5 Caribbean Performing Arts Organizations to Support by Carry On Friends

5 Caribbean Performing Arts Organizations to Support

A recent study outlined the profound impact that COVID-19 is having on the nonprofit arts and culture sector. As a result it will take years, especially for larger organizations to recover from the economic fallout of suspended or limited programming.

Caribbean Culture is rich. Caribbean Culture is everywhere. And it’s especially important that we support Caribbean Cultural and Performing Arts Organizations dedicated to preserving, teaching and promoting Caribbean culture, history, traditions by artists and performers from the culture. Below is a list of 5 NonProfit Caribbean Performing Arts Organizations to support.

1. Braata Productions

Braata Productions was founded in 2009 and based in New York City. Braata (Pronounced “Bra-ta”) is a Jamaican colloquial term meaning ‘extra’ or ‘more’. Through the visual and performing arts, Braata promotes Caribbean culture by preserving and showcasing its history, lifestyles, traditions and customs.

Andrew Clarke, founder and executive director of Braata Productions was the very first guest on the podcast back in 2015. He was inspired to start Braata because of the lack of opportunities for Caribbean performers to showcase their talent in an authentic fashion. 10 years later, Braata Productions continues to create a space to showcase the Caribbean’s cultural and historical traditions.

Make a donation to support Braata Productions.

2. Bombazo Dance Company

Bombazo Dance Company is a drum and dance company, with a mission is to preserve, educate and showcase traditional Afro Puerto Rican Bomba and Afro Caribbean and traditional folkloric elements. Bombazo Dance Company combines these main ingredients and fuse them with classical, contemporary and social styles of dance. 

https://player.vimeo.com/video/433226030

Make a donation to support Bombazo Dance Company.

3. Conch Shell Productions

The mission of Conch Shell productions is to showcase, develop and produce the voice of the Caribbean American artists. Because Caribbean American voices are important in American Theater and on American stages.

Conch Shell Productions is the brainchild of Magaly Colimon-Christopher. Magaly is a Haitian-American actress, playwright, director and producer. She believes that stories from the Caribbean American perspective are American stories, because America is a country filled of people who came from somewhere else to get opportunities.

“…while my passion is to build a community of Caribbean American and Caribbean audiences, my thorough mission is to build an American audience for our unique perspective what it means to be an American.”

Make a donation to support Conch Shell Productions

4. Dance Caribbean Collective

Dance Caribbean Collective is an organization dedicated to facilitating Caribbean Dance works, performances and cultural experiences in the Caribbean Diaspora.

Listen to Candace Thompson-Zachary, Dance Caribbean Collective’s Founding Executive Director explain the importance of supporting and preserving Caribbean Dance cultures.

Dance Caribbean Collective produce performances, hold public classes and community events, develop educational programming and provide online resources for both artists and audiences. They work collectively to create space for connection, community building and learning, centered around Caribbean Dance and culture. 

Make a donation to support Dance Caribbean Collective

5. Something Positive

Something Positive, Inc. is a performing arts and education organization dedicated to preserving the art and culture of the African Diaspora and its cross-cultural influences. Something Positive was founded in 1981 by Trinidadian dancer and Rapso music pioneer Cheryl Byron.

Make a donation to support Something Positive Inc. 

Kerry-Ann

Kerry-Ann Reid-Brown is Founder & host of Carry On Friends one of the first podcasts dedicated to the Caribbean American Experience. She is leading the way for Caribbean Podcast as the founder of Breadfruit Media, the first Caribbean podcast production company; and founder of the Caribbean Podcast Directory a place to discover podcasts by people of Caribbean Heritage.