Photo by Tom Ehrlich

National Jazz Journalists Association just announced multi-intstrumentalist, bandleader, composer, education, and Arts Commissioner Dr. John Calloway as the 2012 Bay Area Jazz Hero at the association's annual Jazz Awards. Commissioner Calloway will be honored along with ten other Jazz Heroes, activists and advocates of jazz who have made significant impact in their local communities.

Commissioner Calloway has been a cornerstone of the Bay Area Latin and world music scenes since the 1970s, collaborating with a who's-who of Bay Area jazz and Latin jazz innovators, including Jesus Diaz, Pete Escovedo, Mark Levine, Rebeca Mauleon, Marcus Shelby, Larry Vukovich and Wayne Wallace, along with his essential work as a collaborator for over three decades with five-time GRAMMY® nominee John Santos.

"John touches lives one on one and he lives his values of community service and music education for all," says Arturo Riera, co-founder of the Latin Jazz Youth Ensemble and a self-professed Bay Area cultural activist.

On Wednesday, June 20, Commissioner Calloway will be honored with the 2012 Jazz Hero award at the Hall of Culture at the African American Art and Culture Complex at 762 Fulton Street. The event, which begins at 6:30 p.m., is free and open to the public and will be catered by Urban Catering and Events.

Read all about it here.

“Niyjale is super talented and he’ll go far if he pursues art for a living,” says Davis. “We come from similar backgrounds growing up in the inner-city, but the difference between us is that I had to wait until college to discover art, but Niyjale is doing art right now. So I'm glad to see him express himself creatively and I hope he’ll continue to grow as an artist,” says Davis.

Faced with difficult childhood challenges, Niyjale has been open about having to change homes and migrate to different cities. The constant disruptions empowered him to learn to live in different environments and become an innovator. During this time, Niyjale also became a self-proclaimed recluse. Then in tenth grade, his father passed away and he would find solace in art when a teacher encouraged him to apply for a paid internship the program Young Artist at Work at the Bay area’s Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. It was there that Niyjale says he truly discovered art as his calling.

Niyjale explains, “Art has given me self-esteem. I know that I can do something and do it well and that it is worthy of appreciation. The more I manipulate objects and give them my attention, the easier it becomes for me to communicate with others and feel comfortable.”

At a time when so many students are having to put their dreams of a college education on hold due to skyrocketing costs and a lack of resources, Mr. Davis’ scholarship is especially timely,” said San Francisco Arts Commission Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny. “I hope his generosity inspires others to help students with their significant financial needs and achieve their educational goals.”

Niyjale plans to attend the Academy of Art University in the fall.

Media Contact:
Kate Patterson, San Francisco Arts Commission
Tel: 415-252-4638 E: Kate.Patterson@sfgov.org

THE BAYVIEW SALUTES LOCAL FILMMAKER KEVIN EPPS AND HONORS THE SPIRIT OF CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER MALCOLM X

The Bayview Opera House hosts the community premier of filmmaker Kevin Epps'  Straight Out of Hunters Point 2

Kevin Epps, photo by Devery Sheffer

SAN FRANCISCO, April 27, 2012 - On May 20, 2012 from 2-5 p.m., the San Francisco Arts Commission in conjunction with the Bayview Opera House and Mastamind Productions present the free community screening of filmmaker and activist Kevin Epps' Straight Out of Hunters Point 2. This film depicts the daily occurrences of violence plaguing a community in pursuit of social and economic sustainability. A native of the Bayview-Hunters Point, Kevin Epps has emerged against the odds as a community activist, using film as an advocacy tool to highlight the inequities of the neighborhood he holds near to his heart.

"I appreciate this opportunity to partner with the San Francisco Arts Commission in presenting Straight Outta Hunters Point 2," said Epps "As a filmmaker and activist, this is the most important screening of all, premiering the film in the neighborhood where it all started."

This film screening takes place during civil rights leader Malcolm X's birthday weekend, and it will be hosted by Kevin Epps himself to celebrate the spirit of community organizing and activism. Similar to Malcolm X, Epps is regarded in his community as a leader, exposing the negative impact drug abuse and societal apathy has had in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood.

