5th Annual Sidewalk FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS 2017 Opens 8/4
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 17, 2017
Sidewalk Festival is back for its 5th annual celebration of Detroit landscape and culture through innovative performance and interactive installation! For the first time, curated artists were invited to create original work around the theme, "Radical Moment(um)". Over the course of 2 days, Sidewalk Festival will present artists exploring the concept of radical moments and movements in Detroit's history and our society today. Over 50 artists will present innovative works of dance, theatre, music and interactive installation art. Each year artists are challenged to create their work without the use of traditional stages. All performances take place in alleys, storefronts, sidewalks, parking lots, the roofless warehouses of Artist Village and the street itself.
The theme was decided upon by a Sidewalk's curatorial council, a group of local artists and arts presenters. "This year we were particularly interested in exploring the power of a moment and the lasting impact of our choices - both as individuals and collectively as a society. We wanted to challenge artists to explore topics like the 67' rebellion and our current cultural climate in abstract and thoughtful ways. We're asking artists to examine what it means to be in a "radical moment" and what we can do to create "radical momentum," says Curator and Founder Ryan Myers - Johnson.
Renowned jazz musician Marcus Elliot will feature an original debut entitled "Beyond Rebellious". The piece will feature a 13 piece jazz ensemble exploring the musicians' familial connections with the 67' rebellion and it's impact on his life.
Oscar winning musician and producer Luis Resto will bring his quintet Luis Resto and the Holy to Fools to play music inspired by Puerto Rican, Senegalese, French and Iranian music, which in itself is a radical statement against separatism and cultural ignorance.
Several dance companies will be featured, included LaMarre and Dancers who will debut "Letter To The Town" a 90 minute piece for 12 dancers. Performed on the street, the piece is a response to the choreographer's experience encountering a refugee camp while abroad.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit will present their artist in residence, Dylan Miner. Miner will set up a portable printmaking studio at the festival where participants will learn how to screen print and create posters examining radical moments in American society. Interested participants can drop in and leave at any time during the workshops.
In collaboration with attendees the artist will create an large scale tapestry of woven textiles, paint, and found materials.
Live Coal Gallery, a mobile art truck will feature an installation in which participants
go through multi-sensory creation stations, during which they will have opportunities to consider their own life journey through interactive visual art.
The festival will feature a variety of theater, dance, music and interactive art, totally more than 50 performances over 2 days.
"From hip-hop dance exploring the history and impact of Detroit Jit, to classical music, Sidewalk Festival is presenting a pulsating portrait of radical moments through some of Detroit's most innovative artists. This is an intimate experience with artists and creative culture in one of Detroit's most interesting spaces," notes Myers-Johnson. The festival will feature an opening night of performances on Friday, August 4 from 7:00 - 10:00 pm within the roofless warehouse of Artist Village and continue on Saturday, August 5 from 3:00 - 10:00 pm.
About: Founded in 2012, Sidewalk Detroit celebrates the landscape and culture of Detroit through presentation of original place based and traditional performance, installation art, and land art. Activated spaces include parks, alleys, storefronts, sidewalks, community gardens, parking lots, and the street itself. We bring unique and independent performance to places unexpected, featuring local Detroiters and national artists. Sidewalk's artist residency program, "SideTrails" pairs artists with residents to create art in Detroit's ELiza Howell Park. Sidewalk's quintessential event is Sidewalk Festival, an outdoor celebration of performance and installation in the heart of Detroit's Northwest side.
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