WPBT2 premieres Craft in America: Messages on May 24th at 8:00 pm

Craft in America: Messages, looks at the ways many craft artists go beyond skill to personal and political expression. They use craft to tell a story, prove a point, or bring attention to issues. Often their work is passionate and provocative. The artists selected for Messages express many different interests and points of view, but they have one thing in common: their skill and creativity are of the highest level.

Wisconsin glass artist Beth Lipman explores the symbolism of 17th century still life paintings to express the fragility that exists in a world of excess. New Mexico santero Charles M. Carrillo uses authentic  materials to combine historic religious subject matter with contemporary culture. Baltimore bead artist Joyce J. Scott learned quilting and beading from her mother and draws from references as wide-ranging as Africa and comic books to focus on issues such as race and stereotyping. New Orleans jewelry artist and sculptor Thomas Mann is famous for his “Techno-Romantic” designs. He created Storm Cycle, a series of wall panels that document the untold stories in his beloved city after Hurricane Katrina.

 

Miami-Dade Public Library System presents Art of Storytelling Festival on April 30, 2011 from 10:30 am to 4:00 pm.

Storytellers from around the world will take center stage in downtown Miami  
as Miami-Dade Public Library System celebrates its eleventh annual Art of Story Telling International Festival Day.

A magical adventure awaits as celebrity storytellers, from around the world join the cast of the Bit’s ‘N Pieces Puppet Theatre, Mother Goose on the Loose, Niall de Burca, magician Robert Hermens, the Bahamas Junkanoo Shakers, Geeta Dias: Bollywood Indian Dancers, School of Rock, the Hip Hop Kids and many others! Also back by popular demand is the teen zone-an area just for ‘tweens and teens which features anime, manga and video gaming competitions, plus activities around popular books and lots of cool surprises!

This FREE event is open to people of all ages and takes place at the Main Library - 101 W Flagler Street in downtown Miami. It begins at 10:30 am and ends at 4:00 pm.

WPBT2 premieres Independent Lens: Wasteland on Tuesday April 19th at 11:00 pm.

Filmed over nearly three years, Lucy Walker’s WASTE LAND follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his home country of Brazil, and to Jardim Gramacho, the world’s largest garbage dump located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There Muniz photographs an eclectic band of catadores, pickers of recyclable materials, and works with them to “paint” their portraits using garbage. The resulting collaboration with these inspiring characters provides profoundly moving evidence of the transformative power of art and its impact on the human spirit.

A Night of Poetry Everywhere with Liam Callanan and Campbell McGrath is hosted by the Miami Dade Public Library System on Thursday April 14 at 6:30

A Night of Poetry Everywhere is hosted by Liam Callanan, executive producer of Poetry Everywhere, and award-winning poet Campbell  McGrath. The evening is dedicated to screenings, readings and discussions about poetry. The event consists of thirty different short animated poetry films from different poets including Miami’s own Campbell McGrath to the current Santa Fe Poet Laureate Valerie Martinez. Each film features every word of every poem, both onscreen and in the soundtrack. These films are screened on public television and in buses, libraries  and classrooms. The purpose of these films is to bring poetry into public life.

A Night of Poetry Everywhere is presented in collaboration with University of Wynwood, University of Wisconsin, and the Poetry Foundation as part of O, Miami (www.omiami.org), a county-wide poetry festival inaugurating in April 2011. Its goal is for every single person in Miami-Dade County to encounter a poem during the month of April.

The event A Night of Poetry Everywhere takes place on Thursday April 14, 2011 at 6:30 till 8:30 at the Main Library Auditorium at 101 W. Flagler Street.

WPBT2’s video sharing website, uVu, will cover this special night.  If you cannot attend, take a look at the event on uvuvideo.org, keyword “Night of Poetry”

Calzada Premiere at the Tower Theatre

Last night WPBT2 was able to participate in the premiere screening of "Calzada" a film about the renowned Cuban artist, Humberto Calzada.  The evening was marked by having both the director (Eduardo Montes-Bradley) and Mr. Calzada in attendance.

The demand was high for tickets, the theatre added a second screening before the "Official" premiere to accommodate all the people who turned out.

Before the evening began in earnest, we had a chance to sit with both Mr. Montes-Bradley and Mr. Calzada and listen in while they talked about the film and more with Solange Reyner, who reports on Things to Do for Miami.com

Humberto Calzada

Eduardo Montes-Bradley

Free Screening of Calzada-The Life and Work of Cuban-American Artist, Humberto Calzada

 

Calzada, a documentary based on the life and works of Cuban-American artist Humberto Calzada, will be featured at a free screening on January 7th, 6:00 p.m. at the Tower Theatre in Miami. The film depicts the biography of life in exile and the extraordinary means by which human tragedy becomes the canvas of a unique Caribbean experience.

