SOMArts Cultural Center

Art SF for Haiti this Friday

In response to the devastating earth quake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, the San Francisco surfing and arts community presents an art exhibition and benefit to support the rebuilding efforts in Haiti. All profits generated from this event will go to the efforts of Architecture for Humanity in Haiti.

The show highlights an eclectic mix of more than fifty well established and emerging artists, along with photographers, movie makers and craftspeople. Many of the artists are creating pieces especially for this event, and that work will be given its own special space to be viewed. The evening will showcase a silent auction with original art pieces by numerous talented artists by the likes of Barry McGee, Brett Amory, Chris Burkard, Charlie Callahan, Adam Caldwell, Harvey Redding, John McCambridge, Elizabeth Pepin, Akira Beard, Truong Tran, Bill Osgood, Ho-Jun Lee, me, Audi, Dave Johnson, Scott Lucas, Ian Ernzer, Alecs Petro, Erin Kunkel, Matt Proehl, Katja, Lisa Coris, Art G, Rob Brodman, and many many more.

The San Francisco Community Art Show will take place on Friday March 12th from 5pm to 11pm at SOMArts, 934 Brannan Street in San Francisco. Organized by Paul Ferraris and curated by Robert Caririllo with Christopher Jernberg and Paul Ferraris.

What: Art SF for Haiti Community Art Show

When: Fri, March 12, 5pm – 11pm

Where: SOMArts Cultural Center’s Bay Gallery

Action Speaks! #3: Fight the Budget Cuts Follow Up

When: Tuesday, March 16, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Where: SOMArts Main Gallery, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco

On February 1, the San Francisco Arts Commission approved a $104,000 budget cut for SOMArts in 2010-11.  Last month we held a Community Support Board Meeting to discuss advocacy and to develop strategies to deal with the potential budget cuts for SOMArts.  Action Speaks! #3 will be a follow-up meeting to see where we stand on developing those ideas. Members of the arts and cultural communities of San Francisco are invited to speak out and share their ideas for community outreach, fundraising and advocacy.

The success of ALL our ideas hinges on community support, fun, collaboration and creativity, so if you rent our space, show your work or volunteer at SOMArts—please join us and tell us what would excite you, what you think would be successful, and how you can help.

Light refreshments will be served.  Please RSVP to debbok@somarts.org.

For more information, call (415) 863-1414.

MOMENTS is Coming—Be There!

Please join us on Saturday March 6 for 100 Performances for the Hole - Take Two, the opening event for the March exhibition “MOMENTS (Bringing Back the Now),” a special month of live art in SOMArts Cultural Center’s Main Gallery. The opening event features 100 two-minute performances created for and around an old mechanics pit in the floor of the gallery. We will have plenty of food and drink so stay for the night. The event is free, but a sliding scale entrance donation (between $2 and $20) is encouraged. Donations will help support the Commons Fund for curatorial residencies at SOMArts.  No one is turned way for lack of funds. Please RSVP to this facebook event page here—96 RSVPs and counting!

Lastly, SOMArts is proud to be partnering with Bay Area Video Coalition (BVAC) to broadcast this event to their cable access channels 76 and 29.  This unique event and may never be recreated, so don’t miss out!

What: 100 Performances for the Hole - Take Two
When: March 6 from 5:58 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center Main Gallery

Art Works!

To quote the new slogan of the NEA, “art works!” Co-curator Hannah Regev caught some of the SOMArts staff, artists and volunteers in action as they installed the beautiful works in “Prints Byte: the cutting edge of printmaking.” Check out their images and photos from other recent installations here.

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys getting to know what goes on behind-the-scenes, join SOMArts Curator and Gallery Director Justin Hoover and Hannah Regev for a curatorial walkthrough this Saturday, February 27 at 3:00pm. Admission is free.

Reminder: Politics of Printmaking Discussion This Saturday

Prints Byte: the cutting edge of printmaking has been receiving great reviews and support, but it is not over yet. Upcoming programming includes a panel discussion on the history and politics of printmaking as well as a closing celebration with a curatorial walkthrough and reception.

The Prints Byte panel discussion will occur Saturday February 20, 3:00-4:30 in the SOMArts Main Gallery and features participating artist Art Hazelwood, artist, curator and political activist; Robert Flynn Johnson, curator emeritus, Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco; and Steve Lopez, gallery director of ArtZone 461 Gallery. The talk will be moderated by Don Farnsworth owner and director of Magnolia Press with opening remarks by SOMArts executive director Lex Leifheit, SOMArts curator and gallery director Justin Hoover, and Prints Byte Co-Curator Hanna Regev. Admission is free, donations are welcome.

