Music, art, food and culture take centre stage on (Sunday November 13) when 10A West Kings House Road in St Andrew transforms into the ‘Block Party’, a mini cultural festival courtesy of New Wave.

New Wave is a culturally based creative event and digital media platform, founded by Grammy-nominated reggae artiste Protoje and creative specialist Jason Panton in 2016.

The event has since become known to create spaces and experiences that highlight the boldness and vibrancy of Jamaican and Caribbean culture, with a focus on current as well as new and emerging creatives.

Coming off of a two-year hiatus post-COVID, New Wave has been slowly but surely shaking the ground and rebuilding momentum with a series of one-off pop-up events throughout this year.

But Sunday, November 13, marks the return of the brand’s flagship event, Block Party. Executed as a mini festival of art, food, music and good energy, the event will celebrate and highlight these cultural pillars for which Jamaica is known and loved for across the world. 

“We are super excited about the return of our mini festival known as the New Wave Block Party after a two-year break. We’re really looking forward to sharing the space at 10A again with some really talented Jamaican creatives,” said New Wave Director Lindsey Lodenquai.

She added: “We are re-energised and ready to bring our community back together for what I know will be an unforgettable evening. Just like our 2019 staging, we will be featuring art, food, music and of course some very exciting performances!” 

The first staging, held in 2019, made waves on the local social and entertainment scene by fusing all of Jamaica’s classic cultural elements while also being paired with the launch of the ‘Rock & Groove’ Riddim, an In.Digg.Nation project featuring an all-female songbird cast – Lila Ike, Naomi Cowan, Sevana and Jaz Elise. 

DJs Brush 1 the Road Marshal, Bloodline Franco, Heatwave Fatalic, Laing D, Fyahmatic and Circa Fatman will keep the crowd on their feet, as well as a surprise line up of special guest appearances which New Wave is known for.

If this isn’t enough, the night will also feature delicious bites from Kamila’s Kitchen, Chilitos and The Plantry.

In addition to the musical vibes and energy, the event will also highlight another key aspect of the local creative scene – art.

The Dub Garden, a well-known courtyard space at 10A, will feature artisans like Bumble Beauty & Rachel Lane as well as two stellar exhibitions from local visual artist Joshua Solas (also known as Solas Ink) and “The Harder They Come” exhibit marking the 50th year of the iconic Jamaican feature film.

The featured works are an “exploration of language, specifically Jamaican language, and dive into the roles that both words and imagery play in depicting and tapping into emotion,” Solas explained. 

“We at 10A are proud to be not only a partner but the home of this exciting event. Our culture is so dynamic and unique, it’s a big part of who we are as Jamaican people. It’s something to be extremely proud of, so it’s always a pleasure to work with the New Wave team to celebrate Jamaican culture and we are particularly proud to facilitate a platform that celebrates new and emerging creatives that are pushing the culture forward,” Justine Henzell, principal at 10A West Kings House.

The event is sponsored by 10A, VM Group, Very Culture!, Itopia Life and Pepsi Jamaica.