2019 International Festival Of Arts and Ideas Lineup Announced
By: Stephi Wild Apr. 19, 2019
The International Festival of Arts & Ideas today announced complete details for Festival 2019, which opens on June 8 and continues for two weeks through June 22 in New Haven, Connecticut.
Festival 2019 features a lineup of more than 200 events--80% of which are presented free of charge--including world class theater, dance, and music performances from around the globe--and right here in New Haven--as well as family friendly activities and dozens of talks, tours, and more. "The lineup for the 2019 International Festival of Arts & Ideas runs the gamut from thrilling dance to heart-stopping circus and breathtaking theater to pulse-raising music. It features what is arguably the most diverse group of artists and thinkers we've hosted in a single year, representing countless life experiences, points of view, and countries of origin--it's a Festival that looks like the world and a Festival that looks like New Haven," said Chad Herzog, Co-Executive Director of the Festival and Director of Programming. "We are thrilled to call the New Haven Green our home base again this year for the entire two weeks, even as we expand into new venues across downtown for the first time. It's time to Festival!"TICKETED EVENTS
DanceMyelination
Dorrance Dance
Tuesday, June 11
Shubert Theater, 247 College Street ($20/$55/$85/$125) MacArthur "Genius" Grant winner, choreographer, and tap dancer Michelle Dorranceis celebrated for connecting tap's history to contemporary urban culture and infusing the art form with theatricality and humor. In a program that connects tap back to its roots in jazz and jump blues, and forward to the cadences of hip-hop and indie rock, Dorrance and her company perform Myelination, featuring original live music; the rarely-seen, Bessie Award-winning Three to One; and a revival of the whimsical Jungle Blues. Theater
No Kids
Ad Infinitum
June 12-15
Iseman Theater, 1156 Chapel Street ($35/$55) Should we have kids, or not? George and Nir are a real-life same-sex couple trying to answer a question many of us face. Every consideration--adoption, surrogacy, co-parenting, the environmental impact of childbirth, the fears and anxieties, how the past affects parenting and much, much more--brings with it a succession of ethical challenges. Together, George and Nir confront this chaos head-on. No Kids is the latest energetic, hilarious, moving, and thought-provoking play from the multi award-winning Bristol-based company, Ad Infinitum.
Circus
What Will Have Been
Circa
June 12-15
University Theatre, 222 York Street ($35/$55) Three artists stretch the boundaries of contemporary circus in this intimate and deeply moving new production by Brisbane-based contemporary circus company Circa. Hauntingly beautiful and truly virtuosic, What Will Have Been is a sublime display of interlocking bodies, awe-inspiring movement, and pure physical beauty. Circa's intrepid artists will challenge your perceptions of what is possible within the human body and draw you deep into a world of physical daring. Accompanied on stage by a live violinist and fusing together the music of Bach and spine-tingling electronica, this explosive new production is guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings and have you on the edge of your seat.
Music
Quantum Sound
A Live Performance of Superconducting Instruments
Friday, June 14
Firehouse 12, 45 Crown Street ($35) Have you ever wondered what a single electron moving through the universe sounds like? With scientists Kyle Serniak and Luke Burkhart from the Yale Quantum Institute, sound artist and composer Spencer Topel presents the first-ever music created from the measurements of the dynamics inside superconducting quantum devices, the precursors to quantum computers. In the intimate space of New Haven's premiere recording studio Firehouse 12, quantum systems performed by Spencer, Kyle, and Luke, will be played live throughout a one-hour set. Together they will explore these unique scientific devices as musical instruments in this groundbreaking musical experience. Music
Music for Change: The 60's-The Years That Changed America
Kronos Quartet
June 18, 8PM
Shubert Theater, 247 College Street ($20/$55/$85/$125) Currently comprised of violinists David Harrington (founder), John Sherba, and Hank Dutt, and cellist Sunny Yang, Kronos Quartet strives to fearlessly explore new musical territory, dedicated to reinventing the string quartet format with every piece. Music for Change features "Peace Be Till," by David Harrington and Zachary James Watkins, which memorializes Martin Luther King, Jr. and his amazing ability to empower the masses to demand justice, and a celebration of the music of political activist and American folk music icon Pete Seeger. Theater
Home
Geoff Sobelle and Beth Morrison Projects
June 19-22
University Theatre, 222 York Street ($35/$55) On an empty stage, a house rises before your eyes. People move in, move out. They eat, sleep, love, argue, throw a party--as though everyone who had ever lived in the house was there together, fighting for the fridge. Haunting one habitat, their domestic dance is an overlapping map of successive generations. With a cast of seven, including live original songs from Elvis Perkins, award-winning absurdist Geoff Sobelle's moving and miraculous visual spectacle is a magical meditation on the meaning of home. Music
