Photo from SaveDupreeStudios.org

For the last nine years, the once-ramshackle warehouse at 3617-19 Haverford Avenue has been a visage of artistic freedom—an ode to unrest and optimism demarcated by its intricate mural of kaleidoscope colors and intimate swirls.

Known as Dupree Studios, the sprawling 8,646 square foot art space is the product of Mantua-based artist James Dupree, who bought the lot in 2005 with a vision to transform it into a vibrant haven for creativity and passion. Since then, it has been a place where the 63-year-old Dupree has worked and taught, churning out art piece after art piece for commissions, exhibitions, and large scale projects—some of which are featured in institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art and over 5,000­­ of which lie behind the studio’s front doors.

But, for the last year, Dupree has been fighting to keep it all in his hands after the City of Philadelphia seized and condemned the property in a two-block eminent domain grab as part of efforts to revitalize the Mantua neighborhood.

Dupree considers this nothing more than an abuse of eminent domain, though, and is pushing back hard—taking the fight to the courts and the streets. His artistic acts of defiance include an exhibit debuted at the studio in March, titled “Stolen Dreams in the Promised Zone”, and a documentary produced by Art Above Reality.

And now, Dupree is opening his studio’s doors this Saturday, April 26th “to show the public what the City of Philadelphia plans to tear down in the name of ‘revitalization’.” The seven-hour event, titled “Save Dupree Studios,” will start at 2 p.m. and feature guest speakers, musical acts, DJs, mural painting, spin art for kids, a book signing, and guided tours at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. A live interview between Dupree and management columnist Gene Marks is scheduled as the main event for 7 p.m. (view the video invite below).

According to multiple news reports, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority plans to demolish Dupree Studios to make way for a privately-owned supermarket and parking lot. City Paper reported in November that the supermarket was described “as a longtime ‘dream of this community and of Councilwoman [Jannie] Blackwell'” by city officials, with Blackwell allegedly stating during a City Council Rules Committee hearing last year that it “has been a long time coming. We wanted a whole extra block for the supermarket. But we fought long and hard, and even the people involved in the condemnation are saying, ‘When’s it going to happen?'”

Support for Dupree’s cause is far and wide, and crosses the political spectrum. In late January, 16 representatives from various arts and political organizations—including the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania and the conservative action group Americans for Prosperity, founded by the infamous Koch brothers—signed a Save Dupree Studios coalition letter that was delivered to Mayor Nutter and members of city council. From the letter:

“Seizing James Dupree’s art studio is not only unconstitutional and a gross abuse of eminent domain, it is unconscionable. … We are especially concerned about Mr. Dupree’s case because, as empirical evidence and history demonstrate, eminent domain abuse disproportionately impacts racial and ethnic minorities. It is vital to protect all Pennsylvanians from eminent domain abuse, especially the most vulnerable.”

Dupree also launched a Change.org petition in November 2013 imploring Mayor Nutter to return him the deed to his Haverford Avenue property. So far, the petition has garnered over 3,000 signatures, and needs close to 2,000 more.

“All I could think of was how do you seize a person’s free and clear deed? How do you condemn a building that’s not condemnable?” Dupree told City Paper. “The answer is they made a big mistake. … They weren’t expecting a guy like me to be here.”

–Annamarya Scaccia

Click to enlarge.

As West Philly Local has reported before, coworking is picking up steam in Philadelphia, providing freelancers, remote workers, and independent contractors an opportunity to trade in the four walls of their home for interaction with like-minded professionals.

Well, it seems The Enterprise Center (4548 Market Street) is tapping into the trend by launching its own coworking and entrepreneurial development platform, the Venture Acceleration Center. The program, opening next month in Enterprise’s Market Street headquarters, will offer business coaching, resource learning sessions, and peer-support meetings, as well as make available a coworking space fitted with free wifi, workstations, conference and event space, and video conferencing.

“The Venture Acceleration Center will offer a totally unique experience for member-businesses that is both structured and flexible,” Iola Harper, The Enterprise Center’s senior director, said in a press release. “We want businesses to grow and create jobs in the community and we are here to provide the all of the support needed.”

To introduce the Venture Acceleration Center to the community, the Enterprise Center is holding an information session at its Market Street office next Saturday, April 26th from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event, titled “Start-Up Stampede” is open to all Philadelphia entrepreneurs looking for guidance and support in accelerating their business growth. Light refreshments will be served.

While Start-up Stampede is open to all business professionals, membership into the Venture Acceleration Center is only open to early-stage businesses in operation for six months and in the construction, beauty, hair, fashion and food industries.

Readers can register for the information session here. It is a $5.00 fee through today, and $10.00 fee thereafter.

