Sylvia Coleman Releases “Creating a New Normal: Cleaning Up a Dysfunctional Life”

Desiring to live out her dreams and overcome the abuse and tragedies that had plagued her childhood, author Sylvia Coleman (ACG ‘07) embarked on a radical life transformation to emerge into an award-winning journalist and successful entrepreneur! And she has revealed the secret to her healing transformation in her latest book, Creating a New Normal: Cleaning Up a Dysfunctional Life so that you too can learn how to fulfill your dreams. Get her book by midnight on Tuesday, February 9 for a grand gift package!

Black Lily Screens “Estilo Hip Hop” at International House

As part of Black Lily’s Planet Rock hip-hop and social change film series; Estilo Hip Hop, directed by Loira Limbal and Virgilio Bravo will premiere in Philadelphia on Tuesday,  March 16, 2010 at International House, 7:00PM.

Telling Your Story: Creating Video Self-Portraits

Stockton Rush Bartol presents their next Teaching Artist Workshop designed to help artists expand their teaching toolbox with this hands-on workshop by filmmaker Barbara Bickart, who has used video self-portraiture with participants from North Philadelphia seniors to LGBT teens. Barbara will share strategies, exercises and lesson ideas to engage people in the process of telling their stories. This workshop will focus on low-tech, camera-based editing techniques but can be effectively adapted for those with access to more sophisticated editing capabilities. Bring your own video camera and a tape to this workshop. Click here to register

“Live, Laugh and Die” by Colette Copeland

The Weeks Gallery presents ”Live, Laugh and Die: Unraveling Contemporary Culture and Media,” an exhibition of work by Colette Copeland (ACG ‘05), which opened during the winter ArtParty and concert on January 30. The works will be on display from through to March 19, 2010.

Open Meadows – Ellen Dougherty Activist Fund for Young Women

The Open Meadows Foundation is a grant-making organization for projects that are led by and benefit women and girls, particularly those from vulnerable communities. Open Meadows Foundation funds projects that do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, gender identity and expression, sexual identity and expression, age or ability. It offers grants up to $2,000 to projects that: are designed and implemented by women and girls; reflect the diversity of the community served by the project in both its leadership and organization; promote building community power; promote gender, racial, social, economic and/or environmental justice; and have limited financial access or have encountered obstacles in their search for funding.In addition to the general fund, Open Meadows has seven special funds, including The Ellen Dougherty Activist Fund for Young Women which provides grants to young women 19 and under who propose to develop and lead projects that are focused on activism and social change. www.openmeadows.org. Deadline: February 15.

Get Ur Good On Grants

Get Ur Good On Grants are available for youth-led service initiatives on Global Youth Service Day, April 23-25, 2010. Available to children and youth around the world, YSA’s Get Ur Good On Grants will award 100 $500 grants to support projects addressing critical community needs such as poverty, education, and environmental sustainability. Grant applications are due February 22, 2010. To learn more about Get Ur Good On Grants and to take the eligibility quiz, visit YSA.org.

PhillyCAM Community Forums

We’re Here….Come Meet Us! Philadelphia Community Access Media (PhillyCAM)–our city’s first ever public access TV channel is now cable casting on Comcast 66 and 966 and Verizon FIOS 29 and 30.  How can you get involved?  Attend one of the upcoming Community Forums. Hear from the staff, board and video producers about submitting your television program, becoming a PhillyCAM member, learning video production skills, volunteering and other opportunities. Meetings will start promptly and not exceed 90 minutes.

Click here for the Community Forum schedule. For more info visit phillycam.org, email info@phillycam.org or call 267 640 7848.

Art Sanctuary and The Daily News Present the Haikudelphia Poetry Contest

Art Sanctuary presents the first ever haiku contest as part of the 26th  Annual Celebration of Black Writing Festival May 26-29, 2010. This contest, which kicks off January 11, 2010, is open to all Philadelphia high school  students grades 9-12, and many recent and upcoming civil rights anniversaries, and will look at the accomplishments of the movement—and the contemporary writing continues advance the movement’s unflinching social justice agenda. Contestants will write their best haiku highlighting this theme. Three finalists will be chosen and invited to the lifetime achievement award ceremony honoring Nikki Giovanni. At the close of the festival, a winner will be announced on Saturday, May 29, 2010.

Alliance of Artists Communities 2010 Leadership Institute Retreat

Join the Alliance for the 3rd biennial Leadership Institute — a 4 day retreat for leadership development of arts administrators, in the idyllic setting of Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, FL. Be inspired. Be Challenged. Be the leader you’ve always hoped you’d be. Whether an executive director, program manager, or other staff, discover your own leadership style and build the confidence and skills to lead an organization that supports artists of any discipline. The Leadership Institute will be led by Paula Manley and Sonya Shah, consultants who specialize in assisting organizations with embracing diversity, developing multiple leaders, and navigating organizational change.

Jeri Lynne Johnson’s Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra Presents The Second Concert Of Its Inaugural Season!

Jeri Lynne Johnson (LTA ‘09) and The Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra Present The Second Concert Of Its Inaugural Season! The Concert will take place  at  the Independence Seaport Museum on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 8:00pm. The 2009-2010 Inaugural Season – Winter Concert: America’s Classical Masters is free and open to the public.