Black Women’s Arts Festival Newsletter 04 February 4, 2012

1) GREETINGS
2) PARTNERSHIP WITH MOONSTONE
3) BWAF PLANS OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA
4) SUPPORT THE BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL
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1) GREETINGS
Greetings, folks, and welcome to another edition of the Black Women’s Arts Festival Newsletter! The Black Women’s Arts Festival is based in Philadelphia, PA, USA, and has been producing multi-disciplinary performing and other creative and healing arts by self-identified women and girls of African heritage since 2003. The event itself is a multi-day, multi-venue one which has primarily happened at The Rotunda, affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. The founder and director is Cassendre Xavier, and previously the Festival has also been co-organized and directed by Monica McIntyre. To learn more about the Black Women’s Arts Festival, visit http://bwafphilly.homestead.com/.

2) PARTNERSHIP WITH MOONSTONE
From 2003 to 2007, BWAF operated as a for-profit project of Cassendre Xavier Enterprises. From February 2007 to December 2010, BWAF operated as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization as a member of the New Beginnings Nonprofit Incubator of Resources for Human Development. In June 2011, BWAF officially joined ranks with Philadelphia’s legendary community cultural arts and education nonprofit Moonstone, although Moonstone/Robin’s Books had been the venue of many CX Enterprises events since 2002. BWAF is honored to be part of this institution, known for its work in blending multi-cultures and community through the arts and education since 1973. Partnered with Moonstone, BWAF is once again operating as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about Moonstone, please visit http://www.moonstoneartscenter.org/.

3) BWAF PLANS OUTSIDE OF PHILADELPHIA
The 8th Annual Black Women’s Arts Festival, which happened in Philadelphia July 27 thru 31st, 2011 at 5 venues was the last Festival that will happen in the east coast for a long time. The idea has for years been to grow BWAF into a global community event, and the time has come to move on that idea. Beginning August 2011, plans, venue scouting and negotiations for a BWAF on the west coast transpired. However, it soon became evident that it would take more time to produce a BWAF in the west coast in time for 2012. In the interim, the director began a major life-changing endeavor which required the temporary pausing of several projects, including organizing the next BWAF actual Festival. Therefore, plans are on hiatus at this time for producing a Festival until further notice. What is in effect is archiving, uploading to our YouTube channel, and otherwise distributing the many promotional materials we’ve collected since our inception in 2003. We thank everyone who has ever been a part or otherwise supported BWAF’s efforts in and near Philadelphia, and we greatly look forward to travelling the world with this wonderful event when the time is right. At this time, we are unable to field any questions or correspondence regarding collaborations or showcasing artists, vendors, and the like, until announcements are made regarding the production of an actual Festival. Thank you for your kind attention to this matter, and for keeping your eyes peeled for the continued growth progress and transformation of this wonderful community cultural arts effort!

4) SUPPORT THE BLACK WOMEN’S ARTS FESTIVAL
Currently, BWAF owns no office or computer equipment to carry on its work of archiving and later planning its next Festival events. Like many small nonprofits and one or two person operations, we are borrowing and using here and there what we can. You can contribute to the growth of our budget for equipment making a tax-deductible donation of monies or equipment. We do operate as a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization under the fiscal sponsorship of Moonstone.
Donations can be made to:

Black Women’s Arts Festival
PO Box 30204
Philadelphia, PA 19103-8204
USA

Other contact: Email: BWAFphilly(at)yahoo.com


For more information and social networking links to BWAF, as well as to read archived issues of the Black Women’s Arts Festival Newsletter, please visit our website at http://bwafphilly.homestead.com. (Please note we have allowed the domain name of BWAFphilly.org to expire as we are no longer primarily basing our Festival events in Philadelphia. In time, BWAF websites and domains will reflect current activities.)