All posts by Brendan Smith

Arts & Humanities

“To Sing Against the Night” Poetry Reading this Thursday


Four prominent local poets will read their work about the physical and emotional trauma of serious illness at To Sing Against the Night, a free poetry reading at 7:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 17. Their poems invoke the rigors of treatment, the fear of death, and the comfort offered by family and caregivers who face their own battles with grief, guilt, and acceptance. How does one survive intense suffering with respect and dignity? How can that journey be transformed through the healing power of art?

The featured poets include Nancy Naomi Carlson, Ellen Aronofsky Cole, Judith Harris, and E. Ethelbert Miller. The reading will be held at the Takoma Park Community Center auditorium at 7500 Maple Avenue.  The event is part of the Third Thursday Poetry reading series sponsored by the City of Takoma Park’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series. We hope to see you there!

All Departments, Arts & Humanities, News

When you gotta go, you gotta read some poetry!

 

 

The City’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series has revived the Bathroom Poetry Project with poems by local poets featured in bathrooms at the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Avenue. Silver Spring poet Regina Coll founded the project in 2008 with poems spreading across the country in restrooms, loos, privies, latrines, and water closets. Bathroom poetry appeared in Takoma Park, Washington, D.C., Raleigh, Chicago, Austin, and Portland. Why let good poems go to waste so we’ve brought them back for a second visit or number 2 (sorry, couldn’t resist). The next time you’re at the Community Center, get some reading done when it’s time to relieve yourself.

News

Film Screening and Poetry Reading Will Celebrate Immigrants

The City of Takoma Park has been a “sanctuary city” since 1985 and actively supports and welcomes immigrants and refugees.  The City’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series will celebrate the lives and legacy of immigrants in a free film screening and poetry reading at the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Avenue.

Vintage Movie Night: Immigrants and Refugees 

Thursday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 pm 

Local filmmaker Richard Hall will lead a cinematic journey through a century of films about immigrants and refugees, from early 20th century silent films encouraging immigrants to assimilate to World War II films about refugees and more recent classroom films. See how America’s ideas about immigrants and refugees have changed — or not changed — over the past century. This screening is presented in partnership with Docs in Progress.

Poems of Migration and the American Immigrant Experience

Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7:30 pm 

Three poets who are immigrants from different ethnic backgrounds will share their poetry about the joys and pitfalls of migrating to the United States, including a sense of exile or welcome and struggles against discrimination. The featured local poets include Indran Amirthanayagam, Zeina Azzam, and Vladimir Monge.

Amirthanayagam is an award-winning poet who was born in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) who moved to London when he was a child and then to Honolulu half a world away before resettling in the D.C. area. As the daughter of Palestinian refugees, Azzam spent her childhood in Lebanon before moving to the United States when she was 10 years old. Monge was born in El Salvador and attended the University of El Salvador and the National University of Costa Rica before relocating to the United States.

This reading is part of the Takoma Park Arts Third Thursday Poetry reading series which features free poetry readings on the third Thursday of most months. You can sign up for our weekly e-newsletter to receive info about all of our upcoming events.

Photo credit: Thomas Hawk  

Arts & Humanities, News, Uncategorized

Artists Needed to Paint Little Library Boxes

We are seeking an artist or artist team to paint five Little Library boxes that will be placed in locations around Takoma Park. Artists need to submit two designs that are lively and colorful, and payment for the project is $1,200. Applicants don’t need to be Takoma Park residents, and there is no fee to apply. The deadline is Sept. 29, and the application form is available at https://seam.ly/XJQZa6Rb.

Arts & Humanities, News, Uncategorized

Vendor Applications Sought for 2019 Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale

Applications are being sought for vendors for the 2019 Takoma Park Holiday Art Sale that will be held on Dec. 7 at the Takoma Park Community Center. Only original, handmade work made by vendors are eligible for this juried sale. Applicants don’t need to be city residents, and there is no fee to apply. Accepted vendors will be charged a $25 vendor fee. The deadline is Oct. 6, and the online application form is available at https://bit.ly/33CpFVs. 

Image: Pottery by 2018 vendor Tanya Renne 

Arts & Humanities, News

Public Piano Concert Brings Music to the Streets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to all of the piano players (and one fiddler) who performed yesterday at the grand opening concert for Takoma Park’s new public piano! We had a great turnout at the downtown gazebo.

WDVM 25 also aired a great story about the concert where you can hear some of the music and learn some background about the donated piano’s journey to the gazebo. The piano, which was painted by local artist Zahava Frank, will be in the gazebo until December where anyone can play it from 9 am to 9 pm daily.

The public piano is one of the projects organized by the City of Takoma Park’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series. We also host many events at the Takoma Park Community Center, including art exhibitions, concerts, film screenings, theater, poetry readings and more. All of the events are free, and you can learn more about them and sign up for our weekly e-newsletter at www.takomaparkmd.gov/arts.

Uncategorized

Calling All Piano Players for Public Piano Concert this Sunday!

The City’s new public piano has been painted by local artist Zahava Frank and is ready for a free opening concert this Sunday at 11 am at the downtown gazebo at 7035 Carroll Avenue. Anyone from beginner to expert pianists can play the piano for a friendly crowd. Pianists don’t need to be city residents or register beforehand. Just show up and share your musical talents with all of us. We hope to see you there!

The public piano is part of the City’s Takoma Park Arts cultural series which organizes public art and music projects along with free events at the Takoma Park Community Center, including concerts, theater, poetry readings, film screenings, art exhibitions, and more! Please visit the City website to learn more about our upcoming events and to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter.

Public Notices, Uncategorized

Calling All Poets! We Need You!

The Takoma Park Arts cultural series is seeking submissions from poets who are interested in reading their original work in the Third Thursday Poetry Reading series. Applicants don’t have to be city residents, and there is no fee to apply. Please use this link to apply by the Sept. 3 deadline.

We are seeking submissions in three categories:

Poetry in the Public Sphere (politics, race, social justice, etc.) 

Our Environment and Endangered Planet (nature, environmental issues, etc.) 

Open Category (poetry on any subject)    

There is more info about the Third Thursday series on the City’s website. You also can sign up for our weekly e-newsletter for info about all of our upcoming events in the Takoma Park Arts series.

Public Notices

Bird Calls Phone Grows Some Feathers

2 Comments

 

The Bird Calls Phone has grown some feathers! Artist David Schulman (in the photo) transformed the former public pay phone to play bird calls from local birds in a public art project commissioned by the City of Takoma Park. By pushing the phone buttons, you also hear facts about local bird species, and it’s free! No quarters required.

To highlight the awesomeness of the phone, we added some new banners with giant red feathers. Go check it out at 8000 Flower Avenue at the corner of Erie Avenue. Tweet tweet!

Uncategorized

Call for Artists to Paint a Public Piano

The Takoma Park Arts cultural series is seeking an artist or artist team to paint a public piano that will be installed in the gazebo in downtown Takoma Park this summer. The theme is up to the artist but could include some aspect of diversity, community spirit, etc. The application deadline is July 28, and payment for the project is $500. Please click on this link for more details and share the news with your artist friends!