Category Archives: art and culture

Harlem School of the Arts Fall registration begins now

The good folks over at Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) sent in information yesterday notifying us that registration for Fall classes at the Harlem School of the Arts has started. It started yesterday, July 30! There is a five percent discount for students who register and pay in full by August 15.

From toddler to the inspired adult, HSA offers 5 disciplines-Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual Arts & Musical Theatre. So if you are interested in registering for Fall classes at HSA, apply online.

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ArtCrawl Harlem continues Romare Bearden celebration by visiting Newark exhibition

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For the first time, ArtCrawl Harlem™, New York’s only guided trolley-bus tour of galleries and art spaces throughout Harlem, will take its tour to Newark, New Jersey as it continues its celebration of Romare Bearden’s career. On Saturday, August 11, from 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm, ArtCrawl Harlem will treat participants to a guided tour of the Newark Museum’s exhibit “Romare Bearden: Southern Recollections.” The tour will include three other gallery stops in Newark and culminate with a delicious meal featuring Newark’s legendary Portuguese/Spanish cuisine-complete with wine and music. Tickets are $55 in advance, optional roundtrip transportation is available from New York City for $20. Tickets can be purchased by telephone at 800-838-3006 or online at ArtCrawl Harlem.

‘Soul Train’ celebration is tonight in Harlem, event seeks to create world’s largest soul train line


Go back in time tonight to an era that brought us “soul” at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. Harlem-based non-profit ImageNation is celebrating all things “Soul Train” this evening (July 12) in Marcus Garvey Park. ImageNation’s 10th Annual Outdoors Festival will pay tribute to the late Don Cornelius with a screening of the VH1 documentary “Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America,” as well as live performances of music from that famous era. Also, ImageNation is aiming to create the largest soul train line tonight here in Harlem. How else to pay better tribute to the man himself, Don Cornelius, than by creating one of the most famous and well-known dance lines: the soul train line? The event is FREE and starts at 7:30 pm. Check out the details below.

What: Soul Train! A Tribute to Don Cornelius w/ music by InJoy Enterprises
When: July 12, 2012 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Where: Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem
Directions: Take the 2/3 train towards New Lots Ave and exit 125th st near intersection of Dr. Martin L King Blvd and Lenox Ave. Walk down to 122nd St and turn left
Cost: Free

Harlem’s Hue-Man Bookstore to close July 31

Harlem’s local bookstore dedicated to promoting ethnic writers is closing its doors. An html notice from Hue-Man Bookstore went out to customers today, July 1, telling them that July 31 is the last day of business.

On July 31, 2012, Hue- Man will close its current location. We all know that there is a season for everything under heaven and the season of “traditional book” selling has come to a close.

Take note of the word “current” location.  The email notice gives hope that something else or some other form of business could arise.

Closing the existing format of Hue-Man is forward thinking on our part and as we take pause to re-imagine the future of books and how to ensure that their purpose of entertaining, imparting knowledge and honing creativity is preserved, we find no viable alternative but to go back to the drawing board.

Maybe Marva Allen will consider partnering with Busboys and Poets? There were rumors way back when that these two business people talked about merging. Maybe they both should reconsider?

Read Hue-Man’s good-bye note here.

Justin Bieber performing at Harlem’s Apollo Theater

Tonight (June 18), teen superstar Justin Bieber will give a special private performance for his fans at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, according to an email by The Apollo Foundation sent to its members today. Tonight’s show will be taped by NBC for broadcast and is presented by Macy’s.

Harlemites, be on the lookout for a bunch of excited teenagers in the area! Yikes.
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Marcus Samuelsson to host Harlem Community Day June 25

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I am convinced that someone has cloned Marcus Samuelsson, celebrity chef/owner of Red Rooster Harlem and Ginny’s Supper Club. He is everywhere! I recently saw him at the New York City Coalition Against Hunger Spring Gala, where he was honored for his work on hunger issues, and then we all saw him and his wife Maya in the June issue of Vogue,the glamorous fashion magazine. Next up for Marcus is community day in Harlem. The Harlem resident will host a Harlem Community Day on Monday, June 25, in support of his forthcoming memoir, Yes, Chef.

The neighborhood-focused day will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Marcus Garvey Park at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater (123rdStreet and Mount Morris Park West) and is free to the public.

Yes, Chef, is due out on June 26. It describes Marcus’ love for Harlem and his gratitude towards the Harlem community. In continuing to put the spot light on Harlem, Marcus has chosen to launch Yes, Chef at Marcus Garvey Park a day before the book’s national release. He will introduce the book with a fun-filled roster of activities and offerings that celebrate the residents, organizations and businesses of the neighborhood. Events will include cooking demonstrations, dance and musical performances, a greenmarket showcase, a yoga class, food and beverages, and a special Q and A with Marcus about Yes, Chef.

Aloft Harlem Hotel to feature Karl Karni-Bain in solo exhibition

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West Coast mixed media artist Karl Karni-Bain (BAI) will be featured in a solo exhibition for the monthly art exhibition series at the Aloft Harlem Hotel, June 21-July 18. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on Thursday, June 21, 2012 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public with a cash bar in the hotel lounge.

The exhibition will feature recent painting by the neo-primitive inspired artist that includes work from his mask series and semi-abstract nudes. The exhibition series at Aloft Harlem features an exhibition by a solo artist each month and is located at 2296 Frederick Douglass Blvd, between 123rd and 124th Street in Harlem.

See Exposure at Art in FLUX Harlem

After opening a little more than a month ago, Art in FLUX is ready to present its next pop-up gallery in EXPOSURE, art work by teenagers from Artistic Noise. The exhibition EXPOSURE will open on Thursday, June 14th at 2031 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd between 121st and 122nd Street from 5:00-8:00p.m.

Artistic Noise is a program designed for youth, ages 13-18, involved in the juvenile justice system. It provides them with the opportunity to develop and document their lives through visual arts, to be heard, to collaborate, and to be part of a group.

Art in FLUX Harlem is a series of pop-up galleries located in Harlem.

Grammy Award Winner Esperanza Spalding to perform in Harlem October 26

Bassist, vocalist, composer and award winner Esperanza Spalding is coming to Harlem and she will be performing…where else, but the famous Apollo Theater, located on 125th Street between FDB and ACP Blvd. She is performing in Harlem October 26 and tickets go on sale to the public tomorrow, Friday, June 8. The presale is happening now for Amex cardholders and members of the Apollo Theater Foundation.

“Esperanza Spalding is an American multi-instrumentalist best known as a jazz bassist and singer.” Her latest release is Radio Music Society. Listen below to Black Gold from her new CD.

http://soundcloud.com/concordmusicgroup/black-gold

White T-Shirts Are Fashion and Function in Harlem says New York Times

I am so out of it on fashion in Harlem, but thank goodness I checked The Times this morning. They are reporting that white t-shirts are the in thing at the moment. The New York Times strolled Apollo Theater, the Studio Museum and the shopping strip, 125th Stree, in Harlem recently and reports that “in Harlem wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and red sneakers” is sick! Take a look at the video!