Historic Calvary United Methodist Church at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue has been awarded a prestigious grant from the National Fund for Sacred Places.

The church building, which was erected in 1906, now provides space for several community, cultural and religious groups and organizations, including Cedar Park Neighbors community association, Curio Theatre Company, Crossroads Music, Kol Tzedek Synagogue, West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship, and more.

Calvary Church will receive a matching grant of up to $250,000 to support an ambitious capital campaign to be launched in early 2022 by the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (CCCC), a nonprofit organization established by the church 20 years ago to manage the building. Backed by an additional $500,000 Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) matching grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, awarded to the Calvary Center last year, funds raised will enable major repairs and renovations of the building. Continue Reading

Curio Theatre Company, whose productions have been put on hold since Spring 2020, has announced plans for the rest of the 2021-2022 season. Curio will resume live in-person theatre in their black box space at 48th and Baltimore, in the Calvary Center for Culture and Community. Work is currently underway to bring Lanie Robertson’s critically acclaimed play, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, starring beloved company member and Barrymore award winner Ebony Pullum. The play explores the life of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday during one of her final performances in Philadelphia. Continue Reading

Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) are back in-person, with West Philadelphia artists inviting folks to visit them this Sunday, Oct. 24. Multiple studios in West Philly will be open to visitors from Noon to 6 p.m., so it’s a great chance to stop by and say hello to your creative neighbors and check out their work.

The following studios and artists are participating in the 2021 POST tours:

• 40th Street Artist-in-Residence Program, 4007 Chestnut St., 1st floor and 4013 Chestnut St. (pictured) Continue Reading

The Curio Theatre Company staff cannot wait to welcome patrons back for live indoor shows for the first time since Fall 2019. But, to be able to put on a live performance, in compliance with the guidelines of the Actors’ Equity Association, the West Philly theatre needs to improve ventilation in their space (it is located in the old Calvary Church building at 48th and Baltimore). The cost of the required ventilation system is $10,000 and Curio is currently seeking help from the community.

“As you can imagine, this is a heavy financial lift for our small organization after nearly two years without our usual business activity,” reads Curio’s fundraising appeal. “That is why our second annual Spotlight Fund will be dedicated to raising the funds needed for this HVAC system rental.” Continue Reading

The annual Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival will return virtually this year and will be streaming live at lancasteravephilly.com/jazzfest beginning at noon this Saturday, Sept. 18. The festival offers a tribute to Grover Washington, Jr.

This is the 15th season for the festival, organized by staff at People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and a planning committee of neighborhood residents.

Musicians in the lineup must perform at least one piece by the Philadelphia-based saxophonist, known for hits like “Magic Man” and “Just the Two of Us.” The Grover Washington Jr. Tribute Legacy Band headlines the event. Other performers include Glenn Bryan and Friends, The Lady Hoofers Tap Ensemble, Denise King and Friends, Chris Aschman and Trinidelphia, TC THE 3RD, and Greg Moore and Actual Proof. The line-up was curated by Leo Gadson of The Producer’s Guild of Philadelphia. Continue Reading

“Hotels” for wild bees created by artist Thomas Gartside.

Philadelphia artist Thomas Gartside has created a set of “hotels” for wild bees – temporary lodgings that can provide shelter for bees threatened by population loss across the region. These works – part art sculpture, part garden-ready functional habitat – will be on exhibit at the Art on the Avenue Gallery in West Philadelphia, and be silent-auctioned over the run of the exhibit.

The exhibit, Inhabit: three variations on domesticity, kicks off this Thursday, Sept. 2 at 5 p.m. at the gallery located at 3808 Lancaster Ave. It will feature 16 unique “bee hotel” art pieces by Gartside that will be auctioned off. The proceeds of the auction will support PennEnvironment’s work to fight bee die-offs through tackling bee-killing pesticides, habitat loss and climate change. Continue Reading