By Hailey Stangebye

Photos by Marshall Shorts

On Valentines Day, the Gateway Film Center will host a special screening of “My Great Day in Harlem” for children from Columbus City Schools.

The documentary, which follows five local artists on a landmark journey to Harlem, was originally released at the Gateway Film Center on Nov. 30, 2018. On Thursday, it returns to the big screen to inspire the young minds of Columbus. After the film, these lucky kids will have an opportunity to ask each of the featured artists questions about their experiences and the realities of being a creative in this city.

“My Great Day in Harlem” is more than a documentary. It’s an opportunity for kids in our community to connect with and relate to passionate creatives. The people featured in this film are our contemporary trailblazers. They’re our role models for the next generation.

Meet the stars of “My Great Day in Harlem”

TRIPP FONTANE

“Art is not a right. It is a necessity by virtue of the people… I believe that art is the translation of the cosmos.”

Originally from the small town of Xenia, Ohio, Tripp Fontane moved to Columbus to find new opportunities in the realm of poetry. Before breaking into the spoken-word scene, Tripp focused primarily on rap. That all changed when he went to an open mic and decided to perform a song without the beat. People started calling him a poet, and Tripp says he still hasn’t corrected them. Today, he boasts international acclaim.

SAMARA TILLMAN

“We have so many talented people here. I think that the vision for the future of fashion in Columbus is bright.”

Samara was born and raised in Columbus. She left for college, but after graduating from Kentucky State with her degree in fashion merchandising and business management, Samara returned to Columbus where she ultimately opened a fashion boutique in 2005. For the next five years, she ran boutiques all around the Columbus area. Today, she runs a dance studio and continues to design. She plans to release her next clothing line in fall of 2019.

JAY SWIFA

“Whether I affect one person, or five people, or a million people, I just feel like I have insight to add on the world today.”

Jay is a musician who hails from the north side Columbus, but he feels close to every corner of the city. He grew up surrounded by creative energy — his father was a musician and his mother was a dancer. With all of those influences, Jay developed a witty, creative sound from a young age. After lots of success with his former group, Fly Union, Jay set out to work on his solo sound.

PERCY KING

“The older I get, the more I understand what it means to celebrate your heroes. My work celebrates heroes.”

Percy is a Columbus native who was raised on the south side of the city. He says that he’s always been an artist and a creative, but he didn’t think of pursuing art as a career until recently. Instead, Percy devoted most of his time to his football career. His creative outlet over the years became woodwork and home improvement. Today, he’s transitioned that passion for woodwork into fine art portraits carved out of layers of wood.

LORI LINDSEY

“Whenever I am honored to dance in front of other people, my goal — my intent — is to move them. Whether it’s to think a different thought, to take action on something, maybe it’s just to brighten their day or to  give them hope. It’s more than steps to a song.”

Lori has lived across the globe, from Dublin to L.A., but she’s originally from Columbus. Her passion is dance, which she started at only 3 or 4 years old. In high school, Lori briefly stopped dancing after hearing hurtful gossip from the dance community. Today, she’s proud to say that she doesn’t let someone else’s opinion define her or determine her future. Now, Lori inspires young dancers at Elite Performance Academy.

By Hailey Stangebye

Goosebumps.

When Evan Tyrone Martin took the stage at the Lincoln Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 9. to perform An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas, I knew the audience (myself included) was in for a great show. What I didn’t expect was that this Christmas concert would actually be a heartfelt journey through the lives of both Nat King Cole and Evan Tyrone Martin. Like I said, goosebumps.

Not only did Evan Tyrone Martin capture the tonality and sentiment of Nat King Cole’s sound, but he also captured the story behind Cole’s voice through the lens of Martin’s life experiences.

Not only did Evan Tyrone Martin capture the tonality and sentiment of Nat King Cole’s sound, but he also captured the story behind Cole’s voice through the lens of Martin’s life experiences.

Growing up, Martin says that he spent hours in his grandmother’s basement listening to record after record. Among those many tunes were the silky sounds of Nat King Cole. And, like Cole, Martin grew up as the son of a preacher. 

