African-American Arts Festival, Feb. 11-18
February 11, 2014
Contact: University Relations
Phone: 410.837.5739
In recognition of Black History Month, the University of Baltimore will host its sixth annual African-American Arts Festival, Feb. 11-13, featuring singer/songwriter QueenEarth, a variety show with a broad range of music genres, and the spoken word poetry of Gayle Danley. The festival is co-sponsored by Spotlight UB, the UB Diversity and Culture Center, and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences. Most events will be held in the Wright Theater in the UB Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave.
On Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m., the Love-In14 Variety Show will kick off the festival with a range of musical servings, including the Tammi's (disco/soul), the BGVs (R&B), Miss Della Kitt (Afro-Cuban with belly dancing), Amirror (psychedelic soul) and Abdu Ali (banjee). Host Heather Brooks of the Tammi's will lead the audience through the musical journey. Tickets are $5 for general audience.
The 2014 festival continues on Monday, Feb. 17 at 7 p.m., with the powerful work of slam poet extraordinaire Gayle Danley. (Note: This event was rescheduled from Feb. 13 due to the inclement weather.) Danley won the 1994 National Individual Slam Poet award and the 1996 International Slam Poet Championship. She tours her one-woman show, Brilliance, and teaches workshops and gives lectures. She was last on the Wright stage as part of the 2012 African American Arts Festival. Co-sponsored with the College of Arts and Sciences, Danley's performance is free to the public.
QueenEarth first graced the Spotlight UB stage at the inaugural Across Words event and kicked off both 2012 and 2013 African American Arts Festivals. She is a singer/songwriter, guitarist, emcee, and beatboxer who released a solo EP, Introducing ... QueenEarth, which serves as a preview of her full-length debut, Adult Contemporary. On Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m., QueenEarth will join her friends, blues artist Quinton Randall and singer/songwriter Hollywood Infinite, in the Wright Theater for an evening concert. She will present a free acoustic performance on the second floor of UB's Student Center on Wednesday, Feb. 12. (Note: The event portion of Queen Earth's program was postponed from Feb. 12 due to the inclement weather.) Tickets for the evening concert are $5 general audience. Between sets, QueenEarth will open the mic to the audience.
These events, as with most Spotlight UB events, take place at the Wright Theater, located at 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. Reduced rate parking is available on event nights at the Fitzgerald Garage on Oliver Street; a voucher will be provided at the box office, and the UB shuttle is available to transport patrons between the venue and the garage.
Complete details about the Spotlight UB 2014 season are available here. For more information, send an e-mail to spotlightub@ubalt.edu.
The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.