West Philly artists have an opportunity to exhibit their work at an upcoming Transformation exhibition presented by Flying Kite magazine. The exhibition, which will be on display from Oct. 2 through Oct. 30 at A Poet Art Gallery in the Parkside section of West Philadelphia, is being presented as part of Flying Kite’s On the Ground neighborhood engagement program. The program creates a temporary media hub in a vacant or under-utilized storefront or building and takes a deep dive on neighborhood transformation through coverage, events and social media. After 90 days it’s on to the next neighborhood.

Proposals are being excepted from artists who live or work in West Philadelphia. Works can be in any medium, but should be responsive to the theme of Transformation. The organizers hope to bring together artists in Parkside and West Philadelphia to celebrate the creativity and innovation that can serve as a catalyst for business and cultural development along the Girard Ave. corridor in Parkside. All artists will be highlighted in a preview article published in Flying Kite.  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy UCD.

This year’s second and final Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, the bi-annual event showcasing neighborhood businesses, is happening this Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. from 43rd to 51st street. As always, there will be tons of $1 specials – all kinds of food, drinks, sweet treats, merchandise, tickets, special memberships, mini lessons and much more! In addition, the event will feature live music performances, jugglers and Polynesian dancers.

The event is presented by the University City District (UCD) and Baltimore Avenue Business Association (BABA).

For more information on participating businesses and their offerings check out the map below or click here.

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Two West Philly long-standing arts institutions are offering new after-school programs. University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St.) is offering new classes for every age group, with a whole new set of classes just for middle-schoolers (grades 5-8). New classes include Animation, African Dance, Tai Chi, Mixed-Media 2D Art, and Poetry, and registration is still open. The following classes have already filled up: For K-2: Puppet Making, Tumblehop, Escultura; for grades 3-6: Beginner Digital Art. For more information and to register, visit this page.

Curio Theatre, which is housed in the historic Calvary Center for Culture and Community at 4740 Baltimore Avenue, is offering a new after-school opportunity for neighborhood schoolkids. Beginning in October, Curio Theatre Company is launching an after-school program for students in grades 1-8 for $100 per week. This service will end at 6 p.m. each day. This new program employs professional theatre educators who will offer the following services: prompt pick-up at the end of the school day, individual tutoring for assignments, and theatre lessons following every school day. Healthy snack options will also be offered. Currently, walking service is being offered to students from Penn Alexander School, the City School – Spruce Hill, and St. Francis de Sales schools. Please call 215-525-1350 or email: steven@curiotheatre.org for more information and registration. Also check out Curio Theatre School on Saturdays from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

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Some nice events will be happening this weekend and next weekend, and we want to highlight a few of them. Also, stay tuned for more information on the Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll (Sept. 17), and the fall edition of the Go West! Craft Fest (Sept. 19). For more events or if you want to submit an event, please visit our Events page.

Second Fridays on Lancaster Avenue

Second Fridays will be held on Sept. 11, beginning at 5 p.m., and here’s what’s in store for this Friday: Vendors Village, Neighborhood Time Exchange Open House, paintings and drawing exhibit by Doina Botez, open mic night, a screening of “Song of the South” and more, all on Lancaster Avenue, from 35th to 39th. For more information, visit the Lancaster Avenue Philly website.

Honey Festival at Bartram’s Garden

The beautiful Bartram’s Garden (54th and Lindbergh Blvd.) is hosting the 6th annual Honey Festival this Sunday (Sept. 13). Events will include open hive demonstration, tastings, and even a live “bee-bearding” with Don Shump from The Philadelphia Bee Company. Also beer brewing, beekeeping workshops, kids’ activities, a cooking contest, free yoga sessions, and more! The festival will take place from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Check out this page for more details.

Fringe Arts Festival

The annual Fringe Festival kicked off on Sept. 3, with many wonderful performances and art installations taking place in the city. West Philly is also hosting a few Fringe events this and next week, so here are some more details:

• “Body of Water” dance show by Antonia and Artists – Sept 11, 12, 8 p.m.
CEC Meeting House Theatre, 3500 Lancaster Avenue

Our bodies are 75% water. What would happen if we moved like the liquid we are? Antonia & Artists is a dance company made up of talented humans and led by choreographer Antonia Z Brown. Watch as they journey through the depths within to harness the fluidity, agility, and transformative strength of the most powerful element. For more info and tickets ($18), click here. Continue Reading

International House Philadelphia will present a couple of free films in celebration of the upcoming visit of Pope Francis to Philadelphia. Both films are on the life of Pope Francis’ namesake, St. Francis of Assisi.

Roberto Rossellini’s 1950 classic, The Flowers of St. Francis will be shown on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 7:00 p.m., and Brother Sun, Sister Moon, a 1972 film directed by Franco Zeffirelli, will be presented on Thursday, Sept. 24, also at 7:00 p.m. Both films will be screened at International House’s Ibrahim Theater, 3701 Chestnut Street.

Guest speakers will introduce each film. On Sept. 19, Professor Stefania Benini will present The Flowers of St. Francis, a timeless and moving portrait of the search for spiritual enlightenment. Benini was Lauro De Bosis Fellow at Harvard University (2014-2015), after having been Assistant Professor of Italian at the University of Pennsylvania (2007-2014). Her research focus in Italian Studies involves the sacred, from literature to cinema and theatre.  Continue Reading

The local synagogue Kol Tzedek, located at Calvary Center for Culture and Community, 48th and Baltimore, is inviting community members to its upcoming holiday services and events. Rosh Hashanah services will be held on Sept. 13, 14 and 15. Events will include children’s programming, potluck lunch at the chapel and a picnic at Bartram’s Garden.

Yom Kippur services and events will take place on Sept. 22 and 23.

There is no cost, although donations are welcome. Services are open to the whole community – it is not necessary to know Hebrew or be a practicing Jew. Online registration in advance is preferred and can be done on the website: kol-tzedek.org. Childcare is offered from 10 a.m. to the close of daytime services (except on Sept. 15) and in the evening of Sept. 22 and the entire day of Sept. 23.

More information and schedule are available here.