by Darlene Hamilton, Director of Marketing

NBAF presents the National Black Arts Festival
July 7 -17, 2011

ATLANTA,– NBAF will celebrate and explore the arts through music, dance, visual arts, humanities and children’s programming at the 2011 National Black Arts Festival, July 7th through 17th . This year’s festival themed, Unexpected Encounters, features an exciting and unique offering of events and performances, symposiums and workshops for the entire family to enjoy!

NBAF presents the soulful sounds of The O’Jays at the 2011 Legends Celebration as they celebrate over 50 years of creating amazing music. July 15th, 8 p.m., Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta Symphony Hall. Sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company.

Chuck Davis, Founder and Artistic Director of the African Dance Ensemble, curates DanceAfrica! Atlanta, bringing the infectious energy to the Summer Festival that only he can on July 16, 8 p.m. and July 17, 3 p.m. at the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University. DanceAfrica Atlanta! features South African contemporary dancer and choreographer Vincent Mantose; traditional South African boot dancing from Lesolés Dance Project; works inspired by Mali, the Ivory Coast, South Africa, Guinea and others interpreted by Atlanta’s Giwayen Mata; and master kora player and Griot Ba Cissoko. Sponsored b Macy’s and Chevron.

NBAF’s partnerships with local museums and galleries provide art collectors and admirers a robust offering of visual arts presentations during the Festival. A full listing of visual arts exhibitions is available at NBAF.org. Some of the special visual arts events planned include:

Interpretations: Black Visual Art – Past, Present and Future. A night of visual arts

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the birth of influential American artist, Romare Bearden, honoring 5 master artists, recognizing artists who are currently engaged in provocative work and introducing emerging artists with fresh perspectives. July 14th, 8 p.m., at Woodruff Arts Center, Atlanta Symphony Hall. Interpretations is sponsored by Bank of America.

Brunch and Gallery Tour with Radcliffe Bailey, July 17, at 1 pm. Radcliffe Bailey will treat guests to a rare conversation about his current work and what he’s thinking of next during brunch at Table 1280, prior to touring his exhibition Memory as Medicine at the High Museum of Art.

Opening reception and conversation for internationally-acclaimed artist, Trenton Doyle Hancock, on July 7th at SCAD ACA Gallery. The exhibition, entitled We Done all We Could and None Of It’s Good presented in partnership with the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD), explores Hancock’s ongoing narrative and theatrical installations that thrust viewers into his personal, idiosyncratic, and at times, heretical weave of words and images.

Home, a new mixed media, group exhibition that presents a new awareness of how politics, education and culture are redefining life in the State of Georgia, curated by Atlanta-based artist Fahamu Pecou. An artist talk and guided tour will be held July 9th from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m., at Chastain Arts Center. The exhibition runs June 11th through July 23rd.

Avisca Fine Art Gallery in Marietta will host an opening reception for two of Atlanta’s most celebrated living Black artists, Lynn Marshall-Linnemeier and Freddie Styles on July 8th. Together, this duo will retrace their Southern roots and explain the varying creative paths taken to achieve success within their respective works.

True Hip Hop, for hip hop lovers and cultural aficionados. Hagedorn Foundation Gallery presents images from hip hop photographer Mike Schreiber and photojournalist Jason Florio. An opening reception for this exhibition and book signing of True Hip Hop by artist, Mike Schreiber will be held on July 9th. The following day, NBAF invites guests to the Hammonds House for an artist talk and opening reception with Emory University’s esteemed Associate Professor of Art History in African American Studies, Dr. Michael D. Harris.

Sankofa: Looking Back to Move Forward (NBAF 1988-2010), an exhibition by Atlanta- based photographer Susan Ross, exploring 22 years of the National Black Arts Festival through images of the artists, producers, visionaries, staff and audiences who have contributed to making the NBAF a cultural legacy.  Opening Reception and Artist Talk, Friday, July 15, 2011, 6:00 p.m.  

NBAF returns to Centennial Olympic Park – July 15th – 17 with…

Shopping at the International Marketplace with over 100 vendors, artists and artisans from around the world, offers everything from beautifully woven fabrics and clothing to skillfully hand crafted jewelry, wood-carved sculptures and supple leather goods.

The Children’s Education Village featuring the multi-media Growing the Dream experience based on the 12 core themes which are derived from the speeches and writings of and about Dr. Martin Luther King. The Village includes a child-size replica of the boyhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a variety of live performances from local youth, and hands-on, interactive activities for children of all ages. Pre-registration is required for camps and groups only on Friday, July 15th. Families can attend the Village free on Saturday, July 16th and Sunday, July 17th.