Tanya Tagaq
June 20
College Street Music Hall, 238 College Street ($35/$55) Celebrated Inuk performer Tanya Tagaq employs exquisite, unnerving vocal improvisations that bridge traditional roots with contemporary culture. Her music is like nothing you've heard before: a contortion of punk, metal, and electronica into a complex and contemporary sound that begins in breath, a communal and fundamental phenomenon. Tagaq was hailed by Rolling Stone as "one of today's most electric, transfixing performers in any genre." Music
Music from New Haven
Yale Choral Artists
June 21
Morse Recital Hall at Sprague Hall, 470 College Street ($35) The Yale Choral Artists perform captivating and deeply moving choral works by living composers known all over the world for their exciting and innovative contributions to new music, and who all share musical roots in New Haven: Caroline Shaw, Christopher Theofanidis, Ingram Marshall, Michael Gilbertson, and Aaron Jay Kernis. HEADLINE CONCERTS ON THE NEW HAVEN GREEN Marion Meadows & Rohn Lawrence
With Thabisa
June 8, 7PM
New Haven Green (Free) Marion Meadows is a smooth jazz soprano saxophonist, born in West Virginia and raised in Stamford, Connecticut. He has performed as sideman for Brook Benton, Chuck Loeb, Eartha Kitt, The Temptations, Michael Bolton, and Jean Carne, among others, and has become a staple of contemporary jazz in his own right, releasing more than more than a dozen albums in the past two decades. Guitarist Rohn Lawrence developed his reputation playing in New Haven funk bands, becoming a go-to guitarist for many active contemporary musicians. He continuously performs with Marion Meadows and also with notable artists including Najee, Freddie Jackson, Diane Reeves and Jonathan Butler. Lawrence has contributed to well over fifty albums since the start of his career, including Meadows' 2018 release, Soul City. Thabisa, whose name alone means "make others happy," is an artist, musician, a mother, and a motivated individual. Born in Kwazakhele, she moved to New Haven in early 2016 and immediately jumped into the music scene, releasing two highly acclaimed albums, The Journey (2013) and Eyodidi (2015). Garba360
With Kashyap Jani and Friends
June 9, 7PM
New Haven Green (Free) Garba360 brings the exhilarating energy of Indian folk dance from Gujarat to the New Haven Green with the invigorating traditional music of Kashyap Jani and Friends. The clapping, spinning and bright colors of garba commemorate wedding celebrations and the vivacious Hindu festival Navratri. Garba360 instructors guide new dancers, using the dance to educate about Navratri and its mythological importance. Vivian Green
With Force MDs
June 15, 7PM
New Haven Green (Free)
Contemporary R&B talent Vivian Green has been writing songs since she was 11. Her six albums include A Love Story (2002); Vivian (2005), which reached number 18 on the Billboard 200; Beautiful (2010), which also made the Billboard 200; and VGVI (2017). She has been nominated for multiple awards from Black Entertainment Television, Lady of the Soul Train, and Soul Train. The Force MDs originated hip-hop, doo-wop and hip-hop soul. Their 80s hits include "Tender Love," "Love Is a House", "Tears", "Here I Go Again" and "Let Me Love You." Their live performance is a "nostalgic soul celebration" that uplifts the audience with the best of black music history through emotive renditions of songs by the Temptations, The Four Tops, the Jackson Five, Al Green and more. Gina Chavez
With Carrie Ashton
June 16, 6PM
New Haven Green (Free)
10-time Austin Music Award winner Gina Chavez topped both the Amazon and Latin iTunes charts with her bilingual 2014 record, Up.Rooted. Chavez' new EP Lightbeam reflects on a love she never thought she would experience. Chavez masterfully weaves the sophisticated spirit of her previous music with a pop aesthetic and intensely personal lyrics in Lightbeam: "This is the story my heart wanted to tell; the story of what it means to be a Catholic Latina and fall in love with a woman; the story of what it means to live your heart no matter what the world says." Tiempo Libre
With the New Haven Symphony Orchestra
June 22, 7PM
New Haven Green (Free)
Sensual, summery, and sophisticated Afro-Caribbean music group Tiempo Libre is one of the hottest contemporary Latin bands. The childhood friends fled from Cuba one by and one and reunited in Miami and formed the first all-Cuban timba group in America. The music, spanning from pop power ballads to timba dance club numbers, holds fast to its roots and brings Afro-Cuban flavor to an international audience. Celebrating 125 years, The New Haven Symphony Orchestra is the fourth oldest orchestra in the U.S. They celebrate their classical music heritage and new American compositions through accessible symphonic performances and their music education program, designed to instill a sense of American cultural identity and an appreciation for the heroes of American music. This concert will mark the baton passing of long-time Musical Director William Boughton to the incoming Alasdair Neale.