According to the SFAC's Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny, "The Arts Commission is excited to support the ground-breaking work of Mr. Epps' and this community-wide celebration honoring the legacy of Malcolm X. The Bayview Opera House is a historical landmark and an anchor arts hub in the Bayview, making it the perfect location for such an important community celebration."

The event will also showcase some of the Bayview's most prominent businesses and non-profit organizations including the San Francisco Black Film Festival, the Hunters Point Family Foundation and will be catered by Old Skool Café.

About Kevin Epps
Community activist and award-winning filmmaker Kevin Epps developed his skills through public access shows and classes at the Film Arts Foundation into a film career with the acclaimed documentaries Straight Outta Hunters Point and Black Rock. Epps has collaborated on projects with Google, Yahoo, Discovery Channel, Current TV, and a host of other media partners. His passion for advocacy of underserved communities has led him to give back by working with various community art spaces as well as serving on the boards of two local nonprofit organizations. Epps currently has several projects in the works and looks forward to shooting his first feature film this summer.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City's well-being. Established by charter in 1932, SFAC programs integrate the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, Street Artists Licensing, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth and Community Concert Series. The agency's core values are committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of the highest quality.

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Media Contacts:
Kate Patterson, San Francisco Arts Commission
Tel: 415-252-4638 E: Kate.Patterson@sfgov.org

SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION AWARDED $83,000 IN GRANTS FROM THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

Grants to support award-winning creative writing program for youth and
Central Market revitalization initiative

SAN FRANCISCO — Today the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Rocco Landesman announced its fiscal year 2012 grantees. Among the winners are two San Francisco Arts Commission programs. Under the Arts Education category, WritersCorps will receive a $63,000 grant to support its ongoing creative writing programs for at-risk youth in underserved public schools. The ARTery Project, an initiative aimed at revitalizing the Central Market corridor into a vibrant and sustainable neighborhood with the arts at its core, will receive $20,000 to support innovative site-specific installations and performances.

“The fact that both WritersCorps and The ARTery Project have now received multiple grants from the NEA in recent years is a testament to the strength and the impact of these programs,” said Director of Cultural Affairs Tom DeCaigny. “This support will enable us to continue to enrich the educational experience of young people through creative writing and to build a better neighborhood in Central Market through the arts.”

According to Mayor Ed Lee, “These arts programs help residents engage with the community, and that engagement translates to lower crime rates, greater civic and neighborhood pride, improved quality of life, and, for our youth, better academic performance. In Central Market, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of the arts, and I believe it to be a key to future success in other revitalization efforts throughout the City.”

The NEA announced 928 grants totaling $77.17 million to not-for-profit organizations nationwide. These grants support exemplary projects in arts education, dance, design, folk and traditional arts, literature, local arts agencies, media arts, museums, music, opera, presenting, theater, musical theater, and visual arts, and provide support to state arts agencies and regional arts organizations.

Chairman Landesman said, “The arts should be a part of everyday life. Whether it’s seeing a performance, visiting a gallery, participating in an art class, or simply taking a walk around a neighborhood enhanced by public art, these grants are ensuring that across the nation, the public is able to experience how art works.”

Click here for the complete listing of Partnership grants.

A state-by-state listing of all the grants announced in this release is also available.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being. Established by charter in 1932, the SFAC integrates the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artists Licensing, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth and Community Concert Series. The agency’s core values are committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of the highest quality.

The National Endowment for the Arts was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $4 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector.  To join the discussion on how art works, visit the NEA at arts.gov.

Read this message from APICC:

APICC’s 15th United States of Asian America Festival continues to be a diverse reflection of the best in Dance, Music, Visual Art, Literature, Performing Arts and Film. This year, we begin on April 28th with the SF Vietnamese American Literary and Art Festival at the African American Art & Culture Complex; we are honored to showcase some of the most acclaimed artists in The Future Is Now: Asian America on Its Own Terms, in the SOMArts Main Gallery, during the month of May; 4x4 on May 23rd at the African American Art & Culture Complex brings five-time Grammy nominee, Wayne Wallace and celebrated saxophonist/ composer Francis Wong together in musical collaboration; APICC-commissioned GaNaDa, with Tatsu Aoki, Adria Otte and Dohee Lee, on May 18-19th in the SOMArts Theater, is inspired by traditional Korean mask, puppet dance and Korean mythology.

