ABOUT CCJ

Cultural Collaborative Jamaica's (CCJ) establishment was spearheaded in 1992 Over the years CCJ has successfully explored approaches for linking community, cultural and economic objectives, and has tested and developed methods of grappling with the challenges and opportunities of local collaborations.  As an important facet of community development goals in Jamaica, CCJ efforts focus on bringing greater exposure to the arts and cultural sector, thereby creating more focal points for the core of Jamaica's downtown redevelopment.

However, CCJ exists not only to support and service a formalized cluster of artists and major arts organizations in the downtown Jamaica area, but to leverage the benefits of cross-fertilization efforts between arts organizations an other other factions in the community. Today's community development initiatives seek out and require collaborations across jurisdictional and genre boundaries – neighborhood, business, civic, governmental and cultural organizations, with different areas of knowledge and experience must be actively involved in bringing major community transformations to fruition. The formation of CCJ acknowledged the importance of establishing an art, business and educational alliance for Jamaica, Queens, one of New York City's fastest growing communities.  It recognized that the business community, arts and education are natural allies that all provide services to the community and depend on community involvement and support for their growth and stability.

CCJ'S MISSION

Together, to promote cultural arts, development and community involvement as an important element of community and economic development for southeastern Queens

• Strengthen community and economic development in Jamaica by creating unique partnerships that would leverage the diverse assets existing in the area,
• Enrich and support member organization development and commitment to the people of Jamaica Center (Downtown Jamaica) through education, cultural, and special events planning
• Provide a cultural arts forum and think-tank for Downtown Jamaica development
• Maximize participation by Jamaica’s multi-ethnic communities in cultural arts
• Support creation and development of sustainable commercial and entrepreneurial enterprises
• Promote tourism as a major component of cultural and economic development in Jamaica

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CCJ ACCOMPLISHMENTS include:

• Jamaica Arts & Business Center (JABC) : In 1997 CCJ, in partnership with JCAL and BST became responsible for the leadership and management of the renovation and restoration of an historic 300-year-old church in Downtown Jamaica and its transformation into The Jamaica Arts & Business Center (please see JABC section of this webiste)
• Created the first Tourism Brochure & Video of local arts & business in Jamaica for Tourist Operators
• Model organization for 'Culture Builds Jamaica' business development project and report, sponsored by The Rockefeller Foundation and Citigroup, with Partners for Livable Communities
• Featured as a major innovative organization in the Center for an Urban Future's "The Creative EngineŠ, an examination of how arts and culture serve as catalysts for economic development in communities
• Partnered the Jamaica Tourism Project, with the Ford Foundation and Business Enterprise for Sustainable Travel (BEST), as part of the NYC Community Tourism Initiative. CCJ served as a national model on how arts can enliven a downtown neighborhood. As a result of this project CCJ offers Community Walking Tours: during the Summer giving an in-depth look at the historical buildings of Jamaica going back 300 years, including a stop at the King Manor Museum. The tours are sponsored by the Jamaica Center Improvement Association, and include participation by all CCJ members located in downtown Jamaica. Tours began in 2002.
• Served as the Model Program for LACE Collaborative for Individual Artists in Jackson Heights
• Partnered and participated in 'Kids World Inc.', a publication with the Queens Borough Public Library
• Developed "Good Neighbors, Good Fences" mural, with Hines Corporation, FDA, York College, P.S. 40
• Created the Harvest Festival, with the Jamaica Center Improvement Association
• Produced the 'It's Us' exhibit, with Time Warner at LaGuardia Airport
• Produced 'Come Celebrate with Us', at the Gertz Mall, and 165th St. Mall, sponsored by the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce
• Produced the Sacred Music Concerts Series, with members of Cultural Collaborative Jamaica and local churches
• 'Holidays on the Avenue' performances at JFK International Arrivals Building
• Cowboy Rodeo, with Black Cowboy Heritage Committee and NY Army National Guard
• Established the first evening concerts in Historic Rufus King Park

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CONTACT CCJ

Executive Director: Tyra Emerson

Address: PO BOX 311155, Jamaica, NY 11431
Telephone number: (718) 526-3217
Fax: (718) 658-7922
E-mail:Tyraemerson@hotmail.com