IDEAS PROGRAMS
Confronting Identity: An Arts & Ideas Fellows Town HallJune 8, 1PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) It has become a Festival tradition for our high school Festival Fellows to begin our Festival and Ideas program with their own Town Hall. Join them this year as they explore the themes of Jhumpa Lahiri's The Namesake, opening up a public discussion examining the importance of one's culture and background, gender, and name. Living for the City
June 8, 3:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) As a Festival Director in Europe and Australia, Jonathan Holloway has repeatedly reinvented the ways in which festivals explore, reclaim, and celebrate their city for all those who use it, from the traditional custodians of the land to the latest arrivals, and all the people in between. Jonathan will talk about some of the immersive experiences and large-scale spectaculars he has devised in London and Norwich (UK), Perth and Melbourne (Australia), and the lessons and tricks we can all take away from these transformative events. 400 Years of Inequality: A People's Observance for a Just Future
June 9, 1PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) 2019 is the 400th Anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans to be sold into bondage in North America in 1619 at Jamestown. Mindy Fullilove, MD and representatives of the 400 Years of Inequality coalition share stories of oppression and resistance. Nearly 400 years of division have created an apartheid society: we need a new social infrastructure to carry us through the challenges of climate change, decaying physical infrastructure, rapidly evolving jobs, underperforming schools, uneven access to health care, and lack of affordable housing. Hear how communities and organizations across the country are already observing the call and addressing these inequalities in bold ways. Learn how to organize an observance of your own with your organization, family and neighbors. Anthropecene: Staging the Future
June 9, 3:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Theatre director Thaddeus Phillips is known for creating visually stunning and inventive theatre that crosses stylistic boundaries and embraces a wide variety of themes. His newest project "Anthropocene" will explore our current time, and how it affects us, scares us and inspires us. The theme "what world we are leaving to our children" is immense and vital and must be approached with creativity, seriousness, humor, fear, courage, and hope. Thaddeus seeks to investigate the crossroads in which we find ourselves at this moment. Can we use this power as managers of our own reality to ensure our survival and that of our planet or we can self-destruct? Cities of Peace: Healing the Trauma of Conflict through Art
June 11, 5:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Fulbright Specialist for Peacebuilding and Reconciliation Ellen Frank talks about her peacebuilding initiative Cities of Peace: a project that uses the power of art to heal communities and transform the dynamics of conflict in cities all over the world. Cities of Peace has become not only a collection of monumental paintings that celebrates humankind's achievements, but a growing interdisciplinary educational program and an idea that transcends borders and identities. Data-Driven Sounds
June 12, 5:30PM Musicians Kaki King, Spencer Topel, and Jay Alan Zimmerman share how they are using data not just to make sounds but to see and experience music. Kaki King's 2020 Arts & Ideas commissioned Data Not Found explores how big data and personal data have come to affect our lives, and what those effects look and sound like, Yale Quantum Institute Artist-in-Residence Spencer Topel breaks down the sounds of a single moving electron, and composer Jay Alan Zimmerman discusses his collaboration with Google and their music visualization tools. Stonewall at 50
June 13, 5:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) How do we honor this landmark in a struggle that began before the "first brick was thrown" and still continues? How do we tribute the indignation, outrageousness (fabulousness) and complexity of ALL those present 50 years ago--without retroactively endowing them with certainty or cohesion or de-problematizing their differences? An informal talk with award winning playwright Ain Gordon and rural queer/trans organizer HB Lozito. Author! Author!: A Conversation with Michael Childers
Presented in partnership with the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library
June 14, 5PM
Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, 121 Wall Street (FREE) Celebrated photo portraitist Michael Childers share anecdotes about his work and interactions with notable writers, including Amy Tan, Henry Rollins, Christopher Isherwood, Carrie Fisher, Gloria Steinem, Gore Vidal, Katori Hall, Mae West, and Fran Lebowitz, in connection with the show, Author! Author!, on view this summer at the Beinecke Library, along with the exhibition, Life of the Party: Jerome Zerbe and the Social Photograph. We Knew Haven: A Youth Activist Perspective
June 15, 1PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Featuring New Haven Youth Activists asking the questions: What do you imagine your New Haven to look like? How do you feel your identity is connected to your activism? What are youth activists doing to combat gentrification, racism, over-surveillance downtown? Keepers of the Culture
June 15, 3:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Supreme Easy A.D. of the Legendary Cold Crush Brothers and Nikki D, the first female emcee signed to Def Jam Records, engage in an in-depth conversation sharing a rare glimpse into the birth of Hip Hop as a culture and their inside perspectives of Hip Hop's contribution to the world and the music industry. Habits to Heal: Exploring Practices for Mindfulness and Wellness
June 16, 1PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Improved resilience and health. Enhanced ability to manage stress and anxiety. Through mindful awareness, we can avoid being on "auto-pilot," and more often consciously choose how we live. And there is good scientific evidence that mindful practices help us to be more compassionate, toward ourselves and others. Area experts Shirley Chock, Dr. Ginger Nash, Hanifa Nayo Washington, and Dr. Edward Rippelshare healing habits that we can all experience ourselves. Keep Dining In
June 19, 3:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Alison Roman is known as much for her keeper recipes as her wry Instagram voice and effortless style. Roman's recipes set today's trends and will show up as tomorrow's classics: vegetable-forward with quality ingredients, punctuated by standout flavors like hot honey browned butter, preserved lemon, za'atar, and garlicky walnuts. Her ingenuity will seduce seasoned cooks, while her warm, edgy writing makes these recipes practical enough for the novice. Cooking through her debut book Dining In will be like having Alison right there with you in the kitchen: brash, funny, and full of opinions. NEXT presents The Cities Project: New Life for New England's Industrial Past
June 18, 5:30PM New England is filled with old factory buildings and other remnants of our industrial history. This built environment is one of our distinguishing characteristics, but it also provides challenges as our cities grow and adapt. How do we best reuse spaces that contain cultural importance? How do we balance this adaptive conservation with the need for new civic spaces? Join John Dankosky, Elihu Rubin, and Cathy Stanton for a live event NEXT in collaboration with The Cities Project as we travel around our region and learn about how communities are honoring their industrial heritage while looking to the future. Split Tooth
June 19, 5:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Fact can be as strange as fiction. It can also be as dark, as violent, as rapturous. In the end, there may be no difference between them. A girl grows up in Nunavut in the 1970s. She knows joy, and friendship, and parents' love. She knows boredom, and listlessness, and bullying. She knows the tedium of the everyday world, and the raw, amoral power of the ice and sky, the seductive energy of the animal world. She knows the ravages of alcohol, and violence at the hands of those she should be able to trust. She sees the spirits that surround her, and the immense power that dwarfs all of us. When she becomes pregnant, she must navigate all this. Veering back and forth between the grittiest features of a small arctic town, the electrifying proximity of the world of animals, and ravishing world of myth, Tanya Tagaq explores a world where the distinctions between good and evil, animal and human, victim and transgressor, real and imagined lose their meaning, but the guiding power of love remains. Haunting, brooding, exhilarating, and tender all at once, Tagaq moves effortlessly between fiction and memoir, myth and reality, poetry, and prose, and conjures a world and a heroine readers will never forget. Without Habits: A Path to Purpose
June 20, 5:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) If we question our most constant habits and create space for intentional choice, how might our physical, social, and inner lives transform? With insight from experts in neuroscience, psychology, medicine, art, and design, Jacqueline Raposo, author of The Me, Without, shares how reframing habits can lead to healing, happiness, and a purposeful personal path. Collision: Hong Kong Art in New Haven
