ALMA | LEWIS is delighted to announce the arrival of its Spring/Summer Artists in Residence, Stephen Towns and María de los Angeles Rodríguez Jiménez. The 3-month residency period begins on May 1, 2024. In an exciting development, for the first time, ALMA | LEWIS has expanded its facilities to accommodate both artists simultaneously, providing dedicated spaces for their creative endeavors. To celebrate the commencement of their residency, ALMA | LEWIS will host an open house on Tuesday, May 28, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. This event offers an opportunity for the public to engage with the artists ..read more

By Quincey Arrington When Faith Ringgold is one of the earliest lessons you have ever learned, everyday African life in the U.S. or anywhere else can be a freedom unto flying. Ringgold passed over to the ancestor realm at the age of 93, leaving a legacy. We, the African American children she helped raise, had her longer than we had most, but it seems not long enough. Not because we do not wish her rest, but because there is a lithesome audacity in our gut that her work gave, which will miss its catalyst.  My first introduction to Ringgold was through her book Tar Beach (1990). In it, a yo ..read more

a divination of enjoyment: extended play (EP) vol. 3 In recent years, the Government of Ghana and its Tourism Authority launched a campaign to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Va.. “The ‘Year of Return,” as it was coined, aimed to deepen the connection between Ghana and the diaspora while boosting local trade and tourism. It was launched in 2019, followed by a second edition called “Beyond the Return” in 2020. This massive campaign quickly propelled Ghana onto the global stage as a premier destination in West Africa, a reputation it ..read more

While some of the most notable events that have taken place recently have been detailed here to bring you up to speed with what is happening, the best part of the highlight on This Week in African and Art and Culture is the event recommendations. Depending on where in the world you reside , there just might be something for you to explore … Yinka Shonibare’s Suspended States Opens at Serpentine Gallery  Yinka Shonibare CBE | Suspended States | 2024 | Installation view, Serpentine South © Yinka Shonibare CBE 2024 | Photo: © Jo Underhill | Courtesy Yinka Shonibare CBE and Serpentine At Serp ..read more

Above: Jean Davis Not, #@L-111-024_No more my _ awd, 2023, Acrylic and silkscreen printing on canvas, 170 x 200 cm. Courtesy of AFIKARIS Gallery. 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair is pleased to share the details of the 2024 fair. This year’s edition will take place in The Starrett-Lehigh Building in Chelsea (255 11th Avenue)from Wednesday, May 1 to Saturday, May 4, 2024. The fair will host a Press Preview from 2-7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1 and VIP Preview from 11a.m.–7p.m. on Thursday, May 2. Held annually across three continents, in the major cities of London, New York and Marrakech, 1-54 is ..read more

Repairs and restoration work continue after a 2020 flood caused more than $500,000 in damage to the historic landmark building of the Marian Anderson Museum & Historical Society. The Society’s building was the home of Marian Anderson, the iconic contralto singer who performed a wide-range of music, from opera to spirituals, from 1924-1965. In spite of losing the use of their historic building and access to its incredible collection of artifacts belonging to the famous singer while undergoing years of repairs, the Marian Anderson Museum & Historical Society has continued its work for th ..read more

Walk through life Beautiful more than anything Stand in the sunlight Walk through life Love all the things That make you strong, Be lovers, be anything For all the people of Earth -Amiri Baraka Every generation has to grapple with the question, what kind of world do I want to live in. Aeronautics and astronautics physicist-turned-multidisciplinary-artist Autumn Breon creates immersive experiences that disrupt our collective ambivalence about oppressive systems. Her practice is a bold, critical fabulation that asserts Black culture with a vantage that surpasses the spectacle of exploitative ste ..read more

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (@arshtcenter) is proud to present THE FORGOTTEN FOUNDING FATHERS written and produced by hip-hop legend Karl “Dice Raw” Jenkins (@DiceRaw), a frequent collaborator with hip-hop mega group and “The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon” co-stars, The Roots, as part of the Center’s Family Fun Live! Series. THE FORGOTTEN FOUNDING FATHERS will be presented on April 20, 2024 at 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and April 21, 2024 at 3 p.m. inside the Center’s intimate Carnival Studio Theater. Tickets for THE FORGO ..read more

Above: Sheria Irving and Gabriel Ebert in rehearsal for the New York premiere of Sally & Tom, written by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, at The Public Theater. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus.  The Public Theater (Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director and Patrick Willingham, Executive Director) begins previews for the New York premiere of SALLY & TOM, a bold new dramedy written by Pulitzer Prize winner and Public Theater Writer-in-Residence Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, with a Joseph Papp Free Performance on Thursday, M ..read more

Dear Friends,  This week, I am quite pleased with our compilation as it brings highlights that continue to reflect our growth across the various cultural spaces in Africa. I am drawn particularly to the news of a 31-year-old artist smashing records in the auctions who consistently has been a trailblazer for sevenyears now. Speaking of consistency, there is also a Congolese author who seemingly and effortlessly keeps racking these prizes. I use the word effortless because it is easy to enjoy his writing—particularly ..read more