Get Involved in the Festival 

• Registration Launching Now! We're delighted to announce that Festival registration is available online now.  Please take a look at our website at this link and start planning now!  Early bird registration ends May 13.   
• Call for Visual Artists - Are you a visual artist or involved in a visual arts collective?  We are actively seeking submissions for installations - due April 15. Click here.
• Call for Artists Marketplace - The Artist Market will offer spaces for original artists and craft vendors. All chosen through a jury process. Deadline for submissions is April 18.  Click here. 

Art, Culture, and Creativity: A National Learning Exchange  

In preparation for ROOTS Fest 2011 and the National Learning Exchange, a dedicated team recently gathered Baltimore for the National Learning Exchange Retreat. The collaborative efforts of Culture Works and Alternate ROOTS came together February 25-26 on the campus of Coppin State University. This time was utilized as an open discussion to communicate the frame, goals and objectives of the National Learning Exchange to be held June 22-24 (the first half of the Festival).   

It was fascinating to hear the stories and the history behind the festival site, The Highway to Nowhere. A community comes together after two and a half generations are torn apart and divided by an abandoned building project. They come together with one voice, one message: to stand up and make a change in their community through art activism.

With Flip cameras in hand, we captured here some clips of the many vibrant discussions that took place over the course of those two days. The retreat was a great brainstorming and collaborative tool, and we want these video clips to get you thinking about what you will bring to and take away from the National Learning Exchange in June.

We look forward to seeing you there! ROOTS Fest 2011: Many Communities, One Voice; June 22-26, Baltimore, MD!

The RSC Corner

What is RSC? Why all the mystery? How do I join the conversation? The good news is that these questions are easy to answer and the Resources for Social Change Innovation Ensemble is dedicating this year to demystifying itself and intentionally reaching out to all of ROOTS membership. [read more]

Additionally, we introduce Trey Hartt as the new RSC Coordinator.  Trey is an artist, activist, organizer, and administrator. A multi-tasker, he provides services to two organizations in Richmond. Trey works primarily as the Director of Development & Community Partnerships with The Conciliation Project (TCP), a social justice theatre nonprofit whose mission is to promote dialogue on Racism in America. Started in 2001, TCP has presented original works of theatre that interrogate oppression and injustice all across America from Seattle to Richmond and even abroad in South Africa. Trey helped kick-start the resurgence of the company after TCP moved from Seattle to Richmond in 2005 helping grow the company from producing one play a year to now year-round, monthly programming. For more on TCP visit www.theconciliationproject.org. [read more]