NBAF presents three days of unforgettable music and moments on the NBAF Main Stage that will have audiences dancing under the sun and grooving in the moonlight. Encounter sounds that are rooted in the soul — from gospel and blues to jazz and world music we’ve got you covered. Highlights include: Rio Negro, Joyce Candido, Nanny Assis, Orquesta Macuba, Donnie, The Chronicle, Kathleen Bertrand, Gregory Porter and world renowned Afro-Cuban jazz musician Omar Sosa. Visit NBAF.org for the full line-up and schedule.

The Healthy Cooking Pavilion sponsored by Publix. For the fourth year, local and international chefs will tantalize the taste-buds with food that is not only easy to prepare but is also healthy and well balanced. Discover why Atlanta is dubbed the “Hollywood of the South” as you stroll down memory lane at NBAF’s 2011 Gala: A Salute to the Silver Screen which pays homage to the achievements to African Americans in the film industry, July 16th, 7 p.m. Presenting sponsors for the 2011 Gala are The Coca-Cola Company and UPS.

Check out a special sneak-peak screening of the new documentary, Funk Jazz Kafé: Diary of Decade, documenting the music and arts movement born of Atlanta’s diverse musical heritage. Director Jason Orr, tells the story of the decade when Atlanta’s brand of music and creativity became established on the world stage. Rialto Center for the Arts, July 14th, 9 p.m.

Join NBAF and Turner Voices for First Glance: Fresh Perspectives from Young Artists as high school students compete against one another to win the top prize in spoken word, visual arts and film.  The big event kicks off at noon with finalists from our spring poetry and filmmaking competition squaring off against one another in the Rialto Theater. The visual artists’ work will be on display in the Rialto’s upper lobby for viewing.  Who will take home the honors?  Come out and see for yourself. Sponsored by Turner Voices, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

NBAF’s Education and Public Programs is proud to present its signature programs and workshops during the 2011 Festival.

The Coretta Scott King Awards Book Fair, set for July 6th at 10 a.m. at the Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library Children's, is the only book fair in the U.S. that features the books and illustrators that have received the prestigious Coretta Scott King Book Award. This event is free and open to the public and provides every child, who presents a public library card, a free award-winning book.

The Life and Times of Robert Smalls Exhibition in celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Presented in partnership with Auburn Avenue Research Library, the exhibition traces Smalls’ story of triumph, perseverance and determination to become a distinguished American hero. The exhibition runs July 5th through September 29th.

The Summer Institute, presented in partnership with the Hammonds House Museum, guides participants through the contemporary arts of the African Diaspora, featuring world-renowned artists and scholars, and provides participants with an up-close and personal experience. The Summer Institute runs from July 12th through July 16th, at the Hammonds House Museum. Pre-registration is required and professional development credit is available for educators.

The Race and Performance Series kicks off with a conversation between Halima Taha, Karen Comer Lowe and Michael Harris about African American Art in the 21st Century.

NBAF in the Community showcases local talent at free events that are open to children, families, seniors and the general public. A full schedule of events is available at NBAF.org.

This year’s festival is guaranteed to be full of “unexpected encounters” for festival goers of all ages. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nbaf.org. Media Inquiries should be directed to Nikki Barjon at 404.514.9992 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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NBAF (National Black Arts Festival) is one of the premier national and international presenters of the art, music and culture of people of African descent. The mission of NBAF is to engage, cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression. NBAF produces year-round education and public programming, as well as events presented in collaboration with our partners, in addition to the annual summer festival.

NBAF presents artists from the African Diaspora in all arts disciplines and presentation formats. NBAF hosts more than 300,000 patrons each year and serves more than 20,000 children through the Children’s Education Village, the Coretta Scott King Awards Book Fair and many other school-based programs. Each year NBAF generates major sources of economic impact to the areas served by NBAF including Atlanta, Fulton County and the State of Georgia. NBAF is truly a national treasure and has been recognized by the United States Congress and many other national and international arts organizations.

NBAF receives major financial support from the Coca-Cola Company, UPS Foundation, Comcast, Georgia-Pacific LLC, Turner Voices, WALK KISS 104.1, Nonprofit Finance Fund/Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Bank of America, Georgia Power Company, Publix Super Markets, Inc. and American Family Insurance. Additional support for NBAF is generously provided by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, MillerCoors, Neiman Marcus, CW Atlanta TV, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, Target Foundation, Georgia Natural Gas, The Heavenly Hands Foundation, and the Atlanta Tribune.

NBAF receives major public support from the Fulton County Board of Commissioners under the guidance of Fulton County Arts & Culture, The National Endowment for the Arts, Georgia Council for the Arts, City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs, Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly, and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

NBAF was recently granted a $1 million 5-year restricted grant to participate in Leading for the Future (LFF), a program of the Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. The grant focuses specifically on the use of technology and new media as a tool for communication and development of new audiences as well as the dissemination of creative ideas and expression.