June 21, 5:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Join Yale-China Arts Fellows Sarah Xiao (dance) and Nicole Pun (visual art) as they share how their residency in New Haven has shaped their art. Words Reclaiming Worlds
June 22, 1PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) Poets and other creative writers from the northeastern United States share poems and conversation about the shifting relationship between identity and place. How can poets and other culture creators challenge or shift the identity of a place? How can a place challenge or shift our own intersecting identities? How the Art of Experience Empowers Culture Change
June 22, 3:30PM
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, 100 College Street (Free) In the Age of Experience, how can one drive actionable social change through deepened physical and digital live story-sharing systems? A leader in immersive experiences, Mikhael Tara Garver will delve into the combining powers that experience, entertainment, and fandom can have on empowering social change. NHdocs 2019: 6thAnnual Haven Documentary Film Festival
May 30-June 9 NHdocs 2019, which runs for 11 days beginning on May 30, will feature over 100 documentaries screening at five venues across New Haven, along with a student film competition, filmmaking workshops, awards, works-in-progress screening, parties, film panels, musical performances, and a very special tribute to the one and only Michael Moore.
TREX
Walking ToursJune8-22, Free Experience the wonders and see the hidden treasures that make up the vibrant fabric of New Haven. The Festival is proud to work with community organizations to give you a glimpse of the city. Complete list available at artidea.org/walkingtours. Exhibition Talks & Tours
June 8-22, Free Visit the world-class museums and galleries of New Haven with free talks and exhibition tours, hosted by expert curators and guides. Complete list available at artidea.org/gallerytalkstours. Bike Tours
June8-22, Free Elm City Cycling's bike tours are always a popular part of the Festival: see the sights, explore trails and paths, and experience a piece of local history! Complete list at artidea.org/biketours. Boat Tours
June 12-22, $25/$30/$35 Join the New Haven Parks, Recreation and Trees Outdoor Adventure Program, Friends of Outer Island, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Save the Sound to explore the waterways surrounding New Haven. Whether you prefer a canoe, kayak, or water taxi, we have the boat tour for you! Schedule available at artidea.org/boattours.
FOOD EXPERIENCES
New Haven is a foodie city with so many delectable foods and drinks to experience. Get special insights into your favorite hot spots or sample something totally new with our Food Experiences at the Festival. History of the CocktailJune 8, 4PM
Ordinary, 990 Chapel Street ($40) Travel through the history of the inception of the cocktail in New Haven and around the world then, join mix master Tim Cabral of Ordinary for specialty drinks. State Street Wine Walk
June 11, 5:30PM
Oak Haven Table & Bar, 932 State Street ($40) Take a short walk down State Street and visit the neighborhood's wonderful wine bars: Oak Haven Table & Bar, Cave á Vin Wine Bar, and Bar August. Sip, savor, and learn about what makes each one unique and memorable. Bear's at The Stack: Beer and BBQ Pairing
June 13, 5:30PM
The Stack, 470 James Street ($40) Come on out to The Stack's fantastic Biergarten and indulge in 5 pairings of beer and barbeque led by Jason Sobosincki from Black Hog Brewing Co. Grand Avenue Gastronomy Tour with Lee Cruz
June 15 and 22, 2PM
Quinnipiac River Park, 2 East Grand Avenue ($40) Enjoy the cultural and culinary diversity of Fair Haven with a tour led by Lee Cruz. Taste the cuisines of Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, and more while learning the history of New Haven's most eclectic and ethnically diverse neighborhood. Feast of the Future
June 19, 5:30PM
Ely Center, 51 Trumbull Street ($80) Nadine Nelson of Global Local Gourmet will cook a meal filled with dishes inspired by foods of the future that will be environmentally sustainable in our ever-changing globe like seaweed, insects, wild meat and weeds. What will food look like despite rising sea levels, a warming ocean affected by acidification and deoxygenation of our waters? World Refugee Food Bazaar
June 20, 5:30PM
New Haven Green ($40) Celebrate the culinary traditions and cultures of our neighbors who have resettled in Connecticut. Enjoy food and drinks prepared by the Sanctuary Kitchen community in the Festival Center while listening to a concert on the New Haven Green. Friday Night Beer Garden
June 21, 6PM
New Haven Green ($20 Beer Tasting, $5 Designated Drivers) Join us for a concert on the New Haven Green while sampling beers from regional breweries. Purchase a ticket and receive a commemorative cup to enjoy tastings of a variety of palate-pleasing brews.
