Downtown Kingston gets performing and visual arts facility....Simon Bolivar Cultural Centre to open to the public soon... The facility, which is a multi-purpose centre for the performing and visual arts, was refurbished by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) at a cost of $4.13 million.

Monday, April 06, 2015    

JAMAICANS will soon have the opportunity to learn about and experience the culture of Venezuela when the Símon Bolívar Cultural Centre in downtown Kingston opens its doors in another week.

Chairman of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) Senator
 KD Knight (right) shares his thoughts regarding a small exhibit
 mounted at the Símon Bolívar Cultural Centre, in honour of the
 man for whom it is named. The senator was on a tour of the
 renovated building last Thursday prior to officially handing over
its management and operation to the Institute of Jamaica
 (IOJ), during a ceremony at the centre’s location in downtown
 Kingston. Also viewing the display (from left) are: General
Manager of UDC Desmond Malcolm; Director, UDC, Sonia
 Hyman; and Board Chairman, Programmes Coordination
 Division, IOJ, Dr Deborah Hickling.

The facility, which is a multi-purpose centre for the performing and visual arts, was refurbished by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) at a cost of $4.13 million.

It will be managed and operated by the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ) following Thursday's official handover by the UDC during a ceremony at the centre's location at 10-12 North Parade.

Speaking at the event, chairman of the UDC, Senator KD Knight said the renovation works are in keeping with the agency's redevelopment plan for downtown Kingston.

He noted that a key reason for its establishment was to "have an edifice in honour of the Símon Bolívar, who is a national hero in Venezuela, and who was exiled here in Jamaica".

"There was also the desire to expose our youth to the culture regionally, so that there will be provisions here for that purpose, and we are very happy that we have come to this stage of the process that we can hand over the keys to IOJ, and they now will ensure that the vision, the concept will be implemented fully," he said.

Senator Knight expressed the hope that Jamaicans will take advantage of facilities being provided for cultural education, performances, and exhibits.

"We hope that visitors to the shore, touring downtown, will see this is an important building for them to come to see the exhibitions and so on," he said.

He informed of plans to renovate the centre's environs "to see what kind of retrofitting can be done to those buildings to make the entire area more pleasant." more