◊ A Gathering of the Tribes 

 A Gathering of the Tribes is an arts and cultural organization dedicated to excellence in the arts from a diverse perspective. Located on the Lower East Side of New York City, Tribes has been in existence since 1991. In that year, Steve Cannon, poet, playwright, novelist, and retired professor from the City University of New York, converted a portion of his apartment into an informal salon. Despite his loss of eyesight to glaucoma, he encouraged the exchange of alternative points of view traditionally overlooked by mainstream media. The ideas raised in the discussions served as inspiration to the pieces later published in A Gathering of the Tribes Magazine. In 1993, a further transformation of the space by Dora Espinoza, a Peruvian photographer, produced Tribes Gallery. Since then, Tribes has evolved into a performance venue and meeting place for artists and audiences to come together across all artistic disciplines, all levels of complexity, and all definitions of difference. In this pan-disciplinary, multi-cultural environment, artists exchange ideas, create peer relationships and find mentorship. Through Tribes’ publications, readers encounter a unique synthesis of literature, visual art, criticism and interviews with promising artists of all kinds. In an attempt to attract a wider audience for these artists, Tribes additionally organizes an annual outdoor event — The Charlie Parker Festival — to engage members of the community who have seldom, if ever, attended literary or artistic events.

For more info on the Charlie Parker Festival, go to http://www.tribes.org/web/2008/08/07/15th-charlie-parker-festival-2008/

Tribes reflects and celebrates the fluidity and diversity of contemporary society. Tribes’ audience comprises every possible ethnic group, age group, religion and income level. The artists Tribes serves are similarly diverse. Tribes not only serves various communities, it actually creates a community. Artists bring their own audiences to Tribes for their events, where they meet and interact with Tribes’ larger audience.

www.tribes.org 

◊ of note – celebrating people of color in the arts

of note is a premiere online destination for event features, editorials, reviews, artist profiles, and public commentary celebrating people of color in the arts. The artists and artistic works presented by of note demonstrate a commitment to global citizenship and social change.

Through its email magazine, of note connects with over 3,000 subscribers with a passion for celebrating people of color in the arts—a community that continues to grow rapidly. of note is quickly emerging as an influential source for those committed to a “diverse, socially conscious, cultural life.”

To feature an event, performance, or artistic work, contact Grace Ali, Founder & Director, at

grace.ali@ofnotemagazine.org.

www.ofnotemagazine.org 

◊ Open Music Circle

 The Open Music Circle is a gathering place for acoustic improv musicians, vocalists, and also dancers. We have been meeting regularly since 2004 on the second and fourth Sunday, from 8 to 10 PM, at the New York Insight Meditation Center, 28 West 27th Street, 10th Floor. All acoustic musicians, vocalists, and dancers are welcome to attend. We have no musical or other agenda and no director. Each gathering is an exploration and an adventure. We start in silence, someone begins, then paying attention to each other, we each vocalize or move accordingly, and finally we end with silence. Now and then we may try exercises to improve our skills. Dancers and musicians interact with and respond freely to each other. Some participants have discovered useful things about themselves or their playing, singing, or dancing at a Circle and others have found their experience to be similar to a spiritual practice. We usually have fun, and occasionally something miraculous happens.

For more information see www.myspace.com/openmusiccircle

◊ Transcultural Exchange


TransCultural Exchange is an award winning 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to promoting international art and the understanding of world cultures, through high quality art exhibitions, cultural exchanges and educational programs at our home base in Boston and throughout the world. Incorporated in 2002, the organization has already received awards from such organizations as the International Art Critics Association and support from such respected world organizations as UNESCO, the State Department’s Art in Embassies Program, and the Asian Cultural Council, the Open Society Intitiative, Massachusetts Cultural Council and the LEF Foundation among others.

www.transculturalexchange.org