VP Records has announced a celebratory exhibition to showcase their role in bringing reggae and dancehall to the global mainstream, after 40 years of ‘championing some of the greatest musicians in reggae and dancehall’.

The event will track these past 40 years, looking at VP Record’s growth from a small record store in Kingston, Jamaica to an international powerhouse in Jamaica, New York. The show will feature a ten-piece visual display and two evenings of panel discussions on the impact of Caribbean music in the UK.

Opening from 29 October to 1 November, the exhibition will showcase Greensleeves Records —acquired by VP in 2008 — and reggae legend Dennis Brown. It will also feature the development of the label’s compilation series, Reggae Gold, Soca Gold and Strictly the Best. The panel discussions will focus on the role of Caribbean music in the UK, tips on how to succeed as an upcoming artist, and Carribean music’s place in the streaming era.

Commenting on the exhibition, Carter van Pelt said: “With “A Reggae Music Journey” and with the box set “Down In Jamaica”, I wanted to put the arc of the VP Records story into perspective, through music and visuals. I hope people gain a new appreciation for how central the Chin family has been to the industry, not just for the 40+ years of VP Records, but for the 60+ years of Randy’s. They have stood the test of time and have an incomparable legacy in the story of Jamaican music.”

As part of the 40th-anniversary celebrations, VP is releasing a commemorative box set to coincide with the exhibition, featuring 94 tracks from 101 VP and Greensleeves artists. Due to be released on 1 November, the box set contains four 12” singles, four CDs, and four 7” singles, and a 24-page book, including the first reissues of some of VP’s vinyl records.