Jun

Join the community of creativity at the 2012 Folklife Festival

The 2012 Folklife Festival kicks off today on the National Mall. It will run from June 27 through July 1 and July 4 through July 8. Come on down! Don’t miss tonight’s live concert, Bring Back the Funk, featuring George Clinton, Ivan Neville and Dumpstaphunk, and Meshell Ndegeocello at 6:00 p.m.

Campus and Community: A program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the founding of land-grant universities and the USDA
The year 1862 marks the founding of two types of institutions that touch the lives of people across the United States and the world every single day: public universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Public and land-grant universities and the USDA partner with communities to put research into action in the areas of agriculture and food, health care, sustainable living, urban and rural revitalization, and education. This Festival program will bring these partnerships to life through demonstrations, discussions, and hands-on activities.

Citified: Arts and creativity east of the Anacostia River
Citified: Arts and Creativity East of the Anacostia Riverlooks at creativity, identity, and community in Far Southeast Washington, D.C., neighborhoods. Presented in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum, it highlights the connections among residents of urban communities as expressed through arts and creativity. Citified alludes to the fact that many African American residents living east of the Anacostia River have parents or grandparents who migrated from the rural South, particularly North and South Carolina, and who continue to maintain connections with their southern (although often no longer rural) heritage.

Creativity and Crisis: Unfolding The AIDS Memorial Quilt
The year 2012 marks the 25th anniversary of The AIDS Memorial Quilt and 30 years of life with AIDS. With the introduction of The Quilt in 1987, The NAMES Project Foundation redefined the tradition of quilt making in response to contemporary circumstances. Through hands-on panel-making activities, individuals and communities come together to remember loved ones, grieve, find support and strength, and engage in dialogues for change. This program features the remarkable artistry, inspiration, and impact of The AIDS Memorial Quilt and provide the public with an unparalleled opportunity to experience this highly charged symbol of the AIDS crisis and the largest community art project in the world.

Check the Festival’s website for a full schedule of events, free concerts, blog entries, video and more!