In Its 19th Season, the National Black Arts Festival Invites Audiences to Uncover Their Roots

In Its 19th Season, the National Black Arts Festival Invites Audiences to Uncover Their Roots

ATLANTA, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- From July 20 thru 29, the world is set to descend upon Atlanta for the 19th annual National Black Arts Festival (NBAF). The 10-day summer festival -- packed with music, theatre, visual arts, dance, spoken word, film and family events -- offers something for everyone without regard to race, age or ethnicity.

This year NBAF asks the question "Who are you?" as it spotlights DNA technology and encourages festival-goers to trace ancestry to their African origins. "Over the last few years researching your ancestry using DNA technology has become very popular. While we've hosted workshops and classes on the topic of genealogy in the past, this is our first foray into providing a platform for DNA testing to take place," states NBAF Executive Producer, Stephanie Hughley. "Open dialogue and focus on DNA is a great point of intersection for all people. It crosses all races, cultures and ages and is universal. We hope this project will motivate people to want to discover and embrace their cultural past and spark discussion on the importance of knowing where we came from and how it influences where we are going."

The topic of DNA was first introduced to NBAF as a vehicle for artistic expression by visual artist, Radcliffe Bailey. The NBAF has commissioned Bailey and two other extraordinary performers -- choreographer Fatima Robinson and musician/singer Marc Anthony Thompson -- to create a mixed-media homage to their African roots. Bailey's work has always included elements of ancestral connection through the use of found objects, photos and images. Using results from DNA technology provided by AfricanAncestry.com, the trio found common ancestry in Sierra Leone and recently traveled to Senegal to take a journey that would prove life changing. The results of their soul-searching odyssey, "In the Reternal," will open at Clark Atlanta University Art Galleries and Solomon Projects on June 21 and June 22. Both shows run through July 29.

The DNA spotlight also extends to a landmark presentation certain to spark dialogue. NBAF and AfricanAncestry.com will team up to test the DNA of an unprecedented number of people during this Festival, beginning with a select group of notable Atlanta politicians, civil rights leaders, clergy, entertainers, entrepreneurs and sports figures. The results will be revealed in July.

NBAF continues pre-Festival events on July 19 with embrace: the fine art fair of the national black arts festival and the Children's Education Village. embrace is focused on the serious collector and features rare works from the nation's top art galleries. Original artworks from such artists as Romare Bearden, Robert S. Duncanson, Hale Woodruff, Benny Andrews, Carrie Mae Weems and Amalia Amaki, will be available for collectors to purchase. embrace opens at 7:30 pm, at Mason Murer Fine Art (199 Armour Drive, Atlanta, GA).

The NBAF Gala: "A Gathering of Colors" will take place July 21, 7 pm at the High Museum in midtown Atlanta.

About NBAF

The National Black Arts Festival 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 Africa and 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. Additional major support is provided by The Coca-Cola Company, The Kendeda Fund, UPS Foundation, The Nonprofit Finance Fund/Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, The Exemplar Program of Americans for the Arts with the LarsonAllen Public Service Group funded by the Ford Foundation, Georgia Black United Fund, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., Wachovia, Georgia-Pacific, The Atlanta Journal- Constitution, Radio-One Atlanta, The Atlanta Convention and Visitor's Bureau, DELTA, Georgia Council for the Arts, NEA, IMAGES USA, and the Woodruff Arts Center: Alliance Theatre, Young Audiences, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, High Museum of Art, 14th Street Playhouse.

TICKETS

Buying Tickets For The 2007 National Black Arts
Festival Events Is Easier Than Ever!

On Line*:

http://www.woodruffcentertickets.org/center/calendar/nbaf.aspx?m=7

By Phone*: Call the Woodruff Arts Center at 404.733.5000

In Person: Purchase tickets in-person at the Woodruff Center Box Office
1280 Peachtree Street (between 15th and 16th streets on Peachtree).
Free short-term parking is available in front of the South entrance.
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Sat-Sun, 12 noon - 8:00 p.m.

Groups of 10 or more, for more information visit our GroupTickets page or
email Group Sales at nbafgroups@gmail.com and call 404-454-0504 to
purchase group tickets.

Highlights of the 2007 National Black Arts Festival

Music

-- Legends Celebration with Grammy Award Winning songstress Roberta Flack
-- Trumpeter Russell Gunn plays the music of Miles Davis
-- An evening of spoken word featuring poet Sekou Sundiata
-- South African Jazz Pianist Abdullah Ibrahim
-- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Community Concert at Ebenezer Baptist Church
-- Soul/Jazz Vocalist Vinx and the Eklectic Soul Collective
-- Global Soul jam session featuring Les Nubians, Julie Dexter and Vinx
-- Artistic and musical festival FunkJazzKafe
-- Jazz Around Town featuring various artists such as Kathleen Bertrand,
-- Joe Jennings and J.O. Wyatt
-- NBAF in the Community - Free events taking place throughout metro
Atlanta

Visual Art

-- embrace: The Fine Arts Fair of the NBAF
-- The official NBAF Artists Market
-- The NBAF Gallery Crawl - Downtown and West End
-- A conversation with visual artist Franklin Sirmans - The 2007 David C.
Driskell Prize Recipient
-- The official NBAF International Vendor Marketplace
-- The NBAF Gallery Crawl - Midtown and Buckhead
-- A conversation with Danny Simmons and jessica care moore poole

Theater

-- 365 Days/365 Plays from play a day playwright Suzan-Lori Parks
-- Ceremonies In Dark Old Men directed by Kenny Leon
-- Dreamgirls starring Tony Award winner Jennifer Holiday
-- The Bluest Eye from Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison
-- Emergence-SEE directed by Kenny Leon

Film

-- Pan African Film Festival opening night featuring Alfre Woodard film
retrospective and closing night with Young and the Restless star,
Victoria Rowell.
-- Pan African Film Festival a full slate of films will be shown (TBD)

Dance

-- Creative Outlet Dance Theatre of Brooklyn

Education, Children and Family Programming

-- NBAF Children's Education Village - Exploring the wonders of Africa and
the African Diaspora
-- NBAF Summer Institute - for teachers and adults
-- Anansi the Spider - presented by the Center for Puppetry Arts

CONTACT: Hank Ernest of IMAGES USA, +1-404-892-2931, Ext. 242, for the
National Black Arts Festival

Source: National Black Arts Festival

Web site:

http://www.africanancestry.com/
http://www.woodruffcentertickets.org/center/calendar/nbaf.aspx?m=7

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