Friends of the Vision Theatre

09/17/2019

Mark Bradford: The "60 Minutes" interview

Mark Bradford: The "60 Minutes" interview

Anderson Cooper profiles the artist who tackles complex social and political issues through abstract works.

07/26/2019

Central Avenue Historic District

Central Avenue Historic District

The Best Jazz Festival in Southern California!

07/14/2019

Central Avenue Historic District

Central Avenue Historic District

Don't Miss It!

06/13/2019

Free Community WiFi on Central Avenue | Get Ready for the Central Avenue Jazz Festival!

Free Community WiFi on Central Avenue | Get Ready for the Central Avenue Jazz Festival!

ATTENTION! Its that time of the Year again, The 24th Annual Central Venue Jazz Festival is approaching. Click here to register for your tickets ! R...

05/08/2019

Join us TODAY for a dynamic presentation in our Dymally Distinguished Speaker Series, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, on "Intergenerational Racism in the Era of Trump," TODAY, 4:00-6:00 p.m. on the campus of CSUDH, Loker Student Union, Ballroom A/B. Hope to see you there. This event is FREE to the public.

04/23/2019

THIS Saturday, join us for International Jazz at its finest. The Dymally International Jazz and Arts Festival, at Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly StubHub Center) on the campus of CSUDH. Buy NOW at www.AXS.com. Tickets are $55-$90. Prices go UP the day of the event. Don't miss this fantastic lineup. #DymallyFest #InternationalJazzDay2019

03/22/2019

Culture promoting THOUGHT. Join us in April 27th for the inaugural DYMALLY International Jazz & Arts Festival at the Dignity Sports Park (formerly StubHub Center) on the beautiful campus of California State University Dominguez Hills. Tickets available now at AXS.com. Get them today.

11/20/2018

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes

Great @latimes article on our new #LAPlazaCocina #Mexican Food Museum, opening Spring 2019!

10/05/2018

The World Stage Art, Education & Performance Gallery

More great shows through the end of the year!

08/10/2018

Friends of the Vision Theatre's cover photo

08/09/2018

Friends of the Vision Theatre's cover photo

07/28/2018

SPECIAL EDITION PUBLICATION! Weekend Events: Central Avenue Jazz Festival - "Billie! Backstage with Lady Day" Plus the Central Avenue Historic Tour

SPECIAL EDITION PUBLICATION! Weekend Events: Central Avenue Jazz Festival - "Billie! Backstage with Lady Day" Plus the Central Avenue Historic Tour

Click Here to View our Special Edition Publication for Festival Events Reserve Your Free Billie! and Tour Seats Now! Central Avenue Historic Busines...

07/27/2018

Central Avenue Historic District

Central Avenue Historic District

The Historic Tour will include an onsite preview of the Paul Williams' designed Second Baptist Church, the African American Firefighters Museum lead by African American Firefighters dressed in 20th Century uniforms and a FIRST EVER tour of the famous Lincoln Theatre (Apollo of the West).

All events are Free! Billie! and tour seating is limited.

Thank you for your support!

Sherri

06/22/2018

This Weekend in Leimert Park Village! Festival of Masks | Art Walk | Cannabis Salon | Senga Nengudi Exhibit @ Art and Practice

This Weekend in Leimert Park Village! Festival of Masks | Art Walk | Cannabis Salon | Senga Nengudi Exhibit @ Art and Practice

LA Commons will host its 8th Annual Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks in Leimert Park, the African American cultural hub of Los Angeles. This ye...

06/18/2018

Hundreds celebrate Juneteenth in Leimert Park for a day of fun and remembrance

Hundreds celebrate Juneteenth in Leimert Park for a day of fun and remembrance

Hundreds gather for Juneteenth celebration in Leimert Park

06/18/2018

This WEEK in LPV - Savage Queen | Nina Simone Tribute | Festival of Masks | Art Walk | Cannabis Salon

This WEEK in LPV - Savage Queen | Nina Simone Tribute | Festival of Masks | Art Walk | Cannabis Salon

Hello Friends of the Vision Theatre and the Leimert Park Village Campus! Plan to join us on Monday, June 18th, at 7:00 pm as we wind up the 5th Annua...

