AfroSolo Theatre Co Presents AFROSOLO ARTS FESTIVAL 17

San Francisco's award-winning AfroSolo Theatre Company presents the 17th annual AfroSolo Arts Festival, celebrating African American artists giving voice to the Black experience. This year's theme, UNITED IN PEACE: Artists, Clergy, Legislators, and Community, promotes the power of peace through live performances, the visual arts, and other events to envision and celebrate peace. This year's Festival not only pays homage to and explores the rich legacy of African Americans and people of African decent, it also focuses on a coming together of all people for The Common purpose of peace. Festival events (July 29-October 15) featuring live music, visual art, and works for the stage will take place in San Francisco at Yerba Buena Gardens, the Main San Francisco Public Library, the African American Art and Culture Complex, and the Ella Hill Hutch Community Center. Most events are free and open to the public.

The line up for AfroSolo 17 is as follows:

The Arts: A Medium for Peace
A Panel discussion in collaboration with The Commonwealth Club of San Francisco
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Reception: 5:30pm; Panel discussion: 6-7pm
San Francisco Commonwealth Club (595 Market Street, SF)
Tickets: $12 members, $20 non-members

From the iconic peace sign to singer/songwriter John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance" to AfroSolo Artistic Director Thomas Robert Simpson's solo performance piece There Is No Hatred Here, artists throughout the years have used art as a medium to promote peace. The Commonwealth Club joins AfroSolo Arts Festival 17 in hosting a lively discussion about using art to envision, promote, and celebrate peace, examining the role the arts have played in peacemaking movements of the past and present. Acclaimed Bay Area poet, novelist, and playwright Jewelle Gomez moderates this panel, featuring Brad Erickson, Executive Director of Theatre Bay Area, Michael Morgan, Conductor and Musical Director of the Oakland East Bay Symphony, and Ariska Razak, Dancer/Choreographer and Program Chair of the Women's Spirituality Department at the California Institute of Integral Studies.

A Concert for Peace
Outdoor Jazz Concert in Yerba Buena Gardens
Saturday, August 7, 1-4 pm
Yerba Buena Gardens (Mission Street between 3rd & 4th, SF)
Free and open to the public

In collaboration with the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, AfroSolo presents its ninth free concert in the Gardens. This year's offering features the Junius Courtney Big Band Orchestra. A 19-piece multicultural band noted for it swinging interpretations of Duke Ellington and Count Bassie classics, original compositions, and Latin jazz works, the Junius Courtney Big Band Orchestra was founded in 1966. After the passing of Junius Courtney at the age of 88, son Nat Courtney became the bandleader, under the musical direction of George Spencer. Sharing the stage will be incomparable vocalist Denise Perrier, who has performed for over 30 years throughout the Bay Area, Europe, Latin America, and Asia.

Performance for Peace
Sunday, August 8, 3-5:30 pm
Performance Space TBA
Tickets: $35-100

AfroSolo hosts this exciting multicultural, cross-cultural, and intercultural performance showcase. Actors, dancers, musicians, poets, and performers representing different cultures and backgrounds emphasize the bonds that we all share in performances highlighting compassion, understanding, joy, and peace. Performers TBA

Visual Artists for Peace
Visual Arts Exhibit
Sunday, August 15 - October 15
(Artist Reception August 15, 3-5pm)
Main San Francisco Public Library (100 Larkin Street at Grove)
Free and open to the public

AfroSolo presents a visual art exhibition showcasing works from African American artists and artists from the African Diaspora, exploring the theme of peace. This multi-media group show includes paintings, sculptures, ceramics, photography, and cartoons. Artists TBA.

UNITED IN HEALTH
Artists, Healthcare Workers, and Community
Saturday, August 14, 10 am - 2 pm
Ella Hill Hutch Community Center (1050 McAllister Street at Webster, SF)
Free and open to the public

In collaboration with Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, MoMagic, the African American Health Disparity Project, St. Mary's Hospital, California Pacific Medical Center, and Kaiser Permanente, AfroSolo hosts this free community health fair.

TICKETS:
Most events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted. For tickets and more information, the public may visit afrosolo.org or call 415-771-AFRO (2376).

Funding for the AfroSolo Theatre Company is made possible in part through the support of the African American Health Disparity Project, California Arts Council, Friends of AfroSolo, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, LEF Foundation, San Francisco Grants for the Arts/Hotel Tax Fund, The National Endowment for the Arts, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and the Zellerbach Family Foundation.

Presenting Partners: African American Art & Culture Complex, The Commonwealth Club, San Francisco Main Public Library, and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival.

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