In the middle of the show, Martin paused to share that his father, who had been his greatest cheerleader and inspiration, passed away earlier this year. The audience hung on the silence that swelled after the closing of that story until the band slowly began the next tune, which Martin dedicated to his father. It was a heartwarming rendition of “Unforgettable.”

As the show began to draw to a close, students from the Columbus Children’s Theatre stepped onto the stage to perform a few Christmas tunes. The entire production was orchestrated to help raise funds for the children’s theatre — a cause Martin wholeheartedly supports.

The Chicago Sun-Times called Martin “a golden-voiced actor of sweetness and grace.” That description certainly held true for Sunday’s production. Martin’s rendition of Nat King Cole’s classics was nothing short of a delight.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos By Kenny V.

One week ago today, we released our documentary, “My Great Day in Harlem.” 

As a part of our citywide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance in Columbus, we took five local, black artists on a life-changing trip to Harlem. It was an opportunity to exchange ideas, make connections and, of course, celebrate the history that led to our modern cultural community. This docuseries follows each artists’ journey. It also sheds light on the rich depth of our local arts community.

On Friday, Nov. 30, we premiered that journey on the big screen at the Gateway Film Center. Tickets were so popular that one showing quickly grew to two. Attendees enjoyed live music, a tree lighting ceremony on the plaza, question and answer sessions with the artists and, of course, each installment of the film itself.

Meet the stars of “My Great Day in Harlem”

TRIPP FONTANE

“Art is not a right. It is a necessity by virtue of the people… I believe that art is the translation of the cosmos.”

Originally from the small town of Xenia, Ohio, Tripp Fontane moved to Columbus to find new opportunities in the realm of poetry. Before breaking into the spoken-word scene, Tripp focused primarily on rap. That all changed when he went to an open mic and decided to perform a song without the beat. People started calling him a poet, and Tripp says he still hasn’t corrected them. Today, he boasts international acclaim.

SAMARA TILLMAN

“We have so many talented people here. I think that the vision for the future of fashion in Columbus is bright.”

Samara was born and raised in Columbus. She left for college, but after graduating from Kentucky State with her degree in fashion merchandising and business management, Samara returned to Columbus where she ultimately opened a fashion boutique in 2005. For the next five years, she ran boutiques all around the Columbus area. Today, she runs a dance studio and continues to design. She plans to release her next clothing line in fall of 2019.

JAY SWIFA

“Whether I affect one person, or five people, or a million people, I just feel like I have insight to add on the world today.”

Jay is a musician who hails from the north side Columbus, but he feels close to every corner of the city. He grew up surrounded by creative energy — his father was a musician and his mother was a dancer. With all of those influences, Jay developed a witty, creative sound from a young age. After lots of success with his former group, Fly Union, Jay set out to work on his solo sound.

PERCY KING

“The older I get, the more I understand what it means to celebrate your heroes. My work celebrates heroes.”

Percy is a Columbus native who was raised on the south side of the city. He says that he’s always been an artist and a creative, but he didn’t think of pursuing art as a career until recently. Instead, Percy devoted most of his time to his football career. His creative outlet over the years became woodwork and home improvement. Today, he’s transitioned that passion for woodwork into fine art portraits carved out of layers of wood.

LORI LINDSEY

“Whenever I am honored to dance in front of other people, my goal — my intent — is to move them. Whether it’s to think a different thought, to take action on something, maybe it’s just to brighten their day or to  give them hope. It’s more than steps to a song.”

Lori has lived across the globe, from Dublin to L.A., but she’s originally from Columbus. Her passion is dance, which she started at only 3 or 4 years old. In high school, Lori briefly stopped dancing after hearing hurtful gossip from the dance community. Today, she’s proud to say that she doesn’t let someone else’s opinion define her or determine her future. Now, Lori inspires young dancers at Elite Performance Academy.

By Hailey Stangebye

As a part of our citywide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance in Columbus, we took five local, African American artists from Columbus to Harlem. On that journey, they exchanged ideas, made new connections and gained a deeper understanding of the Harlem Renaissance and its impact on our world today.

We captured each treasured moment from that trip to create a powerful documentary. On Friday, Nov. 30, at 6 p.m., the My Great Day in Harlem documentary will premiere at the Gateway Film Center.