It is with deep appreciation, that we acknowledge the long-standing presence of the city’s Asian American Art organizations that have paved the way for APICC. We celebrate 15 years of collaborations with hundreds of Asian American artists.

Join us for refreshments and good cheer on Thursday, May 3rd from 5-8pm, to mark the official kick-off of the Festival with the opening of The Future Is Now. Welcome to the United States of Asian America.

In community,

Vinay Patel, Executive Director
Jen Banta, Program Manager/Curator

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Hungry Ghost: Yearning for Fulfillment
Where: Thoreau Center for Sustainability, Presidio Building #1014, Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco
Opening Reception: Thursday, April 26, 5–8:30 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: April 20–June 8, 2012
Who: Presented by Asian American Women Artists Association (AAWAA) and Thoreau Center for Sustainability-Presidio; curated by Lisa Chiu; sponsored by APICC
Cost: FREE

San Francisco Vietnamese American Literary and Art Festival
Where: African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St, San Francisco
When: Saturday, April 28, 7-9 p.m. (reception from 9 to 10 p.m.)
Who: Presented by Diasporic Vietnamese Artist Network and APICC; sponsored by the Cesar E. Chavez Institute
Cost: $10 for students; $15 for general public

The Future is NOW: Asian America on its own terms
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 3, 5–8 p.m.
Artists Talk: Saturday, May 12, 2–4 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: May 3–24, 2012
Who: Presented by APICC; featuring artists: Kim Anno, Michael Arcega: “Courtesy of Marx & Zavattero," Lenore Chinn, Binh Danh, Taraneh Hemami, Nancy Hom, Justin Hoover, Su-Chen Hung, Betty Kano, Hung Liu, Gabby Miller, Ranu Mukherjee, Pallavi Sharma, Tina Takemoto, Truong Tran, Carlos Villa, Flo Oy Wong; curated by Jennifer Banta with exhibit consultation design by Matt McKinley
Cost: FREE

What Lies Ahead: Creating Community and Expanding the Context for Asian American Art – A Conversation
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco
When: Saturday, May 5, 2–4 p.m.
Who: Presented by APICC; featuring panelists: Cynthia Tom, Moira Roth, Laura Fantone, Lydia Nakashima Degarrod, Mary-Ann Milford-Lutzker
Cost: FREE

The Fifth Installment of Chinese Cultural Center’s Xian Rui Artist’s Series: Orange Peel, Harbor Seal, Hyperreal
Where: Chinese Culture Center, 750 Kearny St, 3rd Floor, San Francisco
When: Saturday, May 12, 1 p.m.
Who: Presented by Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco; installation artist Adrian Wong
Cost: FREE

ATYPICAL: Stories from the anomalous Asian American
Where: Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 2868 Mission St, San Francisco
When: Saturday, May 12, 8 p.m.
Who: Presented by Meanie Productions and APICC
Cost: $8 with online discount code “APICC”; $15 at the door

Third Friday Art Reception
Where: Board of Supervisors’ Offices, San Francisco City Hall
When: Friday, May 18, 5–8 p.m.
Who: Presented by McKinley Art Solutions and APICC
Cost: FREE

GaNaDa with Dohee Lee, Tatsu Aoki, and Adria Otte
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco
When: Friday, May 18 and Saturday, May 19 at 8 p.m.
Who: Presented by APICC and Asian improv aRts
Cost: $15 presale; $20 at door

Tales of Pangu: Lifting up the Sky
Where: CounterPULSE, 1310 Mission St, San Francisco
When: Saturday, May 19, 8–9:30 p.m.
Who: Presented by AAWAA; Curated by Eth-Noh-Tec’s Nancy Wang along with Gay Asian Pacific Alliance Men's Chorus and Kenji Oshima
Cost: $15–$25

