This Saturday and Sunday (Oct 19-20), catch a behind-the-scene glimpse of local art life by visiting studios of many great artists participating in the annual Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST). Each October, over 300 artists across Philadelphia open their studios and work spaces for tours (guided and self-guided), exhibits, demonstrations, talks and receptions. The Philadelphia Open Studio Tours is an annual celebration of visual art in the Philadelphia region. It’s also called a Fall festival of visual art. The West Philly arts community is excited to host the tours this weekend and can’t wait to show you around their studios and tell you more about their work.

Self-guided tours are free to the public and run from Noon – 6 p.m. on both weekend days. You can plan your tour as you like and here you can find more information on what West Philly artists and community partners will be waiting for POST tourists this weekend: http://philaopenstudios.org/post/neighborhood/west-philadelphia. Along with individual artists, community partners, such as The Green Line Cafe, The Institute of Contemporary Art, and The Cedar Works, are inviting guests for exhibitions and other special events this weekend.

Guided Trolley Tours are on Sunday from 1:00 – 5:30 p.m. They depart  from The Gallery at the Center for Emerging Visual Artists at 237 South 18th Street. The cost is $40 per seat and advance reservations are required. For more information, click here.

“Edgar Allan Poe” pumpkin carved by Nate Johnson was last year’s Reader’s Choice winner.

Leaves are falling, the warm woolies are coming out and many SEPTA buses already have the heat cranked up as high as it will go. That can only mean one thing – fall is here and it’s time for the 3rd annual West Philly Local Pumpkin Carving Contest.

Past contests have included some pretty astounding works of art, but you don’t have to be a budding Rodin to get a sweet prize from our many sponsors. This year’s contest categories include funniest, scariest, Philly-themed and kids (carved by kids 12 and under) and, of course, the Readers Choice, which will be chosen based on your votes.

The contest opens today, Oct. 17 and runs through 3 p.m. on Oct. 31. The winners will be announced on November 3. Voting for the Reader’s Choice will run on October 31 – November 2. Note: One entry per person. We’ll put all photos in a gallery.

So here’s what you need to do:

1. Get yourself a pumpkin (we will have pumpkin alerts on Facebook and Twitter that include local places to get them).

2. Come up with a design and carve away.

3. Take a clear picture of your masterpiece. Remember that the quality of the photo could influence judging. It’s the Internet after all.

4. Submit your photo along with your name and address (West Philly residents only please and these details won’t be published) to contest@westphillylocal.com.

One entry per person please, so make it count.

This year’s sponsors include:

• Aksum
• Cafe Renata
• Curio Theatre
• Dock Street Brewing Co.
• Four Worlds Bakery
• Honest Tom’s Taco Shop
• Lil’ Pop Shop
• Penn Museum
• VIX Emporium

If you have questions, email us at: editor@westphillylocal.com.

Knowing what to do and what to expect in some potentially dangerous circumstances on the street can help keep you safe. Here’s a great chance to get some self-defense training.

Community members of all races, backgrounds, orientations, and income levels are invited to attend one or both of the Street Smarts, Safety, and Self-Defense workshops presented by neighbor Iris Marie Bloom tonight and October 30. Both workshops are at Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave) from 6:00 to 7:45 p.m and are free (donations are appreciated).

Here’s what you can learn at each of these sessions:

• Skills and techniques to help you avoid, deter and resist assault
• Practice giving up “mugger money” as one way to stay safer
• A fierce yell — in case it’s needed!
• Strong stance, practical assessment of danger, and a “don’t mess with me” attitude
• Effective and practical tools for physical, verbal and emotional safety, assertiveness and self-defense

Iris Marie Bloom studied with Amulis Women’s Self-Defense where she learned karate, aikido, and other martial arts. She’s a founder of the Women’s Anti-Violence Education (WAVE) nonprofit organization.

This workshop was specifically designed for women, but the information is useful for men as well. For more information and to RSVP, email Patty Bulack of the 48th Street Neighbors at pbulack@gmail.com.

University City Kiwanis, a local chapter of international service club that unites young professionals in the Philadelphia area, is organizing a great charity event this upcoming Saturday and invites everyone to participate. Registration is now open for the 4th Annual Kiwanis International Charity Kickball Social (KICKS) which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, from noon-4 p.m. in West Fairmount Park (Belmont Plateau, 2000 Belmont Mansion Drive). Proceeds from the event will benefit Cradles to Crayons, a non-profit organization that provides essentials to homeless and low-income children in Philadelphia. Prizes and raffles will also be available.

Registration fee is $20 if you register before midnight on Friday, Oct 18 or $25 onsite (11 a.m.-noon). The fees include games, lunch and a t-shirt. Click here to register for the event. More information about the event and University City Kiwanis is available here. For questions, email: kicks@uckiwanis.com.

