THE EDNA Manley School for the Visual and Performing Arts was recently presented with equipment valued at approximately $461,000 by the Entertainment Advisory Board (EAB).
The equipment included two keyboards, two drum sets, a public address system and microphones.
The donation is part of the board's aim to provide support and funding to organisations that are central to development through education and culture.
Carole Guntley-Brady, director general in the Ministry of Tourism, who made the donation on behalf of the EAB, said she was honoured to be handing over the presentation and urged students to make the best use of the instruments, which were a gift from the people of Jamaica.
In addition, she said there was talent at Edna Manley and she would be working towards incorporating the students into the Ministry's programme of promoting culture at the community level.
Aside from that, Ibo Cooper, chairman of the Music Sub-Committee of the EAB, spoke of the history of the EAB and its activities, pointing out that the 18-member EAB was appointed by Cabinet to guide and monitor the activities of the Entertainment Division in the Ministry of Tourism and Sport. He added that the EAB was ensuring that development of the entertainment sector was taking place through partnership and planning.
The EAB is said to have made donations to the Jamaica Federation of Musicians (JFM) and the Jamaica Association of Female Artistes totalling $650,000. The film community also received $500,000 in grants. This sum went to the Women in Film and TV Jamaica Chapter for the staging of the World Summit of Women in Film and Television set for Montego Bay next month as well as the Doctor Bird Awards in November.
Director of Studies at the School of Music, Winston Ewart, thanked the Board and the Minstry of Tourism for the instruments and equipment. He said that the Popular Music Department of the school would benefit substantially from the donations and hoped that this would be a start of a fruitful relationship between the EAB and the institution.
