|
Celebrate African American arts and artists in the Triangle!
|
Highlighted Events
Beats n Bars Festival
August 24 - 26, 2018
Beats n Bars’ mission is to build stronger community through the influence of urban culture and music. In order to meet this goal and place NC Hip Hop, and Durham specifically, in national conversations related to Hip Hop, BnB aims to establish relationships, build partnerships, and foster collaboration with individuals and businesses for support. BnB curates a diverse mix of performances from some of the best artists in Hip Hop locally and nationally. The lineup represents a variety of styles and showcases the the dynamic range of Hip Hop music. The festival showcases are both a recognition of artists making their mark and a celebration of the contributions from established trailblazers. In aligning with our mission, Beats n Bars Festival is committed to providing educational opportunities to the general public through the Fresh Effect Conference. Fresh Effect provides a space for attendees to engage with innovators, entrepreneurs, cultural creatives, and music makers who work with and within the culture. The conference also offers sessions targeted directly to individuals from the hip-hop community who are seeking to develop set skills from production to beat making to social media promotions and marketing. The aim is to present an array of topics while bringing people together to celebrate the breadth and impact of Hip Hop. Admission: $17+.
American Tobacco Campus
300 Blackwell Street, Durham
www.beatsnbarsfestival.com
August 24 - 26, 2018
Beats n Bars’ mission is to build stronger community through the influence of urban culture and music. In order to meet this goal and place NC Hip Hop, and Durham specifically, in national conversations related to Hip Hop, BnB aims to establish relationships, build partnerships, and foster collaboration with individuals and businesses for support. BnB curates a diverse mix of performances from some of the best artists in Hip Hop locally and nationally. The lineup represents a variety of styles and showcases the the dynamic range of Hip Hop music. The festival showcases are both a recognition of artists making their mark and a celebration of the contributions from established trailblazers. In aligning with our mission, Beats n Bars Festival is committed to providing educational opportunities to the general public through the Fresh Effect Conference. Fresh Effect provides a space for attendees to engage with innovators, entrepreneurs, cultural creatives, and music makers who work with and within the culture. The conference also offers sessions targeted directly to individuals from the hip-hop community who are seeking to develop set skills from production to beat making to social media promotions and marketing. The aim is to present an array of topics while bringing people together to celebrate the breadth and impact of Hip Hop. Admission: $17+.
American Tobacco Campus
300 Blackwell Street, Durham
www.beatsnbarsfestival.com
Leon Bridges
August 27, 2018
6:30pm (Doors open), 7:30pm (Showtime)
Leon, a trained choreographer, has long been celebrated for his live show, which couples both his and his full scale band’s musicianship with his use of dance and motion. Since the release of his debut album, Leon has performed all over the globe, including at The White House for President Obama, The Library of Congress, The Museum of Modern Art and multiple major festivals. Intense demand to see the Leon’s live show has been triple fold since the announcement of his forthcoming album Good Thing, which releases globally on May 4. Listen to Leon Bridges new tracks “Bet Ain’t Worth the Hand” & “Bad Bad News” here. Admission: $35+
Red Hat Amphitheater
500 S McDowell St, Raleigh
(919) 996-8800
www.redhatamphitheater.com
Blog Highlights
African American Theater:
Why We Need to Be in the Audience
By Sherri Holmes, Founder & Director
Triangle Friends of African American Arts
On December 4, the Triangle Friends of African American Arts attended the play Dot at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill. It was an amazing show about an African American family in West Philadelphia. It was funny, touching and dramatic. You could see our lives reflected on the stage. There were wonderful actors and a great set. And PlayMakers has such an intimate theater that every seat had a great view. And yet, when I left the show I felt disappointed.
That is because when I looked around the audience there were lots of empty seats and only a few were filled by people of color. And it is such a loss for our community. There are so many reasons to attend an African American play or musical. You’ll have a wonderful experience. You’ll receive gratitude from the family or friends that you bring (“This was such a great show. Thank you for telling me about it.”). And you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing that you supported African American arts and artists.
When we fill up the audience for an African American play or musical, the African American performers feel energized and appreciated. I once spoke with an African American actor after a play and she said that it was a different show when we were in the theater. We respond. We encourage. We laugh at the right moments. The success of African American plays and musicals, enables theater companies to present shows that will provide more work for African American actors and playwrights. And it ensures that we will have more opportunities see our history, our culture, and our lives in the stories that we see on the stage. So support African American theater in the Triangle is a wonderful way to make a difference!
On January 14, 2018 at 7:00 pm, The Triangle Friends of African American Arts is bringing together several performing arts organizations to showcase the wonderful African American plays and musicals that will hit the stages in 2018. This special evening will include dramatic readings, songs and scenes from upcoming performances.
Photo credit: Audience at the 1st annual Triangle African American Theater Preview in 2017. By Beth Mann/Early Bird Photo on behalf of ArtsNowNC.
Like Us!
|
 Follow Us!
|