Directed by Eduardo Montes-Bradley, and produced by Soledad Liendo, the documentary is scheduled to premier for special guests and members of the press, on January 7^th, 6:00pm at the Tower Theatre, one of Miami's oldest cultural landmarks.

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception followed by a presentation on the theatre lounge where Gerardo Aguillón and José Angel Navarro, creators of the soundtrack for the film, will perform some traditional Cuban tunes for violin and guitar.

 

To RSVP for the free event, please visit www.mychannel2.org/calzada

Creative Writing Contest for Students

Jewish Museum of Florida Announces

"A Military Portrait" Creative Writing Contest for Students

Submission deadline: January 8, 2010


This contest supplements the Jewish Museum of Florida's upcoming exhibit, Florida Jews in the Military, on display from February 23 - September 12, 2010. Throughout history, many people in the military have distinguished themselves by responding to challenges with bravery, selflessness and vision. Some of these outstanding individuals are well known, while others may be relatively unknown. This exhibit explores the sacrifices and accomplishments of Florida's Jews in every conflict from the Seminole Wars to the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf and the battles of the 21st century. It will present real-life examples of ordinary men and women and honor their life experiences, including displays of courage, dedication, responsibility, patriotism, pride and good decision-making skills -- all true foundations for both exemplary military service and citizenship. While serving, many maintained the traditions of their heritage even when it was difficult to do so. This exhibit will present role models for students of all ages and cultures.

Contest & Criteria: We invite students to submit an essay that focuses on the accomplishments of someone they know or have researched who has served in the military.

DawnTown Announces Open Registration for 2009 Architecture Competition

Innovative Designs Sought to Shape Downtown Miami’s Future

DawnTown, the annual international architectural competition for Downtown Miami, announces the launch of this year’s competition. Registration for DawnTown 2009 begins on August 26 and is open to the public. Architects, designers, students, and amateurs from around the world are invited to participate.

This year’s competition seeks creative architectural ideas for a new station for the Metromover, Downtown Miami’s elevated public transportation system. The site for this station is located at the north edge of Museum Park, next to Biscayne Bay and between the future home of Miami Art Museum and Miami Science Museum.

City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz welcomed another year of DawnTown, saying “I look forward to seeing the innovative designs for our Metromover station that I am sure will emerge from this competition. I am confident that these designs will show that public transport and urbanliving can be beautiful and exciting."

“Museum Park was conceived as a gathering place, where the entire community can go to share ideas and become inspired,” said Terry Riley, Miami Art Museum director. “This competition represents the unique educational and artistic opportunities made possible through a renowned urban development project such as Museum Park, even before its completion.”

Vizcaya Documentary Gets Help From Surveying and Engineering Firm

When a WPBT2’s Senior Producer began research for a documentary about an 83-year-old Italian style villa in Miami, Florida, most people would never have thought she would check with the surveying and engineering company that did all the surveying and engineering for the project. That’s almost a hundred years ago. However, that’s exactly what Senior Producer Linda Corley of WPBT2 did. Surprisingly, she found the company is still in business and is today the oldest company headquartered in the city of Miami –111 years to be exact. Here is a short version of the story that airs in south Florida in late May and nationally in the fall.

Read the full article here.

ARTISTS INVITED TO ENTER JUDAICA PRIZE COMPETITION AT JEWISH MUSEUM OF FLORIDA

The Jewish Museum invites all Florida artists to participate in their 2009 Judaica Competition. The prestigious Avis Lee & Abraham Neiman Judaica Prize Competition was established in 2002 to encourage Florida artists to be at the forefront of a renaissance of Judaic art and design, enrich and enhance ritual celebration of Jewish holidays with contemporary designs and help expand the Museum's collection. Previous competitions have been for the design and production of a seder plate, tzedakah box, challah tray or cover and Chanukah menorah.

This year's competition challenges Florida artists to create an original Mezuzah case expressly for this contest. First prize is $1,800; second is $750; and third prize is $500. Entry deadline: March 27, 2009 at 5:00 pm.

Mezuzah is the Hebrew term meaning "doorpost." In the book of Deuteronomy, G-d exhorts the Jewish people to write his commandments upon the doorposts of their houses and gates. The mezuzah is a public declaration of Jewish identity and serves as a constant reminder that G-d is in your thoughts at all times. It is customary to kiss your fingers and touch the mezuzah every time you pass through the door.