The Art of Reggae Exhibition at Liverpool’s Festival of Reggae

The International Reggae Poster Contest (IRPC) and Positive Vibration, Liverpool’s Festival of Reggae, are to host The Art of Reggae Exhibition, featuring 100 reggae-inspired posters designed by artists and illustrators from across the globe.

1st June – 15th June 2016

Venue: Constellations, 35-39 Greenland Street, Baltic Triangle, Liverpool, L1 0BS
Free admission (entry is subject to venue opening times and other events taking place at the venue)

The IRPC, now in its fifth year, receives thousands of entries each year – and the best of the bunch will be on display on the walls of Baltic Triangle venue Constellations, from 1st June – 15th June. Reggae may have originated in Jamaica, but this exhibition celebrates the truly global sound of modern reggae, with entries from such disparate countries as Greece, Israel, Japan, Cuba and Iran. This powerful synergy of reggae music and art is proof, if it were needed, that Jamaica’s finest export has touched the hearts and minds of billions with its positivity and radiance.
The exhibition, which makes its debut in the UK, is set to give Constellations a Caribbean glow, and Wednesday 1st June will see a launch party for the exhibition from 7pm – 11pm, with free entry to view all 100 posters, alongside reggae DJs and Caribbean food and drink – a fitting warm up for the Positive Vibration – Festival of Reggae on 10th and 11th June.
Displayed posters will be auctioned throughout the exhibition for collection after 15th June, with profits donated to Alpha Boys’ School, the vocational institution for underprivileged youths located in Kingston, Jamaica and founded in 1880 by the Sisters of Mercy. The school is a great Jamaican success story, producing some of the most notable legends in the history of reggae, including Don Drummond of the Skatalites, Desmond Decker and Yellowman. This remarkable institution should be celebrated and supported by all those who admire and love reggae. Without this fertile training ground we might not have this global music we call reggae.

ONE LOVE PALE ALE
The opening of the exhibition will also see the launch of the festival’s official beer – One Love Pale Ale. The beer, a collaboration between Positive Vibration and Liverpool- based, Black Lodge Brewery, is a toast to the late, great Derek Serpell-Morris aka DJ Derek. The much loved DJ was a long time champion of reggae music and played his last ever Liverpool gig (before he retired) for Positive Vibration organisers, Rebel Soul. The beer is named after Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’, the song Derek used to finish his DJ set with.
All proceeds from the sale of the ale will be donated to Trinity Centre – a not-for-profit organisation based in Bristol which aims to engage the local community through music, art and other creative industries.
The exhibition has been kindly supported by Arts Council England.

If you would like to attend the Art of Reggae Exhibition launch party on 1st June, please RSVP by 31st May.
Please email:

– Rory Taylor: [email protected]; or
– Collen Chandler: [email protected]

We welcome previews and reviews of the exhibition launch.

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Maria Papaefstathiou

VISUAL DESIGNER since 1996 and blogger since 2010. Living in Athens, Greece. She has been focusing her research on poster design and particularly on social poster design and portrait design. Her main poster project is a series of posters celebrating great personalities of traditional and popular culture in Greece and Jamaica. These include actors, singers, musicians, poets etc. This is an ongoing project. “I believe that design is a powerful tool that we designers can use to spark enthusiasm, change mindsets and bring positive actions to our world and our culture”. FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF GRAPHICART-NEWS.COM BLOG. She carefully curates high-quality designs, illustrations, and art, from all over the world that will teach and provoke other designers. Many consider her blog to be an exceptional educational tool. CO-FOUNDER OF THE INTERNATIONAL REGGAE POSTER CONTEST which was launched on December 2011, partnering, the creative activist Michael Thompson aka Freestylee. (www.reggaepostercontest.com)