SCENE ON THE GREEN
Pack a picnic, bring a blanket, join us on the New Haven Green for an eclectic and energizing mix of music from artists across the Northeast. With music ranging from funk to rock, blues to jazz, brass to big band, these artist create a Scene (right here) on the Green! Box CityJune 8-9, 12-5PM Calling all young thinkers and tinkerers! Come out and help construct a model city of the future made out of cardboard boxes. Local architects, makers, and city planners will assist, offering advice and distributing permits to Box City's young entrepreneurs! Ideas, Not Theories
June 8, 2PM, 3:30PM; June 9 2PM, 3PM
"Ideas, Not Theories" is a theatrical percussion company for unconventional percussion instruments that offers several programs featuring Reynaliz Herrera's original music for bicycles, tap and body percussion, water, brushes, drums, and more. In some of the programs, the musical works are linked together through a storyline, physical theater, comedy, and original characters, making the complete performance a unique, quirky, and creative artistic experience. The Rad Trads
June 11, 12PM The gentlemen comprising the Brooklyn-based five-piece The Rad Trads distinguish themselves in ways few bands can. Already drawing lines around the block at home, the globe-trotting group's singular take on rock 'n' roll mixes punk rock energy, horn drenched soul, and jazz precision, all with a lighthearted but sincere delivery. It's a sound and show that is gaining steam world over as The Rad Trads continue to tour in support of On Tap, out now from Hornblow Recordings. Ken Waldman & The Secret Visitors
June 11, 1:15PM, especially for young audiences; 6:30PM Ken Waldman combines Appalachian-style string-band music, original poetry, and Alaska-set storytelling for a performance uniquely his. With nine CDs, eleven books, and a knack for putting together shows specific to place, he appears at leading performing arts centers, festivals, and colleges across North America. According to The Austin Chronicle, Ken Waldman is "like a Ken Burns movie . . . Always recommended." Here, he's bringing the husband and wife duo, The Vollmers. Brian Vollmer is a master fiddler, banjoist, and guitarist. His wife, Claire Byrne, is a fiddler, guitarist, and singer who also fronts the nationally touring acoustic quartet, Driftwood. Luke Hendon Acoustic Combo
June 12, 12PM Luke Hendon's music highlights the French Style guitar and an all acoustic band. With an acoustic guitar playing the role of the drummer, an upright bass and a violin, the group bounces and swings into the present with a modern gypsy jazz sound. Hendon has developed his own unique voice in the world of Django Reinhardt and gypsy jazz. Bob Bloom: Drumming About You
June 12, 1:15PM You and the kids will get your hearts and hands around Bob Bloom's colorful cargo of drums. Everyone plays along with Bob as he launches some of the world's most legendary and joyous songs. Bob's drumming hoots have sparkled entire audiences at the First Night Celebrations of Boston, Providence, Hartford, Westport, and Worcester. Zikina
June 12, 6:30PM The Zikina experience starts with curiosity. If you're like most audience members, you'll immediately ask, "What is that he's playing?" Uganda native Gideon Ampeire draws you in with a variety of traditional East African instruments rarely found in the US, including enanga (zither), adungu (harp), and kalimba (thumb piano)--all of which he builds himself. St. Luke's Steel Band
June 13, 6:30PM St. Luke's Steel Band was started in the fall of 1999 when Fr. Victor Rogers and a group of supporters from New Haven's historic St. Luke's Episcopal Church purchased a set of steel pans from a band based in Brooklyn, New York. Since then, the group has attracted a dedicated membership of players of all ages. Many of the members or their families come from the West Indies. The band regularly performs during services at St. Luke's Church and also plays for concerts, festivals, benefits and private functions throughout the region. Their repertoire includes soca, calypso, reggae, classical, sacred, jazz, popular and Island folk music. Rick Reyes
June 14, 12PM Rick Reyes will be performing songs from his brand new album which is being worldwide distributed by Warner Music's ADA. Known for his work with the Latin rock band, Cosmic Jibaros, and world, music band, Novela Sin Tiempo, the new record has more of a Latin Urbano, Latin Pop, dance sound that showcases Rick's depth as an artist and performer. This will be Rick's first live performance of the new record. Liz McNicholl: Drum and Song Jamboree
