Art of Reggae poster auction raises over $850,000

The National Gallery of Jamaica (NGJ), in collaboration with the International Reggae Poster Contest (IRPC), recently hosted the Art of Reggae Exhibition Auction, marking the official close of the exhibition.

The auction raised approximately $852,000, with 69 posters sold from the globally curated exhibition. Proceeds from the event will go toward supporting the Alpha School of Music’s mission to provide high-quality music education for aspiring young professionals.

Themed, ‘Jamaican Roots of Hip-Hop’, this year’s contest received 601 poster submissions from 560 artists across 55 countries. Of these, 100 were selected and displayed at the National Gallery of Jamaica as part of the 9th International Reggae Poster Contest exhibition, with notable entries from countries such as China, the US and UK, Turkey, Ireland and Poland.

In a historic first, Jamaican graphic artist, Matthew McCarthy, placed second, making him the highest-ranking Jamaican in the contest’s history. His work, along with others, celebrated the legacy of DJ Kool Herc, the Jamaica-born pioneer of hip hop and creator of the breakbeat.

Joshua Chamberlain, special projects coordinator at the Alpha School of Music, expressed his delight at this year’s staging.

“The International Reggae Poster Contest continues to create valuable community-building opportunities for Alpha students and the school at large. We have to thank the contributors, the organisers, and the National Gallery of Jamaica for this amazing opportunity,” Chamberlain said.

Led by renowned artist and gallery owner Douglas Reid, the auction attracted enthusiastic bidders and supporters from various sectors. Notable attendees included Yang Xiaorong, chargé d’affaires, Chinese Embassy; Zhu Ge director, political section; 16 members of the Chinese Embassy; representatives from the German Embassy, and cultural critic, Professor Carolyn Cooper.

“The auction not only highlighted the global influence of Jamaican reggae music, but also reinforced the cultural interconnectedness between visual arts and music,” said Nadine Boothe Gooden, senior director of the National Gallery of Jamaica.

Through this initiative, the NGJ continues to champion the intersection of art, music, and youth empowerment, while amplifying Jamaica’s far-reaching cultural impact.