We Need Your Help!

Dear Friends of SOMArts,

On February 1, the San Francisco Arts Commission approved a budget that includes a significant cut to all six cultural centers, including SOMArts. If the budget is passed as-is, SOMArts could see a reduction of as much as $104,000 in 2010-11. This is equal to more than 10% of our operating budget and will significantly impact the accessibility of our space and services to the community.

The cut for SOMArts is more than the 10% maximum decrease outlined in Section 515.01 of Article 7 in the City’s Business and Tax Regulations Code. We are asking District Supervisor Chris Daly to uphold the existing legislation by restricting the reduction of funding to SOMArts to 10% ($58,734.00) or less, or to add back the difference in funding.

Your support would be invaluable in helping SOMArts maintain its existing programs and services. You can do this by calling, writing, or emailing your legislators no later than Friday, February 19th.  Let them know how a reduction in services and programming could affect you if the budget cut of more than 10% passes.

A cut of $104,000 is equal to the following:

·      89% of the entire cost of the Main Gallery Exhibitions & Programs this year, which showed over 1,041 Bay Area visual artists in 2009

·      Half of the total grant support that allows SOMArts to provide below-market events space and production assistance

·      66% of the direct expenses for Technical Services

·      More than the entire cost of the Day of the Dead Festival, Classes, and Fiscal Sponsorship programs combined.

SOMArts has been committed to providing small arts organizations, artist collectives and underserved communities a flexible home to achieve their vision of creative success for 30 years. This cut comes at a time when artists need affordable work space, publicity, and technical support more than ever.  Already this year, more than 40 Bay Area nonprofits and fiscally sponsored projects have come to SOMArts for support.

Click here for a copy of this message to forward to members of your community, and for a list of key legislators.

Thank you for your continued support.

Let Me Take You To Funkytown: Roller Disco

What: Roller Disco
When: Friday, February 26, 2010, 8:00pm to Midnight
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St (@8th)

Come join D. Miles, San Francisco’s “GodFather of Skating” and the Black Rock Rollers at SOMArts as we bring back the effort to get a roller rink in San Francisco.  This is the first of many roller disco events we will be presenting as we prepare to raise funds for the Black Rock Roller Disco at Burning Man 2010. Come on out and get your skate groove on with the Black Rock Roller Disco and have a funky good time with us!!!

Admission: $7 in Disco Costume; $10 if no costume; $5 for C.O.R.A. members. $5 for skate rental. Both blade or roller skates are available. For more info, email Sk8GodFather@cora.org

NY Gypsy All-Stars at SOMArts Feb 20

What: New York Gypsy All-Stars & Husnu Senlendirici
When: Saturday, February 20, 9pm
Where: SOMArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St
How much: $30 online, $35 at the door

This February, the Yore Folk Dance Ensemble is bringing Husnu Senlendirici to SOMArts for a night of music and dancing. The Village Voice says, “Husnu Senlendirici, 33, is arguably the best of Turkey’s younger generation of clarinetists, of which Turkey boasts many utterly awesome specimens. He specializes in the folk music of the Aegean region in which he was raised, but went on to become a master of Balkan, Romany, and progressive jazz and folk styles as well.” For more information about the event and  ensemble, visit our calendar.

i live here:SF

SOMArts Executive Director Lex Leifheit is the most recent face of i live here:SF, an online photography project, conceived of by artist Julie Michelle, inviting San Francisco residents to enjoy and participate in sharing many facets of life in this city with each other and the world at large.

Lex is photographed here in the Prints Byte exhibition, on display in the Main Gallery at SOMArts through February 27.

If you or someone you know lives in San Francisco and would like to participate, visit the i live here:SF website for more information.

Action Speaks! #2: Fight the Budget Cuts! Community Feedback Event for Fundraising & Advocacy

When: Tuesday, February 16 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Where: SOMArts Main Gallery, 934 Brannan St, San Francisco

On February 1, the San Francisco Arts Commission approved a $104,000 budget cut for SOMArts in 2010-11. Help us fight the cuts by coming together to share ideas for advocacy and plan a fundraiser. SOMArts’s Executive Director Lex Leifheit will present some ideas that have been suggested by the staff, including a benefit concert, printmaking marathon, and online auction.

The success of ALL our ideas hinges on community support, fun, collaboration and creativity, so if you rent our space, show your work or volunteer at SOMArts—please join us and tell us what would excite you, what you think would be successful, and how you can help.

A light dinner will be served, so please RSVP in advance to debbok@somarts.org.