Eighth Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration
Where: Civic Center/ Little Saigon District at Larkin and McAllister streets, San Francisco
When: Saturday, May 19, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Who: Presented by Asian Week Foundation
Cost: FREE

Hand-Me-Down: Three Generations of KSW Performance
Where: Bindlestiff Studio, 185 Sixth St, San Francisco
When: Tuesday, May 22 7–9 p.m.
Who: Presented by Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) and APICC; featuring artists Samantha Chanse, Charlie Chin, Eth-Noh-Tec, Lina Yang, and more
Cost: $10–$20 sliding scale

4 x 4 with musicians Wayne Wallace and Francis Wong
Where: African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St, San Francisco
When: Wednesday, May 23, 8 p.m.
Who: Presented by APICC and Asian Improv aRts
Cost: $15 presale; $20 at door

Literasians Past, Present, and Future: Writers Converge on the APIA Literary Continuum
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco
When: Thursday, May 24, 7 p.m.
Who: Presented by APICC and Kartika Review
Cost: FREE

Eighth Annual Queer Women of Color Film Festival
Where: Novellus Theater, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St, San Francisco
When: June 8–10, 2012
Who: Presented by Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project
Cost: FREE

Cultural Confluences: The Art of Lenore Chinn
Where: the luggage store, 1007 Market Street, Second Floor, San Francisco
Opening Reception: Friday, June 8, 6–9 p.m.
Exhibition Dates: June 8–24, 2012
Who: Presented by the luggage store; sponsored by Queer Cultural Center and APICC
Cost: FREE

Media Contacts:
Kate Patterson
San Francisco Arts Commission
kate.patterson@sfgov.org/415-252-4638

This end-of-the-school-year celebration is supported by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to further support of art, education, and culture in the Bayview community. Where Art Lives students and teacher, local urban artist Senay Dennis, will unveil their collaborative mural to the public during this program. The event will also highlight and promote the YMCA’s 2012 summer youth programs. All Good Pizza, a local food truck known for using healthy, fresh ingredients from Bayview area vendors, will serve handcrafted pizzas to event participants, and Bay Area KPFA 94.1 FM’s DJ Aztec Parrott will entertain with a selection of his popular mixes. Finally, Omulu Capoeria will perform an interactive traditional capoeira dance accompanied by live, Brazilian drum music. The event is open to all students and community members.

WHO: San Francisco Arts Commission and Department of Public Works’ Where Art Lives Program with Martin Luther King Middle School, and the YMCA’s Excel After School Programing.

WHEN: Friday, May 4, 2012, 3–5 p.m.

WHERE: Martin Luther King Middle School, 350 Girard Street, San Francisco

COST: FREE

INFORMATION: http://www.sfartscommission.org/CAE/?p=5589

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being. Established by charter in 1932, SFAC programs integrate the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artists Licensing, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth and Community Concert Series. The agency’s core values are committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of the highest quality.

About the Department of Public Works (DPW)
DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of San Francisco’s streets and much of its infrastructure. The department cleans and resurfaces streets; plants and maintains City Street trees; designs, constructs and maintains city-owned facilities; inspects streets and sidewalks; constructs curb ramps; removes graffiti from public property; and partners with the diverse neighborhoods in San Francisco to provide stellar cleaning and greening services.

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Daniel del Solar

As a leader in innovative multicultural public broadcast programming, he also worked with KQED-TV’s Open Studio, served as General Manager of KALW-FM, San Francisco, from 1985–1992, and as General Manager of WYBE-TV, Philadelphia from 1992–1995, with TV programs he produced broadcast by PBS stations in many cities, including Boston, Los Angeles, Detroit, Chicago, and San Francisco. He was on the national board of Citizens for Independent Public Broadcasting (CIPB). He also served as Development Director of the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts.

His lifelong involvement with and contributions to Latino/a equality and culture include his work as co-producer of a weekly KPFA radio magazine, Reflecciónes de la Raza, contributions to the current KPFA weekly program La Raza Chronicles, and many other radio and video productions. With leading Bay Area poets, he was a founding co-editor of Tin Tan (a now legendary San Francisco Chicano/Latino cultural magazine).

