July 17, 2020
The Rotunda has been closed to the public since March due to COVID-19, but the pandemic has not stopped the popular West Philly venue and arts organization from offering many virtual events this summer: performances, classes & workshops and even festivals! All events are free and available to the public via Zoom or Facebook.
The list of events for the rest of the summer is below. On September 19 and 20, The Rotunda is hosting Philadelphia’s 14th Annual Black Women’s Arts Festival and is currently seeking participants – singers, dancers and other performers and poets, storytellers and other artists who can live stream (by Zoom) from their home or studio. Short film submissions and workshop presenters/speakers/panelists are also wanted. Artists will receive a stipend which will be decided based on fundraising. Volunteers and interns of all colors and genders are also sought to assist in planning and organizing for this event. Artists, presenters, and volunteers/interns can contact Cassendre Xavier, Founder & Director by email: BWAFphilly@gmail.com.
Donations can be sent via Paypal to cxmusic@gmail.com (Please use the Friends & Family option) or use this link. Continue Reading
June 26, 2020
At the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, when art galleries and museums are closed, West Philly artists will put their work on their porches for everyone to enjoy! The very first West Philly Porch Art Show will take place this Saturday, June 27, from 2 to 6 p.m. with over a dozen artists participating in the event. The organizers, West Philadelphia Community Art Alliance (Facebook page), are excited to bring this event to the West Philly community:
“This is the first time many of us have seen art [in real life] in many months!”
Here’s the list of participating artists: Continue Reading
June 19, 2020
Photo by Ken McFarlane; digital rendering by Jeff Sugg.
To celebrate Black Lives and Black Fatherhood an outdoor public art installation by West Philly artist and activist Ken McFarlane will be projected on the façade of the Barnes Foundation this Saturday and Sunday (June 20 & 21) from 8 – 11 p.m.
The project, titled “From the Root to the Fruit: Portraits of Black Fathers and Their Children“, is presented by We Embrace Fatherhood, a coalition of West Philadelphia fathers, activists and artists, as a part of the Black Lives Matter movement for eradicating systemic racial injustice and in response to the COVID-19 health crisis which has dramatically decreased public access to the arts.
The installation will be projected onto the facade of the Barnes and can be viewed from their South East plaza as well as from the streets. Music will provided by DJs from PC Radio Live. This will be a COVID-19-safe environment, with six foot spacing. Attendees must wear masks at all times. Continue Reading
June 18, 2020
UPDATE: As of Wednesday, June 17, event organizers raised over $4,000, which will be split among participating businesses. To keep the momentum going, University City District will match the next $1,000 raised through the Virtual Dollar Stroll.
The annual Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll, the celebration of local businesses and community, was supposed to return on June 4th. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community couldn’t physically gather to enjoy the tastes and sounds of the Stroll. So here’s some great news: the event organizer, University City District (UCD), has just launched an inaugural Virtual Dollar Stroll where you can support over 30 local businesses.
Here’s how it works: Continue Reading
June 17, 2020
Juneteenth will be celebrated as an official city holiday in 2020, following an executive order signed by Mayor Jim Kenney yesterday. City offices will be closed to the public on Friday, June 19 to observe the holiday and municipal services, like trash collection, will be postponed until Saturday.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the date considered as the end of slavery in the United States, and it’s an important, big step for Philadelphia officials to finally recognize it. Continue Reading
May 14, 2020
We’re continuing the list of the COVID-19 pandemic related closings, cancellations and changes in operation for local businesses and organizations. Check out the previously published list here.
• West Philly Porchfest, the annual do-it-yourself music festival scheduled for June 6th, has been postponed. A new date has not been set yet, but the organizers are hoping to hold the event this year. Follow their Facebook page for updates.
• Shakespeare in Clark Park has postponed its Summer 2020 production, Pericles, until next summer. For more information and to support SCP, visit their website.
• Curio Theatre’s 2020 Summer Camp will be offered online as a Pay-What-You-Can opportunity. Classes will be held in July — specific dates and times will be announced soon. Instead of two-week sessions, all sessions will be shorted to one week. Visit curiotheatre.org for updates. Continue Reading
The Rotunda has been closed to the public since March due to COVID-19, but the pandemic has not stopped the popular West Philly venue and arts organization from offering many virtual events this summer: performances, classes & workshops and even festivals! All events are free and available to the public via Zoom or Facebook.
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