(Photo via uckiwanis.com)

Photo via schoolclosingcollective.tumblr.com.

Thankfully a lot of artists were around over the spring and summer to document the closure of Philadelphia public schools and the devastating blow those closings dealt to students, parents, teachers and neighborhoods across the city.

This Wednesday, Oct. 16, you can see the work of the Philadelphia School Closing Photo Collective up close and personal at the Scribe Video Center (4212 Chestnut St., 3rd floor) beginning at 6 p.m. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will feature about 50 images from schools around the city.

Also on Wednesday, you can catch the new documentary, Goodbye to City Schools (see trailer below), directed by filmmaker and Howard University lecturer Amy Yeboah for the Philadelphia Public School Notebook. The 30-minute film starts at 7 p.m. and admission is $5 (free for Scribe members). Yeboah will also be screening her film (Re)Inscribing Meaning, also 30 minutes, which is about “how closing the excellence gap for Black youth in the face of disruption begins at home with the Black family.” Yeboah will be on hand for both screenings.

Here’s a description of Goodbye to City Schools from the Scribe Video Center website:

Goodbye to City Schools focuses on experiences of staff, students, families, and community members of Germantown, Bok and University City High schools, and Fairhill Elementary school, Goodbye to City Schools reveals stories on the impact of closing 24 public schools in the City of Philadelphia. The interviews, observations and photos present a deep narrative that extends beyond the words “school closing.”
 

Trailer “Goodbye to City Schools” from Amy Yeboah on Vimeo.

Here’s an assortment of events taking place in the area this weekend. We hope that the rainy weather will not dampen your fun. For more upcoming events or if you want to submit an event, visit the Events Calendar.

Friday, Oct 11

• Second Fridays on Lancaster – various locations on Lancaster Avenue between 35th and 39th Sts (see flyer) – 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. – Join your neighbors and celebrate the arts on Lancaster Avenue. The event will feature art openings, African artifacts, vintage jewelry, clothing and accessories, handmade candles and cards, garden-fresh vegetables, live music, cafe, and outdoor grilled jerk chicken! More information is available on the event’s Facebook page.

• Jump ‘N Funk – Penn Museum (3260 South St) – 6:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Penn Museum invites young professionals for a night of music, dance, and networking at this late-night event. DJ Rich Medina and partner Mark Hines take center stage for the evening (8:00 pm to 12:00 am) introducing guests to dance, music, and visual display inspired by late African musical icon Fela Anikulapo Kuti. A pre-event Professionals Garden Party in the Museum’s Warden Garden off the Kamin Entrance runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm (cash bar). Guests are also invited to wander the Museum galleries and take in special exhibitions, including the critically acclaimed Black Bodies in Propaganda: The Art of the War Poster. Admission to  Jump ‘n Funk, including Penn Museum admission, is just $10. Buying tickets in advance is recommended. Click here for more info.

• Romeo and Juliet opens at Curio Theatre – 4740 Baltimore Ave – 8:00 p.m. – This Friday, there’s an opening night of the widely discussed Curio Theatre’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Even The New York Times did a story on it. We hear that the opening night is sold out but there are 10 more nights remaining. The shows are every Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Oct 11 – Nov 2. To buy tickets and for more information, visit this page.

Saturday, Oct 12

• Octoberfest, 6th Annual Community Festival – on 60th Street between Chestnut and Locust – 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Residents are invited to the 6^th Annual Community Festival called Octoberfest. The festival, which takes place on 60^th Street between Walnut to Locust, will have something for people of all ages. From bounce houses and face painting for the kids, to blood pressure and dental screens for adults, table games, zumba, line dancing, and musical performances throughout the day. The event is co-sponsored by the 60^th Street West Market Business Association. See the flyer for more information.

• From “Farm to Ford” Garden Court Neighborhood Tour – Lea Elementary School Courtyard (47th & Spruce) – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – Historical tours of West Philly’s Garden Court neighborhood continue. The tour is only $5! For more information and to RSVP, visit the event’s Facebook page.

• Philly Zine Fest 2013 – The Rotunda (40th & Walnut) – Noon – 11:00 p.m. – From The Rotunda website: “The Fest showcases local artists and zinesters, as well as zine distros, bringing DIY, radical, whimsical, and artistic small press publications to the public. Ranging from bike repair to poetry to crafts, the Zine Fest is a great place to go to learn new things, connect with local writers, and get involved with creating new forms of accessible media.” Check this page for more information on the festival events or go to: http://phillyzinefest.com/.

Sunday, Oct 13

• Second Sunday Culture Film: Maestra (2011) – Penn Museum – 2:00 p.m. – The Second Sunday Culture Films series kicks off with Maestra, a 2011 documentary about volunteer female teachers who joined the Cuban Literacy Campaign. This year’s series focuses on individual stories of resistance to cultural change, often in the face of imminent threats of violence. Information about the full series is available online.