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 and 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 who 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.

Objectives

• Promote tourism as a major component of cultural and economic development in Southeast Queens.
• Strengthen community and Economic development in Jamaica through unique partnerships leveraging diverse assets in Queens.
• Enrich and Support member organization development with the residents of South East queens 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
  

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