ORGANIZERS

Michael Thompson (1958-2016), born in Kingston, Jamaica, and now lives in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States. He studied graphic design at The Jamaica School of Art, now the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston.

Maria Papaefstathiou, from Athens, Greece was the first one who embraced the idea for an international Reggae Poster Contest and accepted to partner with Michael in creating the contest.
Maria has been a practicing graphic designer since 1996. She graduated and received an award

Board Member

Carolyn Cooper is an international consultant on culture and development. She is the author of two influential books, Noises In the Blood: Orality, Gender and the ‘Vulgar’ Body of Jamaican Popular Culture; and Sound Clash: Jamaican Dancehall Culture At Large…

Special Supporters

unnamed-5With more than 50 years in the music business, Patricia Chin has always been a champion for innovative, independent music and a pioneer among women in the music industry. From the retail store and distribution business, founded with her late husband Vincent “Randy” Chin in their native Kingston, Jamaica, the Chin family was present at the birth of reggae music. In 1979, the family moved to their business to Jamaica, NY in the NYC’s Queens borough and adopted the moniker “VP” (for Vincent and Pat). As a woman in the male dominated world of reggae, Miss Pat (as she is affectionately known) nurtured the business and relationships with artists, producers and suppliers in Jamaica and an ever growing customer base. Miss Pat is the face of VP Records and continues to serve as a powerful female leader who continues to inspire her artists, customers and her community.

Under her leadership, VP Records has created a reggae empire and contributed to the careers of countless artists including Shabba Ranks, Sean Paul, Etana, Maxi Priest, Gyptian, BunjiGarlin, Beenie Man, Lady Saw and Mavado among others. With the passing of Vincent Chin in 2003, the next generations of the Chin family have taken on leadership of the day-to-day operations as Miss Pat works to expand her legacy through helping others. To commemorate the 35th anniversary of VP Records in the United States, Miss Pat has collaborated with celebrated graphic artist and philanthropist Michael Thompson to establish the VP Records Reggae Archive, a mobile exhibit of the history of reggae. Their vision is to find a permanent home for the exhibit establishing a legitimate reggae museum. With her unique spirit and indefatigable energy, Pat Chin continues her musical journey.

Tania Dwyer, is a passionate Reggae and Jamaica lover from Australia. A great supporter of Alpha Boys’ School, “because they are up against the odds, those kids are given a second chance and purpose when they get to go there…and after learning about the history – how the music truly begin there at that little school,” says Tania. She also believes in the big vision of the International Reggae Poster Contest, she is a firm believer in the objective to establish a Reggae Hall of Fame on the island. “I always feel like shouting it to the world, especially to reggae lovers and music fans in general… this is where the different rhythms and so many music genres were born…and if the reggae fans out there truly want the music to stay alive and be remembered and respected then it would be worth their while to PAY ATTENTION and get involved with making it happen/support/contribute/spread the word…and to realise there really should be a Reggae Hall of Fame…before the memory of it all gets lost.”

Tania can truly see the potential of having such a Reggae Hall of Fame Museum established in Kingston. “It’s like it should already be there… it needs to be big and bold and stand proud as people fly into Kingston – somewhere that visitors could see when they come in via the sea…and it should be something that all the people of Jamaica can access and people from around the world…reggae unites like no other music…as it offer dares to give voice to harsh realities in life/the system.

Tania is an Alpha and IRPC Ambassador in Australia… who voluntarily works as our Social-Online Administrator.

Irini Spyridakis is a User Experience (UX) Designer who works to improve the user experience by assessing user needs, designing user interfaces (UI), and creating low fidelity software and hardware prototypes. She is a Lecturer in the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering (HCDE) at the University of Washington where she teaches classes that incorporate topics on communication, design, ethics, sustainability, and the importance of understanding diverse audiences and their varying needs. In addition, she teaches how culture and environment affect the user experience. She cherishes her time at the university teaching and mentoring students in design and engineering, and contributing to the growing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

A casual and bighearted Jamaican woman with a global spirit. Most recently willingly captured by the irresistible New York energy.

Her obsession with meaningful connection and communication made becoming a branding & marketing professional a natural fit. Over her 10 year experience in the field Stephanie’s work has included retail, licensing & merchandising, visual communication, intellectual property management and business strategy.

Stephanie’s work instinct is strongly influenced by her perspective on the essentialness of both beautiful design and commercial profitability.

She believes undoubtedly that artists, designers & creative thinkers are the world’s best kept open secret.

Headley Audrey has been doing graphic design professionally for 15 years now self taught. Audrey started as a graphics intern at a small printery, after that worked at few ad agencies and then Jamaica Gleaner Company & Digicelgroup.
She lives in the cool cool Mandeville, the capital and largest town in the parish of Manchester in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica
Her design experience includes print graphics, packaging, webpages, screenprinting, newbie photographer. Audrey’s love is designing, cooking, travelling & reading.

Anicée Gaddis is a New York City-based writer whose voice has left its signature on the publishing and branding landscapes. During her 15-year career, her deeply immersive rather than observational approach continues to lend an on-the-ground, intimate and very tangible feeling to each project she takes on. Her ability to capture brand imaging and editorial through emotive, intelligent prose that transcends and transforms popular culture is her defining trademark.

As a brand writer and journalist, she has spearheaded projects with Puma, Nike, Pirelli, American Express, Etiquette Clothiers, John Hardy, The Nomad Hotel and Chris Blackwell’s Island Outpost Hotel Collection. Anicée has served as the New York Editor-in-Chief of Sur La Terre magazine, and is currently the Editorial Director for Big magazine.
Anicée has published work in The New York Times, the magazines America, Big, Vogue, V Magazine, Interview, Rolling Stone, Time Out, and Condé Nast Traveler’s Concierge. She was Executive Editor of Trace magazine for five years, during which time she traveled extensively and reported on emerging culture worldwide. During the course of her travels, Anicée developed a global affinity for seeking out the underlying layers and transcribing them into an original map of prose.

Vanda Lúquez, born in Comodoro Rivadavia, Chubut, República Argentina. Graduated at the Escuela Superior de Cinematografía in Buenos Aires and after studied Fine Arts, she makes her career in audiovisual and theatrical productions mainly in the area of design and stage setting. She also has a long musical training studying classical piano and English language. From an early age she decided to make a voice of the causes most affected by poverty and injustice, working in solidarity in an anonymous and absolutely voluntarily way, turning always to her own work to provide support to the neediest. In this way, many years ago, she organized the “One Love ” concept , which support and build respect not only from her art work, but also in the everyday life. Recently Vanda is contributing translations in Spanish for different kinds of documents for the IRPC trying to make IRPC world best known, a work that she makes with enthusiasm and good vibrations hoping to see the dream message of love and respect between humans and nature come true.

Susan Lee Quee, is a Digital Design Consultant and Lecturerin Visual Communications and Digital Design at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts. She is member of both the EMC Rex Nettleford Conference 2011 and Jonkanoo Journal editorial and design committees. Born in the United Kingdom, Susan is passionate about creating memorable and engaging design and new media projects that focus and promote her Jamaican and Caribbean arts, culture, history and heritage roots. She studied at Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts in Kingston. She has created , graphic design, corporate identity programmes and publications for Jamaican and International companies. She is Creative Director of Lee Quee Creative – a design agency based in Kingston, Jamaica. Contact:http://www.leequeecreative.com | [email protected]