The Institute of Jamaica (IOJ), founded in 1879, is the country's most significant cultural, artistic and scientific organisation:
''The Gleaner'', 19 January 2015. a patron and promoter of the arts in

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

, sponsoring exhibitions and awards. It is also the country's museums authority, as well as administering other national arts and cultural outlets including the

National Gallery The National Gallery is an art museum in Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, in Central London, England. Founded in 1824, it houses a collection of over 2,300 paintings dating from the mid-13th century to 1900. The current Director o ...

, the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica, and the ''

Jamaica Journal The ''Jamaica Journal'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by the Institute of Jamaica. It publishes scholarly articles on the history, natural history, art, literature, music, and culture of Jamaica. Its predecessor was the ''Journa ...

''.

History

The Institute of Jamaica was established in 1879 by Sir

Anthony Musgrave Sir Anthony Musgrave (31 August 1828 – 9 October 1888) was a colonial administrator and governor. He died in office as Governor of Queensland in 1888. Early life He was born at St John's, Antigua, the third of 11 children of Anthony Musgr ...

, then governor of Jamaica, "For the Encouragement of Literature, Science and Art in Jamaica", and as such was designed to help Government in the promotion and preservation of culture in the island.National Heritage Trust.
/ref> It is Jamaica's "most significant cultural, artistic and scientific organization". In the words of the late

Edna Manley Edna Swithenbank Manley, Jamaican Order of Merit, OM (28 February 1900 – 2 February 1987) is considered one of the most important artists and arts educators in Jamaica. She was known primarily as a sculptor although her oeuvre included signi ...

: "When I pay tribute to the Institute, I like to think back over the years to the twenties - when there was almost nothing that stood for the encouragement of any of the Arts or Sciences. Only the Institute stood like a beacon in its attempt to create an atmosphere where creativity could hope to flourish. The Institute stood for integrity. It also had the strength and intelligence to survive. Let the Institute survive, beaming aloft its flame of integrity." The IOJ is located at 10-16 East Street, Kingston, Jamaica, and has responsibility for the following organizations: * The African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica /Jamaica Memory Bank (ACIJ/JMB). **Liberty Hall: Legacy of

Marcus Garvey Marcus Mosiah Garvey Sr. (17 August 188710 June 1940) was a Jamaican political activist, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator. He was the founder and first President-General of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African ...

– a project of the ACIJ/JMB * The Jamaica Music Museum (JAMM) * The Junior Centres (Programmes Coordination) * The Natural History Museum of Jamaica * The Museums of History and Ethnography *

The National Gallery of Jamaica The National Gallery of Jamaica, in Kingston, Jamaica, is Jamaica's public art museum. It was established in 1974 and is located in the Kingston Mall, a commercial and cultural center on Kingston harbour. The National Gallery of Jamaica also ha ...

The function of the Institute varies according to the role of each division. These include: to establish and maintain museums and galleries for the collection, preservation and presentation of artefacts and art treasures (National Museum Jamaica); to maintain and display Jamaica's flora and fauna collections (Natural History); to document and disseminate information on the impact of the African presence in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean (ACIJ/JMB), with Liberty Hall as a unit of the ACIJ formed to promote the memory of Marcus Garvey including through educational programmes and exhibitions; to develop the potential of children in visual and performing arts and to broaden their appreciation of Jamaica's culture (Junior Centres); and to acquire Jamaican art for public display (National Gallery)."Institute of Jamaica"
Jamaica Information Service.

Publications

The IOJ publishes ''

'', originally the ''Journal of the Institute of Jamaica'', established in 1896.

Awards

The

Musgrave Medal The Musgrave Medal is an annual award by the Institute of Jamaica in recognition of achievement in art, science, and literature.Webster, Valerie J. (2000), ''Awards, Honors & Prizes, Volume 2'', Gale Group, , p. 447. Originally conceived in 1889 a ...

has been awarded by the Institute of Jamaica since 1897 for excellence in the fields of arts, sciences and literature. The

Gleaner Company The Gleaner Company Ltd. is a newspaper publishing enterprise in Jamaica. Established in 1834 by Joshua and Jacob De Cordova, the company's primary product is ''The Gleaner'', a morning broadsheet published six days each week. It also publishes ...

presented the Institute of Jamaica with the Gleaner Honour Award "For its unyielding and invaluable contribution to Arts and Culture in 2014, staunchly preserving Jamaica's heritage."

References

External links

Official website.

Institute of Jamaica page at Visit Jamaica.
{{Authority control Organisations based in Jamaica Organizations established in 1879