June 14, 1:15PM Pack a picnic and bring the whole family for this interactive Singing and Drum Jammin' show. Liz McNicholl has been entertaining families in libraries and concerts around the state and loves having the audience interact with her foot-stomping show. Come ready to sing and jam along with drums and have tons of fun. Drums will be provided. Liz leads the audience with djembe but will also intertwine the guitar, ukulele, banjo, and bódhran (Irish drum) into the show. Everyone is welcome! 3rd Annual New Haven GospelFest
June 14, 6:30PM The 3rd Annual New Haven Gospel Fest promises to bring down the house with soul-stirring music performed by some of New Haven's richest talents. CANing Hunger
June 15-16, 12-5PM CANning Hunger is a community building event that supports Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen's goal of fighting food insecurity in the New Haven area. Local organizations have formed teams that will compete to build the best sculpture out of canned goods according to our theme: Home. Judges and festival goers will vote for their favorite sculptures, making this an event for everyone. At the conclusion of the event, all food will be donated to Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen. The Flyin' Hawaiian Show
June 15, 1:30PM, 3PM, 4:30PM; June 16 1PM, 2:30PM, 4:30PM The Flyin' Hawaiian show is the perfect combination for a three ring circus and a Hawaiian vacation. Sara hosts with the grace of a dolphin sweetness of a pineapple, and jokes as good as your Dads as she does contortion, hula hoops, and coconut tree finale you have to see to believe. Raquel De Souza Band
June 18, 12PM Raquel De Souza is a singer songwriter from New York, whose up and coming country-rock band, based in New York, is known for its high energy and engagement with the audience. Tiare Kahana: South Pacific Island Rhythms, Storytelling, and Mythology
June 18, 1:15PM Polynesian dance is a form of storytelling, requiring skills such as comprehension, imagery, mindfulness, posture, and spatial awareness. Professional hula dancer and teaching artist Tiare Kahana teaches participants the dances and chants of the South Pacific. Also performed by men and boys, this oral language tradition has served as an effective means of preserving ancient wisdom and documenting the island's history and mythology for centuries. Tengger Calvary
June 18, 6:30PM Tengger Cavalry, or "the army of sky god," is not only a Billboard-featured metal band, but also a symbol of nomadic warrior spirit that connects fans from all over the world. With a mix of throat singing, Mongolian fiddle, and Central Asian instruments, the band performed a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall and was featured on CNN, and in The New York Timesand The Wall Street Journal. Boogie Chillun'
June 19, 12PM Boogie Chillun' is a musical journey through the rich history of the United States. A cappella spiritual will melt into gospel. Folk music will travel the country though harmonicas and banjoes, while songs of freedom and escape will mark the Civil War. Jazz, ragtime, and blues will turn into rock 'n' roll, which leads to soul, funk, and Motown, disco, rap, and present day hip-hop. Eshu Bumpus: African and African-American Tales
June 19,1:15PM Eshu Bumpus has performed in schools and festivals throughout New England, California, and in collaboration with the Smithsonian. As an artist and teacher, Eshu's primary mission is to help raise students' and teachers' confidence in creating, writing and telling stories. Eshu presents a selection of African and African-American stories in an atmosphere that encourages laughter, creativity and participation. Nonviolent principles permeate his stories. Stories incorporate participatory songs. Bambara Drum and Dance Ensemble
June 19, 6:30PM Nekita Waller
June 20, 12PM Connectict's State Troubadour Nekita Waller has shared the stage with artists such as B.B. King, Ruben Studdard, Dianne Reeves, and has performed on the Steve Harvey Radio Show. Currently Nekita performs throughout the region bringing a mix of pop, Motown, soul, jazz, and classic rock favorites with original music. Om Shalom Trio
June 20, 6:30PM Om Shalom Trio is a group of award-winning World Music artists. They draw on rhythmic and melodic aspects from their Far Eastern and Middle Eastern roots to create a fusion of Indian Classical and Jewish Folk. The two words that join to form the Om Shalom's name are both synonymous with Peace and the Sacred. Olive Tiger
June 21, 12PM Olive Tiger is an evolution of sound and texture: a nontraditional trio hailing from New England that lushly combines electronics with organic elements of chamber-pop, defying the boundaries of genre in favor of obsessive exploration. Grounded in the stunning songwriting and soaring voice of its bandleader, Olive Tiger arcs continuously toward more meticulous, more rich, and more seductive arrangements. Michelle Brooks-Thompson