This documentary is a multi-part series that follows the journey of each artist, all of whom are masters in their respective creative fields: Tripp Fontane (poet), Samara Tillman (fashion designer), Percy King (visual artist), Lori Lindsey(dancer) and Jay Swifa (musician). Each section of the documentary traces the journey of an individual artist and showcases their unique experience in Harlem.

“The screening of My Great Day in Harlem is more than a film; it’s an opportunity to connect with and support local, black artists. Each segment is inspiring, powerful and particularly important in modern Columbus,” says Chris Jones, COO at Warhol & WALL ST.

In addition to the screening, the event also features live performances and a Q&A session after the film. 

Performances (including hip hop carolers and more) begin at 6 p.m., the documentary begins at 7 p.m. and the Q&A session begins immediately after the screening.

Tickets are free, but you need a ticket! Come join us at the premiere! Register here.

This screening is made possible through the generosity of our sponsors: The Greater Columbus Arts Council, Lbrands, The City of Columbus – Andrew J. Ginther, Mayor, Nationwide, Franklin County – Where Government Works, Crane Group, Cardinal Health, Dispatch Media Group, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Art Makes Columbus/Columbus Makes Art.

By Hailey Stangebye

Photos courtesy of the Sunami family

On November 30, “Generations of Art: The Sunami Family” will open at the Cultural Arts Center with a ceremony featuring the Columbus Symphony, the Columbus Modern Dance Company and, of course, the Sunami family.

This show represents four generations of artists all connected through bonds of heritage and love, and is being organized by local public artist John Sunami. A resident of Columbus for over forty years, John boasts an array of public art installments all over our city, from the COTA Bus headquarters to the McConnell Arts Center of Worthington.

The lineage starts, however, with John’s father, Soichi Sunami. Born in the late 1800s, Soichi emigrated from Japan to the United States and pursued a career as a photographer. Among his many accolades, Soichi was one of the founding staff members for the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

“This is going to be one of the first major retrospectives of my grandfather’s work since he passed,” Chris, Soichi’s grandson and John’s son, says. “He was an early modernist photographer, and he was best known because he took a lot of the iconic pictures of the early modern dancers. Particularly, he worked with Martha Graham, who was one of the main innovators of modern dance. He and Martha Graham worked closely together for five years. A lot of the really famous pictures of her were ones that he took.”

“He was an early modernist photographer, and he was best known because he took a lot of the iconic pictures of the early modern dancers. Particularly, he worked with Martha Graham, who was one of the main innovators of modern dance. He and Martha Graham worked closely together for five years. A lot of the really famous pictures of her were ones that he took.”

For the opening ceremony festivities, the Columbus Modern Dance Company (with funding from the Greater Columbus Arts Council) has secured permissions to recreate an original Martha Graham piece, “Heretic,” which was photographed by Soichi.

Next in the line of artists is John, a key organizer for the show and an acclaimed public artist in Columbus.  

“My dad was one of the very early innovators of digital art,” Chris says. “I remember, back when I was a kid, he got his first Macintosh computer in 1984, which was when they came out. And he was a winner of one of their first contests for digital artists. So, he was doing digital art very early.”

The show will also showcase three artists from the next generation of Sunamis: Chris, his sister, Jennifer, and his wife, April.

Jennifer is a commercial artist based out of Seattle. Chris is a programmer at Nationwide by day, but he spends his off hours writing and composing.

“The Columbus Symphony is going to provide an ensemble. They’re going to play live accompaniment to the dance,” Chris says. “They’ll also be performing six of my own pieces. That’s very exciting for me.”

“The Columbus Symphony is going to provide an ensemble. They’re going to play live accompaniment to the dance. They’ll also be performing six of my own pieces. That’s very exciting for me.”

Last in this generation, but certainly not least, is acclaimed local artist April Sunami. Her work has been featured across the state, and, earlier this year, she produced a solo show for the Southern Ohio Museum at Portsmouth. She is also currently a featured artist and curator for Columbus’ Harlem Renaissance 100 celebration.