Many of his photographs have appeared in books, exhibits, and online, and will be featured in an upcoming book about the stepwells of India. He also collaborated on Chile: Promise of Freedom, an audio CD distributed on worldwide radio by the Freedom Archives. He often reported on events in Cuba, Chile, Nicaragua, and Venezuela and was active in many Latin American social justice and solidarity movements.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, May 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall in Oakland, CA. For more information about the memorila, email danieldelsolarmemorial@gmail.com.

Mayor Lee's office declares March 31 Vernon and Vontae Davis Foundation Day.

Mr. Davis began working with the San Francisco Arts Commission in 2009 as the inaugural speaker for the Art IMPACT speaker series, which provides a platform for high profile figures to discuss the impact exposure to the arts has had on their lives. During this program, Davis spoke about his love for painting and how it enabled self-discovery during some difficult transitions in his life. Vernon became so committed to arts education that the same year, he launched the Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship Fund to support a San Francisco high school student pursuing fine arts at the university level.

“In my neighborhood you didn’t choose art. It was sports, basketball, football, or being out on the streets selling drugs,” Davis recalls. “So I had to wait until I got to college before I felt free enough to explore my interests in art. I don’t want kids to go through that if it’s their passion.”

The Vernon and Vontae Family Foundation fundraiser attracted a plethora of notables who mingled and enjoyed a number of artistic displays, including music played by classical pianist Michael Blankenship, a Pas de Trois performance featuring Caroline Rocher from LINES Ballet, as well as a display of student art. Davis also announced this year’s ten finalists for the Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship.

Vernon Davis, we salute you and thank you for your support of arts education.

Tyra Fennell, SFAC Arts Education Program Manager commends Mr. Davis on his support.

Yours in Art
Tyra Fennell
Arts Education Program Manager

CAE photography intern Michele Kraus had her photo of WritersCorps teacher Myron Hardy featured on the cover of the 2009-2010 President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities report.

Assignments may include the following:

• Youth creating art at elementary schools with attention to avoid those that have not given us permission to shoot them
• Crowd shots, program activity, public officials speaking, candids, and of course, the art, at press events
• Photos of art installations in vacant storefronts (in complex lighting situations) and murals for our two major new programs launching in the spring
• Youth readings at local museums for our WritersCorps program

Desired skills:

• Experience photographing live action shots, mural and storefront windows shots; experience photographing children a plus
• Knowledge of basic photo editing and computer skills
• Must be able to turn around photographs after major press events with-in 24 hours.
• Provide both high- and lo-resolution photos for print and web usage.
• Knowledge of Photoshop, Flickr, and web optimization
• Must have your own camera equipment and be able to process photos on your own computer.

Commitment:
A timeline of dates and times for events will be provided at the beginning of the internship with an understanding that dates may change and that new assignments may arise. Assignments may be during school hours, early evening hours, or on weekends, so the responsibility will be split between multiple photographers.

Opportunity:

• Gain experience working with city government agencies
• Learn about the San Francisco arts community
• Build your portfolio
• Earn recommendation from a respected institution
• Possibly have your work in a photo exhibition curated by Arts Commission staff
• This is an unpaid internship, but we are happy to support school credit

About us:
The Community Arts and Education program celebrates the importance of arts and culture in our daily lives by supporting cultural arts activities and arts education in San Francisco’s diverse communities. Our program started in 1967 when a group of artists and arts activists brought a radical notion to the San Francisco Arts Commission: fund artists and arts organizations to work in neighborhood and community settings. Today, the Community Arts and Education program continues to nurture art for and by the people, where they live and work, in our neighborhoods and online.

For more information: http://www.sfartscommission.org/CAE
Please email Cristal Fiel to apply at cristal.fiel@sfgov.org. Include your resume and a short email about why you're interested in the position and what skills you bring to our team.

The Cult of Beauty exhibits the art and craft of the Victorian Avant Garde. San Francisco's Legion of Honor is the exclusive American host for The Cult of Beauty. Learn more here.