Spring Arts Happening Festival! 4-24-03 SCAI Press Release Contact: 773-536-6555

The Sutherland Community Arts Initiative presents its annual Spring Arts Happening on May 15-17, 2003. The Arts Happening celebrates diversity in the Arts, explores cultural issues and features women in the Arts. The festival's aim is to present jazz with other art forms; visual arts, poetry, dance or theater. This year the festival becomes a three-day event, which will be held at three different locations in the Bronzeville Community.

· Thursday, May 15 - Legendary poet/writer/activist Amiri Baraka reads selections from his collected works. Followed by a poetry open mic.
Show Time: 7pm
Location: Spoken Word Café, 4655 S. King Drive
Admission: $17.50

· Friday, May 16 - Saxophone innovator Roscoe Mitchell and his quartet featuring Corey Wilkes (trumpet), Harrison Bankhead (bass) and Vincent Davis (drums).
Show Time: 7pm
Location: Spoken Word Café, 4655 S. King Drive
Admission: $17.50

· Friday, May 16 - The exciting big band sounds of Malachi Thompson & Africa Brass featuring vocalist Dee Alexander.
Show Time: 9:30pm
Location: Spoken Word Café, 4655 S. King Drive
Admission: $17.50

· Saturday, May 17 - Bowling For Columbine & Barber Shop: When Movies Becomes Tools of Social Engineers - Panel Discussion with Hunter Adams III, Amiri Baraka, Tulani Jackson and Dorothy Tucker (CBS News).
Time: 1pm
Location: Center For Inner City Studies, 700 E. Oakwood Blvd.
Admission: $10, $5 for students with ID.

· Saturday, May 17 - Historic Sutherland Performance Center Open House and Bronzeville Cultural Community Gathering featuring singer/poet/playwright Oscar Brown Jr., Victory Gardens Theater presents scenes from the award winning Sutherland play, photo exhibit by Raymond Mays, poet Aloyce Hill, art exhibit by Arlene Crawford, Sutherland and Bronzeville memorabilia, Dennis Winslett jazz jam session, some steppin' and boppin' and open mic. Also the presentation of SCAI's JAAZ Legacy Award.
Time: 6pm
Location: The Historic Sutherland Performance Center, 4657 S. Drexel Blvd.
Free Admission! Vendors welcome.

SAVE MONEY! FESTIVAL VIP PASS ONLY $35 (admits one person to all events), advance concert tickets $15  call 773-536-6555 or 536-1988

The Spring Arts Happening is presented by the Sutherland Community Arts Happening with generous support from the City of Chicago Empowerment Zone, City of Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs City Arts Program and an Illinois First Grant sponsored by State Senator Donn E. Trotter.