“This will show the range of what our family is doing,” Chris says. “But, it also shows that we’re an multiracial family, and I think it’s good for people to see that as a part of the fabric of Columbus. Sometimes, people don’t think of Columbus as a multicultural place. But it really is.”

“But, it also shows that we’re an multiracial family, and I think it’s good for people to see that as a part of the fabric of Columbus. Sometimes, people don’t think of Columbus as a multicultural place. But it really is.”

The fourth generation will be represented in the show with a piece from River Sunami, the 10-year-old son of April and Chris. River is one of the many young artists and musicians among Soichi’s 10 great-grandchildren. While it’s too soon to tell if River will follow in his family’s footsteps, Chris says that River was drawn to art from the moment he could draw.

This show opens on November 30 at 6 p.m., and the artwork will remain on display through January 5, 2019. For more information, click here.

By Hailey Stangebye

Nearly 50 years ago in 1969, Martin Luther King Sr. cut the ribbon and revealed the first public library named in honor of his son and civil rights icon, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Today, we know that library as the MLK branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

On the eve of the 50th anniversary of that momentous occasion, the MLK branch will move to a new and improved facility.

To commemorate the new location, the oldest son of Martin Luther King Jr., Martin Luther King III, will dedicate the library to his father — just as his grandfather dedicated the original library to his son 50 years prior.

The dedication and grand opening will take place on Thursday, Oct. 18 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the new location on 1467 E. Long St. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as dedication remarks from Martin Luther King III.  

In addition to the grand opening festivities on Thursday, the new MLK library will also host a community open house on Saturday, Oct. 20 from noon to 3 in the afternoon. There will be entertainment, activities and refreshments, as well as a sign-up for a commemorative library card.

“This new 21st century library represents a reinvestment in the Near East Side community,” Patrick Losinski, Columbus Metropolitan Library CEO, says. “We’re so excited to cut the ribbon, open the doors and continue Dr. King’s legacy of promoting equal access and uplifting our communities.”

“This new 21st century library represents a reinvestment in the Near East Side community. We’re so excited to cut the ribbon, open the doors and continue Dr. King’s legacy of promoting equal access and uplifting our communities.”

This new MLK branch will be more than double the size of the previous space, spanning approximately 18,000 square feet. The amenities will include: an interactive children’s area, a Ready for Kindergarten area, a Teen area, a Homework Help Center (where students can access free after-school resources), meeting rooms, an elevated reading loft and, of course, a breathtaking collection of books.

For more information on the dedication, grand opening, community open house or the library in general, click here.

By Malcolm White

It was date night for me on the second Monday of October, but my girlfriend got sick, so I ended up taking my daughter instead. It was a first for both of us: her first major theatrical performance and my first time in the Ohio Theatre as an adult. Though I’m invested in Columbus’ art scene, there was always something mystic about that beautiful facility that made it feel inaccessible to me. I was very happy to be able to take my daughter there at such a young age so that that feeling of not being good enough would never even entreat her.

That sentiment of exploring spaces that might not stereotypically belong to you re-occurred throughout the Black Violin performance. It was an incredible show. Their resume includes performing at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, so you can rightfully assume that the pair of violinists were talented. More than that though, they were unapologetically black. I don’t know what I expected when I first saw the trailers—I imagined there would be a violin performance backed by some hip hop instrumentals, not unlike an act I remember from my childhood called Nuttin But Stringz. There was something transcendental about Black Violin.

It was an incredible show. Their resume includes performing at President Barack Obama’s inauguration, so you can rightfully assume that the pair of violinists were talented. More than that though, they were unapologetically black.

Their performance didn’t feel like they were trying to take the violin somewhere it’d never been before; instead, I felt like their instruments were an extension of their culture. To start the show, they called out, “This is not a typical strings performance. We don’t want you to sit in your seat. This is a party!” They made good on that declaration. It was such a pure expression of emotion that, at parts of the show, I was moved to tears. They infused Donald Glover’s “This Is America” with Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow” and chills went down my spine. My daughter jumped out of her seat when they tackled Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.” People in the crowd strutted up and down the aisles, doing line dances while Black Violin broke it down on stage. Each member of the band had multiple chances throughout the show to showcase their solo talents, and one of the violinists took that opportunity to sing a classic R&B song to the love of his life: his instrument. It was touching. The DJ and drummer even got chances to jam out. It was pure and electric energy, and I loved it.

