Music's many forms and traditions infuse Eugene. A sampling of Fal 2010 projects, which are assisted by Community Arts Grants, shows the range of evocative expressions offered this year. Partake in the musical life of your community!
o Eugene Arte Latino, which promotes artisans and musicians from Mexican and Latin American cultural traditions, presents the singer songwriter Mauricio Diaz on Friday, October 1, in concert at Roosevelt Middle School. Doors at 7, concert 7:30, $5. Mr. Diaz has composed more than 300 songs and recorded 10 albums, with samplings on YouTube. Eugene Arte Latino is on MySpace.
o Eugene Peace Choir's season includes CALC events, peace demonstrations, a benefit for the Winimum-Wintu Indians, Martin Luther King events, and appearances to aid social justice and environmental groups. Rehearsals are every Monday, 7-9 pm. www.eugenepeacechoir.com
o Blues in the Schools helps bring blues music into schools and organizes BluesOut, Oregon's only Under 21 Blues Jam, every first Saturday (next is October 2) at the Lesson Factory, 4-6 pm. Info at The Rainy Day Blues Society's website and Facebook pages.
o Cherry Blossom Musical Arts presents two "Art Music Live in the 21st Century" concerts. On November 5, at Eugene's Central Lutheran Church, world premiere of "Thy Distant Fire: An Edgar Allen Poe Songbook" by Derek Healey and the music of Portland based Czech-American composer Tomas Svoboda performed by The Oregon Brass Quintet. The second concert is February 10, 2011. www.cblossom.org
These are four of 24 Eugene arts projects to receive support from Lane Arts Council's 2010-2011 Community Arts Grants. Six community arts organizations and 24 arts projects in the Eugene area were awarded $49,231 in grants for the arts year beginning July 2010.
Supported through a partnership with the Cultural Services Division of the City of Eugene, the grants help ensure diverse and accessible arts opportunities and experiences for Eugene artists, audiences, and other participants.
Fall 2010 opened with a Fierce Tenderness of diverse arts opportunities.
This sampling of Eugene-area arts endeavors are all projects supported by Community Arts grants:
o Cirque-Elation, a DanceAbility workshop series and performance begins its five classes, every other Saturday, 3-5 pm, on September 11 at Midtown Arts Center. Performance Concert is November 20. Led by Celeste Peterson and Emery Blackwell, Principal Dancer for DanceAbility International, pictured together below. www.danceability.com
o M.E.C.C.A presents 2nd Annual Object Afterlife Art Challenge Exhibit opening First Friday September 3, through the 25th, at 449 Willamette. This challenge is a chance for artists to brave a new approach in their creative process while participating in an awareness-raising community event. M.E.C.C.A. (Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts) is a non-profit organization based in downtown Eugene, www.materials-exchange.org (Skull image artwork, below, by Judd Turner.)
o The Windfall Reading Series, begins its literary year on Tuesday, September 21, 5:30 p.m., at Eugene Public Library. Jennifer Richter and Carlos Reyes begin the monthly series with Fierce Tenderness - " strong, lucid poems that strike directly through the ear to the heart." What more could we ask of art? www.laneliteraryguild.org
o Eugene Taiko offers Introduction to Taiko classes for the community. The 6-week class begins Tuesday, October 5, 6-8 p.m. History of Taiko, the basics of playing and song. www.eugenetaiko.com