06/16/2018

The Weekend in Leimert Park Village!

The Weekend in Leimert Park Village!

Hello friends: I'm writing to personally invite you to Day of the Ancestors: Festival of Masks on June 24 beginning with a free mask workshop at 1...

06/09/2018

Group Deal = Complimentary Refreshments

Tribute to Cannonball Adderley and Nancy Wilson

Great Group Deal Get 15 or more tickets to a concert and each ticket is only $15. That's a $10 savings per ticket! Group Deal Benefits: ▪ Fundrai...

06/05/2018

Wednesday Night Jazz Cool Down - Kicks off June 6!

Wednesday Night Jazz Cool Down - Kicks off June 6!

GOOD CAUSE, GREAT MUSIC GET TICKETS NOW...

02/20/2018

First black mayor, Fatburger founder: These are some snapshots from L.A.’s black history

Los Angeles Black History!

Black History Month tends to focus on national figures of change, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Less is known about the African American civil rights pioneers who have made a difference in Southern California. Los Angeles — a mosaic of distinct communities and cultures — has ha...

08/31/2017

Part of the Quartet of Stories, this personal tale is of the Native American Community. Don’t miss Preston Arrow-weed’s "Horse Hair and the Frog" TODAY, 6pm at Vision Theatre.

08/31/2017

Discover the black warrior queen, namesake of the Golden State. See Myth, Legend, History of Calafia. Part of our Quartet of Stories at the Leimert Park Theater Fest TODAY 6pm at Vision Theatre

08/28/2017

The Festival of Staged Readings resumes on Thursday, Aug 31st with the "Quartet of Stories", starting 7pm at Vision Theatre. Don't miss it!!

08/27/2017

Rap, rhythm, and rhyme make perfect time in "Hopera" at the Leimert Park Theater Fest. TODAY Aug. 27, 3pm at Regency West tickets $10

08/26/2017

Timewarp: Hillary & Monica meet to settle beef before the scandal breaks-what happens next? Find out at the Leimert Park Theater Fest Aug 26, 8pm at Regency West!

08/24/2017

Come to the opening performance of the festival, “Sam Cooke Revue” Aug 24, 7:30pm at Regency West

08/24/2017

Reserve your tickets in advance! Call (323)290-2386

Take advantage of our special group purchasing package:
10-25 people: $7.50 each

08/24/2017

Come to The Vision Theatre Festival of Staged Readings opening TODAY! Experience over 16 Staged Plays of new and established works, and a Q&A session with the Director, Playwrights, and Artists following most productions!

08/16/2017

Leimert Park Village

Leimert Park Village

Unique Vendors Wanted for the LPV African Arts & Music Festival!

Saturday September 3-Sunday September 4, 2017 at the Leimert Park Village Unity Festival

08/06/2017

Leimert Park Village

Join Us for the Leimert Park Village/Crenshaw Corridor
Stakeholder’s Meeting @ The Vision Theatre !

Monday August 7, 2017
10:00 am-12:00 pm

All community members welcome and encouraged to bring
key issues to the table that will help assess and implement
the 20/20 Vision Initiative objectives.

Visit www.leimertparkvillage.org for more community updates!

08/05/2017

Free Event TONIGHT!!!

Filmmobile Presents: Race & Space V: Women of the LA Rebellion
Hosted by: KAOS Network & Echo Park Film Center
Project made possible by California Humanities www.calhum.org

6:30PM Discussion @ KAOS Network
8:00PM Movies Outside

short films by Ijeoma Iloputaife, Barbara McCullough, Alile Sharon Larkin and Storme (Bright) Sweet.

The film focuses on the women filmmakers a part of “LA Rebellion”, a group of filmmakers reminiscent of the revolutionary African and African American students that entered UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television beginning in the late 1960s, recruited under a concerted initiative by C.Z. Wilson to be more responsive to the issues faced by various communities of color.

07/22/2017

Leimert Park Village

Wednesday Night Jazz Cool Down

Get Tickets Now: http://www.parksideedc.org/events/wednesdaynightjazzcooldown/

07/17/2017

Leimert Park Village

Join LA Commons For An Evening Reception!