June 21, 6:30PM Michelle Brooks-Thompson is an Indie Gospel Recording Artist from Springfield, Massachusetts. Michelle has been singing and performing since the young age of 5. She was recognized and claimed by all as a "child prodigy" because of her ability to sing, play the piano, and direct choirs by age 9. Over the years Michelle developed into a unique and powerful vocalist, whose abilities are ranked amongst many of the major Gospel and secular artists of her time. SURFACE featuring Bernard Jackson
June 21, 7:30PM The 80s soft soul vocal trio--known for such lush ballads as "Closer Than Friends," the million-selling single "Shower Me with Your Love," and the number one pop hit "The First Time", includes original lead singer Bernard Jackson, one of the greatest voices in modern music. Bernard Jackson has amassed eleven number one hit singles and sold millions of records both as a singer and songwriter, modern classics that have stood the test of time.
NEIGHBORHOOD FESTIVALS
These lively annual one-day neighborhood Festivals, hosted byCommunity Steering Committees, local arts and business partners, and Festival volunteers and staff featurelocal talent, family activities, and vendors in New Haven's historic and culturally rich neighborhoods. Hillfest: #Community FirstMay 18, 1-5PM
Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, 428 Columbus Avenue Let's get active. Let's get creative. Let's get healthy. Featuring free hamburgers and hotdogs, live local entertainment, activities for children and adults, bike activities and more! Fair Haven Neighborhood Festival: Celebrating Family
May 25, 12-4PM
Criscuolo Park, James and Chapel Streets Celebrate with us for the 6th year. This year we will celebrate family in all of its forms. We invite you to enjoy with us food, local live music, bike activities, tours and more. Celebra con nosotros para el 6°año. Este año lo haremos celebrar la familia en todos sus formas. Te invitamos a disfrutar con nosotros comida, música en vivo local, actividades de bicicleta, tours y más. Dixwell Freddy Fixer Neighborhood Festival
June 1, 12-5PM
Scantlebury Park, 139 Ashmun Street The Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade and International Festival of Arts & Ideas are collaborating with New Haven Bike Month, Cornell Scott Hill Health Center, New Haven Free Public Library to celebrate the rich culture and history of the Dixwell neighborhood. Featuring a drill team exhibition, live local entertainment, activities for children and adults, bike activities and more! THE BIG READ
May 7 - June 22 Broadening our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book, the NEA Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. Showcasing a diverse range of contemporary titles that reflect many different voices and perspectives, the NEA Big Read aims to inspire conversation and discovery. The 2019 Big Read centers on The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, with related free events offered throughout Greater New Haven. A full list of Big Read events will be announced shortly.
The International Festival of Arts & Ideasis a year-round organization that culminates with an annual celebration of performing arts, lectures, and conversations each June in New Haven, Connecticut. The Festival convenes leading artists, thought leaders, and innovators from around the world for 15 days of dynamic public programs to engage, entertain, and inspire a diversity of communities. More than 80% of Festival programs are free to the public, including events that feature some of the most influential jazz, classical, dance, and theater artists of our time.
The Festival takes place in venues and open spaces in downtown New Haven, in the heart of the northeast corridor, two and a half hours south of Boston and ninety minutes north of New York City. The Festival's programs have an impact throughout the year and include additional performances, educational opportunities, and the annual Visionary Leadership Award. The Festival was established in 1996, by Anne Calabresi, Jean M. Handley, and Roslyn Meyer. They envisioned an annual celebration in New Haven-a city steeped in a rich array of cultural and educational traditions-distinguished from other arts festivals by its fusion of the arts with events centered on sharing ideas. The Festival is presented with major support from KeyBank, Comcast/NBC Connecticut, Yale University, The City of New Haven, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Connecticut Office of the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.Videos
