christopher Daley

VIBRATIONS
9pm – till, FINNIGANS WINE & CHEESE / 5 Cranbourne Avenue (Near Constant Spring Road)

Artists: Andy Jefferson, Lady Jacquelyne, Maxine Gibson and Jason Kitching Poetry: Clement Hamilton
Music: Lady Jacquelyne, Andy Jefferson, Sheldon Bernard,
Ouieda, Kieran Murray, Zandrianne Maye, Jahzan McClurken and others

THE EXHIBITIONIST (BRAND NEW MACHINE)
10pm till, FICTION NIGHT CLUB / Market Place
Fiction becomes real as the artists invade.
Admission: $500 women $1000 men
DJ: Larissa Man
Artists: Stefan Clarke, Philip Clayton, Kori Solomon, Marcel Messam,
Poetry: Sajoya
Dance: Morekeia Isaacs

 
THURSDAY 25TH JUNE

THE CORE INSIGHT
6pm – 8pm, OLYMPIA ART CENTRE / 202 Old Hope Road
A journey to the centre of the mind. Open the artistic 3rd eye to the Olympian possibilities of life.

Artists: John Campbell, Audrey Lynch, Khalil Deane, Christopher Clare & Chandis

KOTE FILM NIGHT
9pm till, REDBONES BLUES CAFÉ / 21 Braemar Avenue
Our country has a proud film history, as well as a strong and diverse present. Now, especially for KOTE, local movie aficionado David Morrison hosts and curates a night of Jamaican short films, all less than ten minutes in duration.
Come be part of the groundswell lifting local moviemaking upward into the future!

 
FRIDAY 26TH JUNE

CHILL OUT
5pm – 8pm, CHILITOS / 92 hope road (Parking on Hillcrest Ave)
Y Tu Musica Tambien. Visual art, music, poetry and most important BURRITOS!

Music: Random Chaos, Brina & Introducing Angela Latti, a soulful reggae singer from California promoting her album
Artists: Akindele Hickling, Elisabeth Mondon
Poetry & Short Stories: Rebecca Tulloch

THE ESSENCE OF KOOL
9pm till, REDBONES BLUES CAFÉ / 21 Braemar Avenue
When Della met Jubba and Stone, the nooks and crannies of Jamaican music were explored. See some of the modern greats in concert.

Admission: $1000, $500 (students with ID)
Concert: Dubtonic Kru & Della Manley
DJs: Luna & Nora

 
SATURDAY 27TH JUNE

RED RUBBERBAND MURAL
10am – noon,
Art as community, Art as rebirth, Art as Metamorphosis. Join us in bringing some beauty to the city. Some brushes, acrylic, oil, spray paints & reducer will be provided. However if you would like to contribute supplies to the whole, it would be greatly appreciated.

ARTIST OPEN HOUSE
2pm – 6pm, Old Stony Hill Road
An idyllic setting, thought provoking art. Heather Sutherland-Wade opens her home to showcase her work along with artist Rachael Sutherland-Wade, Jacqueline Hussey, Dwayne Boyle & Anji Worton

Music: Jason Worton & the PapiUmba Big Band

KOTE CLOSING PARTY