​Bring a guest and join us at a summer soiree in the beautiful Elizabeth and W. Thomas Davis courtyard at the Fowler Museum at UCLA

TAKE A SPECIAL TOUR OF THE FOWLER’S DYNAMIC SHOW AFRICAN-PRINT FASHION NOW!

TASTE FOOD AND DRINK FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT WHILE LISTENING TO COOL AFRICAN BEATS PURCHASE STYLISH, MODERN DESIGNS TO BENEFIT LA COMMONS PROGRAMS BUILDING YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THROUGH ART

Your Hosts:
LA COMMONS, GREATER LOS ANGELES AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UCLA BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND THE FOWLER MUSEUM AT UCLA

JULY 22, 2017
5:00 - 8:00 PM

FOR MORE INFO AND TO RSVP: [email protected]

07/17/2017

Leimert Park Village

Join LA Commons For An Evening Reception!

​Bring a guest and join us at a summer soiree in the beautiful Elizabeth and W. Thomas Davis courtyard at the Fowler Museum at UCLA

TAKE A SPECIAL TOUR OF THE FOWLER’S DYNAMIC SHOW AFRICAN-PRINT FASHION NOW!

TASTE FOOD AND DRINK FROM ACROSS THE CONTINENT WHILE LISTENING TO COOL AFRICAN BEATS PURCHASE STYLISH, MODERN DESIGNS TO BENEFIT LA COMMONS PROGRAMS BUILDING YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS THROUGH ART

Your Hosts:
LA COMMONS, GREATER LOS ANGELES AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, UCLA BLACK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND THE FOWLER MUSEUM AT UCLA

JULY 22, 2017
5:00 - 8:00 PM

FOR MORE INFO AND TO RSVP: [email protected]

06/21/2017

Art Walk and Festival of Masks This Sunday June 25th! Free Salsa on Friday!

Art Walk and Festival of Masks This Sunday June 25th! Free Salsa on Friday!

Black Speculative Arts Movement host traveling afrofuturism and comic book convention in LPV!

06/21/2017

Leimert Park Village

Leimert Park Village Art Walk!
This Sunday! June 25, 2017!

Black Speculative Arts Movement is honored to be hosting our traveling afrofuturism and comic book convention at the historical Leimert Village in Los Angeles this June. BSAM will be held in multiple spaces at the village, including The Vision Theatre, KAOS Network, and Leimert Park People's Street. The convention will be the official Leimert Park Art Walk/ Mask Festival co-produce by LA COMMONS for the month of June, as well as their official 8 year anniversary celebration .

Although we mostly focus on afrofuturism at our other events, BSAM L.A. is excited to focus primarily on film. The convention will include MECCAcon International Film Festival, QnA from multiple filmmakers and actors, workshops, and more. Our main films will be showcased at night at People's Street park. Black Speculative Arts Movement, aka BSAM, is a monthly Afrofuturism, black comics, film, and arts convention held at multiple colleges, universities, museums, and other venues across the United States, Canada, and abroad.

Our annual conventions, co-founded by associate professor and chair of the Humanities department at Harris-Stowe State University, Dr. Reynaldo Anderson, and founder of Midwest Ethnic Convention for Comics and Arts - MECCA, Maia Crown Williams, will include vending from a vast amount of comics, art, and artisan creators and vendors, live performances, a full international film festival via MECCAcon, seminars, classes, hand on workshops, plays, and much more. Students are also welcome to submit proposals to participate as well.