-Annamarya Scaccia

Do you visit The Woodlands whether it is for jogging, dog walking, nature or leisurely walks or other activities? Now you can be part of the Woodlands planning and have an impact on the future of this beautiful historical site.

The people involved with preservation and development of the Woodlands cemetery and mansion would like to hear from you. They have prepared a community survey asking about your use of The Woodlands as well as about your favorite places there. The information gathered will help make improvements to the site “that align with how our community enjoys the space.”

To fill out the survey, click here.

This summer, on June 5, The Woodlands is hosting the 3rd Annual Benefit, with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, music and more. The benefit guests will get a chance to kick off the fully-funded $1 million project to preserve the Cryptoporticus (a covered gallery) and North Terrace, and peek into the basement servant’s quarters. For more information, visit The Woodlands website.

The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape people are an active tribe from Southern New Jersey, where they hold state recognition. Hear stories of their challenges and successes as they preserve their culture in Native American Voices: The People—Here and Now. (Photos courtesy Penn Museum)

The goal of a new, large exhibition opening at the Penn Museum (3260 South Street) on Saturday, March 1 is to help us leave preconceptions about Native Americans behind. “Native American Voices: The People—Here and Now” is a rich and highly interactive show that features a wide range of contemporary Native North Americans – artists, activists, journalists, scholars, and community leaders. They speak out in video and in audio, sharing stories, poetry, and short essays on issues that matter to them today: identity, political sovereignty, religious freedom and sacred places, language, celebrations, art, and cultural continuity.

Besides a central introductory video, touch screen towers and multimedia stations are placed throughout the gallery, allowing visitors to encounter Native American perspectives on key themes.

The exhibition will have on display over 250 Native American objects—ranging from 11,000-year-old Clovis projectile points to contemporary art, which will help to tell the stories of Native American peoples today, their aspirations, histories, art, concerns, and continuing cultural traditions.

The exhibition opening will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and will include Native American music and dance, presentations by Native American community leaders from around the country, as well as arts, crafts, workshops and children’s activities—all free with Museum admission.

For more information, visit this page.

Photo by Claire Horvath.

Continuing its season of exploring themes of gender roles and identity, Curio Theatre Company will premiere its production of Brian Friel’s “Dancing at Lughnasa” tonight at 8 p.m. on Curio’s Mainstage, 4740 Baltimore Avenue.

Directed by Gay Carducci, “Dancing at Lughnasa” is Friel’s epic, weaving narrative of five unmarried sisters living in the fictional town of Ballybeg in Ireland’s County Donegal during the summer of 1936. Set around the Celtic harvest festival, Lughansadh, Friel’s TONY award-winning play follows Kate, Maggie, Agnes, Rosie, and Christina as they realize their long buried desires and dashed dreams while dealing with rising tensions that threaten to unravel their close-knit home life. Originally premiered in April 1990, “Dancing at Lughnasa” is loosely based on Friel’s mothers and aunts who lived on the west coast of County Donegal.

“We planned a season with emphasis on gender. ‘Dancing with Lughnasa’ is a memory play. It is a play about hard economic times, deflated dreams, hope, pain, love. It also deals with five adult, in married sisters and their place in the world,” said Carducci in a press release. “To me personally, it is mostly a play about change and how change [affects] us all differently. In this, I find this play to be timeless. All of the themes are themes that will always be present. It is beautiful, lyrical, and touching on so many levels.”

Performances start at 8 p.m. and run Thursday through Sunday night until closing night, March 15th. Tickets are $20 to $25, and can be purchased here or by phone at 215-525-1350.

–Annamarya Scaccia

There’s still a chance to see a brand new and amazing exhibition of portraits of African Americans by African Americans with connection to West Philadelphia. The “Finding Faces: A Century of African-American Portraiture” is an exhibition of a portion of a private collection of artworks presented in collaboration with the Diartspora Gallery, currently on display at the University City Arts League (UCAL). It is a special event celebrating “Black History Month.” The exhibition will run through Friday, Feb. 28.

A special reception will be held today, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Arts League (4226 Spruce St.), and collectors Michael Guerin and Katie Pfeiffer of the Diartspora Gallery will be on hand to discuss the origins of the art collected over a period of 20 years.

This is a powerful exhibition you don’t want to miss, according to the Arts League’s executive director Noreen Shanfelter. UCAL is grateful to the collectors for giving them this opportunity so they can share it with the community.

The show includes approximately 25 paintings, small sculptures and photographs and is curated by artist Douglas Witmer and award-winning photographer Lori Waselchuk. For more information and the gallery hours, visit: http://ucartsleague.org/.