The 4th Annual Afro-punk Festival, to be held from July 5-13 in the heart of Brooklyn, NY, will feature 40 bands, 15 films being screened, a visual art exhibit and a skate park featuring 30 pro BMX riders/skaters. The event is the definitive destination for the global Afro-Punk community. Last year 30,000 people attended the festvial, and this year is expected to be even bigger.
It all started when music industry veteran Matthew Morgan and writer-director James Spooner joined forces in 2002. Their focus was giving a voice to thousands of multi-cultural kids fiercely identifying with a lifestyle path-less-traveled. Afro-Punk became a touchstone of a cultural movement strongly reminiscent of the early days of Hip-Hop. Alternative urban kids across the nation (and across the globe) who felt like outsiders discovered they were actually the core of a boldly innovative, fast-growing community.
Free and open to the public, Afro-Punk Festival 2008 will spotlight some of the most exciting young artists and bands from the US and abroad, presenting live music and films every night throughout the festival. Staffed by BMX pro skaters who will give demonstrations, the AP Skate Park will provide free instruction for youth of all ages along with boards, pads, and helmets. Rounding out the Skate Park will be a music stage hosting a high-energy series of DJ sets and band performances. A multi-national collective of brilliant young visual artisans will bring more than 25 artists together to co-create a mural over the course of 5 days at the AP Skate Park. The Afro-Punk Festival marketplaces will feature emerging artisans of the AP movement, representing music, fashion, arts & crafts, and more. Finally, in a special collaboration between Afro-Punk, BAM, and MARP, the bi-monthly open-air Brooklyn Urban Arts Market (exclusively featuring local businesses) will launch during the AP Block Party.
New York’s Center for Traditional Music and Dance is an organization committed to long-term creative collaboration with the city’s immigrant artists and activists. It is now celebrating its 40th year.
The Center for Traditional Music and Dance- 40th Anniversary Celebration takes place Thursday, June 5 at New York’s elegant Hiro Ballroom. The fundraiser will include an intimate performance by Irish superstars Cherish The Ladies and Suspenso del Norte, a Mexican norteña ensemble. A dance party will follow, featuring David Oquendo and Havana 3, DJ Rehka, and Merita Halili and the Raif Hyseni Orchestra.
The Center has helped put immigrant culture on the map, influencing both state and federal arts organizations and the New York concert scene. Early on, the Center’s programming and advocacy broke new ground nationally by presenting the expressive traditions of diverse cultural communities. Now, traditional music from around the world can be heard nearly nightly on New York’s most esteemed and popular stages, from Joe’s Pub to Lincoln Center, from Central Park SummerStage to Carnegie Hall. Gone are the years when the Center had to push for inclusion of immigrant music forms into folk festivals.
For tickets and more information, visit www.ctmd.org