PARTICIPANTS FOR L.A. INCLUDE::

Denys Cowan
Derek Dow
Nalo Hopkinson
Jackie J Stone
Carl Jones
Erika Alexander
Zo!
NIkkolas Smith
Pochino Press
Paul Lewin
Pavi Prasad
Underground Resistance (UR)
Evita Castine
Hannibal Tabu
Xavier l Burgin
Shawna Mills
kris ex (Christian Fabien)
Eric Dean Seaton
Ka’ramuu Kush
Korstiaan Vandiver
Cornelius Harris
Jason Reeves
Supersikh Comics
Onyi Udeh
Yajaira De La Espada
Solomon Onita Jr
Donnie and Eric Seals
Will Focus
Nay Marie
Reynaldo Anderson
Maia “Crown” Williams
Obi Udeh
Ajani Brown
Steven Barnes
Keithan Jones
Tony Puryear
Tanai Walker
V.R. McCoy
Marqueeda LaStar
Myshell Tabu
Marcel Williams
Zeal Harris
Ronda Brown

and MORE!

ACTIVITIES INCLUDE::

MECCAcon INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
AFRICAN DRUMMING CIRCLE
BLACK SPECULATIVE ARTS MOVEMENT panel
MECCAcon IFF ANIMATION panel
MECCAcon IFF HOLLYWOOD panel
CONCRETE PARK presentation
UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE presentation
THE AFROFUTURIST HUMANITARIAN lecture
BACK2BLACK: ACCURACY vs ACCEPTANCE IN TODAY'S COMICS panel
MEDIA OF THE FUTURE panel
BLACK PUBLISHERS panel
RED ORIGINS workshop/ presentation
SEARCHING FOR WALTER'S LEGACY lecture
ANCESTRAL MASK FESTIVAL
INTERGENERATIONAL WOMEN'S TALK
And more!

Afrofuturism and astro blackness have been practiced in our community for years, especially thru literature, visual arts, and music. Artists like Sun Ra, Octavia Butler, Basquiat, Fela Kuti, George Clinton, John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Samuel Delaney, Jimi Hendrix, Paschal B. Randolph, Toni Morrison, Amiri Baraka, Tananarive Due, and the ZULU NATION are excellent examples..

Links:

http://BSAMla2017.eventbrite.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1250685465000220/
http://blackspeculativeartsmovement.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/blackspeculativeartsmovement
http://MECCAcon.wordpress.com/INDIEFILMFEST

--------

OFFICIAL BSAM L.A. 2017 SCHEDULE ::

10A SCREENWRITING workshop - Steven Barnes
10a RED ORIGINS (childrens’ animation/cartoons)

11A EFF: DIGITAL SECURITY FOR ARTISTS & ACTIVISTS
11A 10A SUPERHERO 101: youth art workshop w/ MADTWIINZ (Blokhedz)
11A SEARCHING FOR WALTER DEAN MEYR’S LEGACY: Yajaira De La Espada

12P MEDIA OF THE FUTURE panel- kris ex, Marqueeda LaStar, Ajani Brown, Marcel Williams, moderated by Tre’vell Anderson
12P ARTISTS ON MINING STARDUST FOR THE ANCESTORS - Pavithra Prasad, Zeal Harris, Ronda Brown
12P LATINX FUTURISMO panel- Jess Castillo (Third Press), Sarah Rafael García (Barrio Writers and LibroMobile), Gustavo Alberto Garcia Vaca (chamavision), Norman Zalaya (Pochino Press). Moderator: Daniel D. Zarazua (Pochino Press)

1P-3P (outside)
BLESSING OF THE PARK/ AFRICAN DRUMMING PROCESSIONAL
ANCESTRIAL MASK FESTIVAL - LPV PEOPLE’S STREET
AYO'S INTERGENERATIONAL WOMENS TALK - KAOS
SANKOFA CITY: LEIMERT PARK film w/ Ben Caldwell (Vision Theatre)

3P MECCAcon BLACK HOLLYWOOD panel - Erika Alexander, Eric Dean Seaton, Tony Isabella, Myshell Tabu, Richard Gant
3P AFROFUTURISM 2.0: Reynaldo Anderson, Tiffany Barber, Duane Deterville, Nalo Hopkinson, Ricardo Guthrie, Ajani Brown
3P UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE presentation w/ DJ Dan Z, DJ Dex Nomadico

4P BACK2BLACK panel - Denys Cowan, Nikkolas Smith, Jason Reeves, Erika Alexander, Keithan Jones, Shawna Mills, moderated by Hannibal Tabu.
4P THE AFROFUTURIST HUMANITARIAN lecture: Yajaira De La Espada

5P CONCRETE PARK presentation
5P MECCAcon BLACK ANIMATION panel - Denys Cowan, Carl Jones, Shawna Mills, Onyi/Obi Udeh, Mike/Mark Davis aka MADTWiiNZ. Moderated by Maia CROWN Williams.

