It's been going almost seven years, and now it has become a registered charity.

Chewstick has become synonymous with open mic nights, spoken word and live jam sessions. It has given a stage to countless numbers of aspiring artists.

Chewstick Foundation's founder Gavin (Djata) Smith said: "We are approaching our seventh anniversary and for the last three years we have really been doing a lot of soul searching and trying to figure out our place in the community and what to do going forward.

"A lot of it was whether we should go a more corporate route or a non-profit route. We decided to become a charity, because the work that we are doing and moving towards doing is more beneficial to the community and the younger generations."

Chewstick has a series of events such as the Neo Griot Lounge which offers a venue for artists to tell their stories and the Open Mic Jam Session at the Neo Griot Lounge now takes place on Saturday nights at the Spinning Wheel. There is also BeachFest on Emancipation Day.

Mr. Smith added: "We are kind of expanding and we are starting to look more at the process in allowing established artists or developing artists to deepen their craft through workshops, lectures and speakers.

"A lot of our artists don't get out onto the stage and when they do there are always all these eyeballs looking at them thinking they are not as good as A-List international celebrities when they get on stage maybe twice a year. We are trying to give artists an opportunity to grow."

The Chewstick Foundation is also launching an after-school programme for students in January. "We are targetting where there are less options for youth to be involved. A lot of youth programmes begin at preschool up to 16, and it's like, well if you haven't fixed them now, then they are done."

The Chewstick Foundation headquarters is on the corner of Elliot and Court Streets. "We have been looking for somewhere for a while.

"We needed a base for our general operations, rehearsal space and somewhere to do the lectures and workshops. Basically it is a creative hub for people to come and work together.

Mr. Smith is loving having the opportunity to focus on the Foundation on a full-time basis – prior to this he worked during evenings and weekends.

"The Foundation is surviving off donations, monies earned from the Lounge nights, sponsorship, events and looking at membership.

"People have also donated computers, furniture, and the recording studio was donated by Ital Foundation.

"The aim of Chewstick is trying to bring people together, and whenever you come to our events you pretty much have every shade, every tax bracket and they are not just there, they are sharing," said Mr. Smith.

"A lot of people associate Chewstick with just me and it couldn't be further from the truth," he said.

"There are all sorts of young beautiful black people, white people and when you hear so much negative about young people doing a pack, this is the complete opposite."

For more information visit www.chewstick.org for the Foundation info and www.chewstick.com for general information.

n See tomorrow's Lifestyle for an interview with Chewstick rapper and poet Keamon (KASE) Woolaston.