Gladys Knight, Wynton Marsalis, Alice Walker, Judith Jamison, Hugh
Masekela, Charles S. Dutton, Carrie Mae Weems, Los Hombres Calientes, Dr.
Cornell West, and much much more
ATLANTA, June 12 -- The 20th Anniversary of the National
Black Arts Festival will be a birthday celebration where the audience
receives the gifts. Taking place in metro Atlanta over a ten day period
beginning July 18, 2008, the highly acclaimed festival will take fans on an
awe inspiring journey through visual arts, music, film, dance, theatre,
literary, spoken word and the humanities.
Festival attendees will travel from throughout the nation and around
the world to witness an astounding array of events brought together with
one common goal: to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of an artistic
institution -- The National Black Arts Festival.
Highlights of the Festival include appearances and performances by
Gladys Knight, Wynton Marsalis and his trio, Alice Walker, Carrie Mae
Weems, Dr. Cornell West, Charles S. Dutton, Judith Jamison, Urban Bush
Women, Ron K. Brown/EVIDENCE, and more. The Official NBAF Artist Market
will be moving to its new home at the Georgia World Congress Center. The
International Vendor Marketplace and World Music Festival featuring Hugh
Masekela, Roy Ayers, Toots and the Maytals, Los Hombres Calientes, Julie
Dexter, and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, among many others will take place
during the final weekend of the festival at Centennial Olympic Park.
"This is an exciting moment in history for us," said Executive Producer
Stephanie Hughley, speaking of the NBAF's 20th Anniversary. "It speaks to
the importance of the institution. The fact that we're still here is quite
significant, and it's something we're extremely proud of."
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2008 NATIONAL BLACK ARTS FESTIVAL
Visual Arts
-- Constructing History: A Requiem To Mark the Moment, an exhibition by
Carrie Mae Weems, Woodruff Arts Center, July 15-August 1
(Co-commissioned with Savannah College of Art and Design)
-- Art, Beats and Lyrics, The Foundry at Puritan Mill, July 26
-- High Museum: Road to Freedom, Photographs of the Civil Rights Movement,
June 7-Oct. 5
-- Too Black, Too Fast, painting and sculptures of African American
jockeys by Michael McBride and George Nock (formerly with the NY Jets)
Music
-- Legends Celebration: An Evening with Gladys Knight, Civic Center,
July 19
-- Hot Ice International Groove Lounge, Center State, July 19
-- Robert Spano conducts the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, featuring Wynton
Marsalis and his trio, Woodruff Arts Center, July 19
-- Millie Jackson, Rialto Center for the Arts, July 25
-- World Music Festival at Centennial Olympic Park, featuring: Hugh
Masekela, Vinx, Orquestra MaCuba, Julie Dexter, Habib Koite, Rio Negro,
Roy Ayers, Los Hombres Calientes, Toots and the Maytals, July 26 & 27
Theatre
-- Oprah Winfrey Presents the Color Purple, The Fox Theatre Atlanta,
July 15-August 3
-- True Colors Theatre Company presents James Baldwin's The Amen Corner,
July 16-August 3
-- Horizon Theatre Company presents Hallelujah Street Blues, July 11
August 24
-- Theatrical Outfit presents Gee's Bend, July 16-27
-- Discover: A New Play Development Project of the National Black Arts
Festival w/ Andrea Frye, Alliance Theatre, July 26
Dance
-- Dance! A Tribute to Judith Jamison, artistic director of the Alvin
Ailey American Dance Theatre, featuring performances by Urban Bush
Women, Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE and dancers from the Alvin Ailey
American Dance Theater, Rialto Center for the Arts, July 19 & 20
Film
-- Pan African Film Festival In Retrospect featuring Charles S. Dutton,
Rich Theater, July 21
Humanities
-- Creatively Speaking: Alice Walker and Pearl Cleage, Woodruff Arts
Center/Rich Theater, July 20
-- Creatively Speaking: Dr. Cornell West and Wynton Marsalis, moderated
by Carrie Mae Weems, Woodruff Arts Center/Rich Theater, July 20
The following perennial favorites will be returning to the NBAF in 2008:
-- Embrace: the fine arts fair of the NBAF, July 17-20
-- NBAF Children's Educational Village at Woodruff Arts Center, July 17-19
-- NBAF Summer Institute, Hammonds House Galleries, July 21-25
-- Pan African Film Festival, Woodruff Arts Center, Rich Auditorium and
Hill Auditorium, July 18-27
-- Friday Night Jazz at the High NBAF Edition and Late Night Latin Dance
Party, High Museum of Art, July 18
-- Funk Jazz Kafe, Tabernacle, July 26
-- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra free concert, Ebenezer Baptist Church,
July 27
-- Official NBAF Artists' Market, (new location) Georgia World Congress
Center, July 24-27
-- Jazz Around Town, (various locations), July 18-26
-- Ebb and Flow: Spoken Word Institute, Auburn Ave. Research Library,
July 26
About NBAF
The National Black Arts Festival (http://www.nbaf.org) is one of the
premier national and international celebrations of the art, music and
culture of people of African descent. The mission of the NBAF is to engage,
cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the
African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative
expression. Major funding for this organization is provided by the Fulton
County Commission under the guidance of the Fulton County Arts Council,
Georgia Black United Fund, Georgia Council for the Arts, The Kendeda Fund,
The Nonprofit Finance Fund/Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, and the
Woodruff Arts Center: Alliance Theatre, Young Audiences, Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra, High Museum of Art, 14th Street Playhouse.
Major sponsors: The Coca-Cola Company, UPS, Turner Broadcasting, Inc.,
AT&T, Wachovia, Delta Airlines, Fulton County Arts Council, Georgia
Pacific, City of Atlanta, ING and Allstate.
See Also