6P MECCAcon SHORT FILM panel - Korstiaan Vandiver, Evita Castine, Jackie J.J. Stone, Xavier L Burgin, Derek Dow, Solomon Kieta, Jr. Moderated by Maia CROWN Williams
6P BATTLEDREAM CHRONICLE film ( inside Kaos Network) - Alain Bidard

6P STEVIE MACK VARIETY SHOW (inside Kaos Network)

#MECCAconIFF2017 Film Festival : outdoors!
Bring a blanket, lawn chair, etc!

8p THE BIG CHOP film - Derek Dow, QnA
9p ON TIME film - Xavier Burgin, QnA
10p SKYBREAK (Zo!) film - QnA w/ Zo!, Donnie & Eric Seals

More details to come, including room assignments, etc!

If interested in purchasing a vending table, performing, exhibiting, paneling, holding a workshop, volunteering, serving as press, etc, please contact BSAM co-founder, Maia Crown Williams at
[email protected], 3134510297.

Vending spaces are limited.

Official illustration by TheOneWillFocus.
Will Focus is also available for commission.

05/08/2017

The Hunted

The world has to do more. Thank you Yrneh for constantly bringing Albinism to our attention with your work and artistic vision.

In parts of southern Africa, people with albinism are killed or sold by traffickers.

02/05/2017

First black mayor, Fatburger founder: These are some snapshots from L.A.’s black history

First black mayor, Fatburger founder: These are some snapshots from L.A.’s black history

Black History Month tends to focus on national figures of change, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. Less is known about the African American civil rights pioneers who have made a difference in Southern California. Los Angeles — a mosaic of distinct communities and cultures — has had it...

01/15/2017

Curren D. Price, Jr.

Please join us this Monday at the #MartinLutherKingJr Freedom Fest hosted by Councilmember's Herb J. Wesson Jr., Marqueece Harris-Dawson, and myself.

Free Live Music and Art Installations

January 16th, 2017 from 11am - 5pm
At Leimert Park Village

California Community Foundation
#TheCaliforniaWellnessFoundation
Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles
#LoveTrumpsHate

#SpanishTranslation
Estan invitados este lunes al #MartinLutherKingJr Fiesta de Libertad organizado por los Consejales Herb J. Wesson Jr., Marqueece Harris-Dawson, y yo.

16 de Enero, 2017 de 11am a 5pm

#ElAmorSobreElOdio #AmorLeGanaATrompas

01/06/2017

Leimert Park Village

Leimert Park Village

Leimert Park Village 20|20 Vision 2017 Charrette
Saturday, January 7th @ 9:00 am

Agenda: ECWANDC Town Hall Briefing, African American Cultural & Convention Center NOMA Student Design Competition, "Taking Care of Our Own" Homeless Campaign, Vision for Leimert Park Village and Programming Our People's Street

01/06/2017

Los Angeles Streetsblog

Los Angeles Streetsblog

Leimert Park Village will hold its third design charrette this Saturday. Participants will hear about ongoing efforts to implement the area's unique 20/20 Vision Initiative (created to harness the change they anticipate the Crenshaw Line will bring) and vote on designs for the African American Cultural Museum and Community Center the stakeholders hope to see built on a parking lot behind the Vision Theatre.
http://la.streetsblog.org/2017/01/05/leimert-park-village-hosts-third-design-charrette-saturday/

01/04/2017

Leimert Park Village

Leimert Park Village

Check out the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) 2016 Student Design Competition Submittals for the Leimert Park Village African American Cultural & Convention Center proposed for the Vision Theatre back lot! There were submissions from 20 universities!

We will vote for the best design concepts during the Leimert Park Village 20|20 Vision Initiative Charrette taking place on Saturday, January 7th @ the Vision Theatre - 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.