February 18, 2022 by Roberta

Talking to Anne Ishii, arts leader and new host of the WHYY-PBS show, ‘Movers and Makers’

Anne Ishii is a writer, editor, translator and the Executive Director of Asian Arts Initiative (AAI). As the leader of an important arts center serving the AAPI community, Anne is a big part of Philadelphia’s arts ecosystem. Roberta talks with Anne about her new role hosting of arts and culture documentary series, “Movers and Makers,” featuring regional artists and arts organizations. Anne and Roberta had a great 35-minute conversation that will introduce you to a fascinating, important and under-known leader in Philadelphia arts.

February 2, 2022 by Roberta

Stanek Gallery going virtual, Harriett’s Bookshop going silent in February, plus, Sisterhood Sit-In Trolley Tours and Opportunities

The News post is filled with names of POC being advanced in the art world; and we also rounded up some gallery news, bookshop news, museum news, and opportunity calls for Black, Brown and Indigenous filmmakers to submit to Blackstar Film Festival and zine makers to listen to a panel talk about making zine festivals more equitable.

February 2, 2022 by Roberta

NFTs are not utopian, not environmentally friendly, yet seductive to many

NFTs were meant to help artists, but the new ‘Digital Art Market’ seems even more capitalistic and messy than the non-digital one, and has a high environmental cost. The rich get richer, while artists and others are hurt by scams. Artists are not responsible for the technology itself and we understand the tech’s attraction. We, too, believe artists should be paid when their art is re-sold. However, artists who mint NFTs must contend with their negative environmental and economic consequences.

January 28, 2022 by Roberta

Hearty congratulations to Robert Cozzolino, Anne Minich, Jessica Rizzo, Airea D. Matthews, plus support for Blake Bradford and a jolly musical in Princeton

We don’t often urge your support of GoFundMe fundraisers, but we encourage you strongly to support the one for Blake Bradford, arts educator, advocate, activist and great person, who is in hospice, with crushing medical bills and a young family in crisis.

January 18, 2022 by Roberta

Artist and Art Director Eric Battle talks about “BLAM!”, A graphic novel profiling fourteen Black historic Philadelphians

Roberta interviews Eric Battle, artist and Art Director of the new book, “BLAM! Black Lives Always Mattered,” a graphic novelization of the life stories of 14 Black Philadelphians, illustrated by 12 illustrators and comics artists with connections to Philadelphia. The large hard-back book with many full-color pages is a project of Temple University Library’s Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection. The book will be delivered to the city’s high school students and, in time, available to the public.

January 13, 2022 by Roberta

Black Quantum Futurism gets Creative Capital, Judilee Reed to US Artists, Wayne Thiebaud at Brandywine River Museum of Art, Moe Brooker passes, plus Opportunities and More

With energy and money, the new year charges in. Creative Capital awards $2.5 Million to 50, including Philadelphia’s Black Quantum Futurism (Rasheedah Phillips and Camae Ayewa). William Penn Foundation’s Judilee Reed becomes president and CEO of US Artists. With sadness we note the recent passing of beloved artist and educator, Moe Brooker.

December 30, 2021 by Roberta

Liberta Awards 2021

Hooray, 2022 is coming!! Let it be better! And here now, our list of memorable people, places, things … and some rebrandings. It’s the 2021 Liberta Awards!

December 23, 2021 by Roberta

With joy and generosity, Terrell Halsey organizes a show about the hopes of Philadelphians for change in their neighborhoods

Roberta interviews artist and photographer Terrell Halsey about his project interviewing, recording and photographing Philadelphians from all over the city about how they would make their neighborhoods better. The physical manifestation of the project, the exhibit, “Call Home,” at ImPerfect Gallery, was a collaboration with Nina “Lyrispect” Ball, who added poetic prose and exhibited poetry. The interview is 33 minutes long.