The Central District Forum for Arts
& Ideas Presents Black to the Future: A Black Science
Fiction Festival
The Central District Forum for Arts
& Ideas presents Black to the Future: A Black Science
Fiction Festival, June 11-13, 2004 in Seattle, WA. Black
to the Future is a groundbreaking 3-day multidisciplinary
festival featuring some of the nation’s most accomplished
science fiction novelists, essayists and artists including
Charles Johnson, Octavia Butler, Tananarive Due, Steven
Barnes, Walter Mosley and sound artist Beth Coleman. Tickets
are on sale now at www.brownpapertickets.com.
This festival, the first of its kind, will feature:
- An Opening Night Premiere Performance and Reception
- The opening of Black to the Future will include the
premiere of a theatrical piece which celebrates blacks
in speculative fiction through a compilation of text,
movement, music, African dance, song and . . space adventure!
June 11th at 7:00 PM at the Seattle Repertory Theatre’s
Leo K. Theatre.
- A black sci-fi book store and resource room, panel discussions,
artist interviews, book signings and much more (visit
www.cdforum.org/bttf for detailed information)!
- The U.S. debut of international artist Beth Coleman’s
“Theory of Messages” - Originally commissioned
by the controversial British painter Chris Ofili for his
2003 Venice Biennale exhibition, the presentation is an
electronic text reading of one of Coleman’s speculative
fiction texts in combination with the live accompaniment
of an ambient electronic music composition.
- A Black Science Fiction Film Festival - The film festival
will include feature films, documentaries, shorts and
animation.
Black to the Future will offer audiences exposure to
some of the nation’s leading artists inspired by
science fiction, provide outstanding Black writers and
artists with a prominent showcase for their talents and
the rare opportunity to engage in stimulating fellowship
with their peers and will foster civic dialog with and
the engagement of youth.
Black to the Future’s goals correspond with the
CD Forum’s ongoing mission to offer progressive
programs that encourage thought and debate on the role
of African-American culture. The festival will help to
shed light on the often overlooked role that Blacks have
played in shaping science fiction.
The Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas is a
non-profit organization that advocates and promotes greater
awareness of African-Americans in the arts, humanities,
sciences and public affairs. We offer a glimpse into the
lives and accomplishments of African-Americans contributing
to the vibrancy of contemporary American thought.
For more information about the festival, contact Stephanie
Ellis-Smith or Denee McCloud at (206) 323-4032 or by email
at info@cdforum.org. |