But, what inspired me the most was the speech that one of the members gave about 90 percent through the performance. He acknowledged how they were dressed (he wore a fitted cap, jeans and tennis shoes instead of the stereotypical formal wear, something that I had noted to myself earlier), that black people don’t normally occupy these spaces, that their show stepped outside of a lot of traditional boundaries, and that picking up strings when they were younger was the less popular option when given choices like basketball and football.

His message was: Think Outside The Box, You Can Do Anything.

His message was: Think Outside The Box, You Can Do Anything. That was the perfect conclusion for the night and succinctly wrapped up what I’d felt throughout the evening. I was proud of the excellence that exuded from the stage, and overjoyed that I was able to present such a positive impression on my baby queen’s mind. I hope that it’s an experience she will remember for the rest of her life because it certainly feels like one that I will remember for the rest of mine.

Black Violin is a blend of musical styles performed by two classically-trained string instrumentalists: Wil Baptiste and Kevin “Kev Marcus” Sylvester. On stage, the violinists are accompanied by turntable artist DJ SPS. They performed an ovation-worthy set on Mon., Oct. 8 at the Ohio Theatre.

By Hailey Stangebye

The Greater Columbus Arts Council’s 35th annual Community Arts Partnership Awards — or CAP Awards — are just around the corner, on Oct. 18. This is more than a luncheon; it’s an opportunity to honor the individuals and entities that allow the arts to flourish in central Ohio.

Better yet, this year’s luncheon is inspired by the Harlem Renaissance celebration.

“People should not come expecting your traditional talking heads and boring awards luncheon. We’re going to make it a lot of fun. It’s going to be a journey from Columbus to Harlem and back,” Jami Goldstein, vice president of marketing, communication and events for GCAC, says. “People will get to see performances, spoken word poetry and music. We couldn’t be more delighted about giving our community a really fun look at an important historical, social and cultural movement.”

“People will get to see performances, spoken word poetry and music. We couldn’t be more delighted about giving our community a really fun look at an important historical, social and cultural movement.”

As a part of the ceremony, GCAC will honor three individuals and three businesses for their outstanding support for the arts in the greater Columbus community. For the individual categories, GCAC recognizes an arts educator, an emerging arts leader and an arts partner. For the business awards, they recognize a small, medium and large employer.

The diverse range of awards represent the wide scope of Columbus-based movers and shakers that help the arts to grow.

“I think it takes a lot to make the arts flourish in a community,” Goldstein says. “Those community contributions are critical to having a vibrant arts scene. That includes financial support, non-cash contributions, volunteer involvement, board participation, on-going work every day — whether it’s with kids, or within the community to build partnerships. These kinds of strong partnerships between businesses and community members in the arts help stimulate economic growth, promote the city’s revitalization and encourage tourism, all of those things that we know the arts do every day.”

The past year has been particularly transformative for the Columbus arts community thanks to the I, Too, Sing America: Harlem Renaissance at 100 campaign. This year’s CAP Awards will reflect this city-wide effort to engage and embrace our local, black artists.

“We really hope people go away from the Community Arts Partnership Awards with a sense of inspiration, energy and excitement about what’s happening and the things that people are doing in the arts community,” Goldstein says. “As far as the Harlem Renaissance, we hope that this is just the beginning. This has been a year-long celebration that will continue into almost March of 2019. But this is just the start of us engaging our Columbus, black artists more to make sure that their voices are heard and that their art is seen in more places.”

“As far as the Harlem Renaissance, we hope that this is just the beginning. This has been a year-long celebration that will continue into almost March of 2019. But this is just the start of us engaging our Columbus, black artists more to make sure that their voices are heard and that their art is seen in more places.”

For more information, or to reserve your spot at the CAP Awards, visit gcac.org. Ticket sales close Wednesday, Oct. 10, so claim your table soon!

This year’s awards are made possible through the generosity of the presenting sponsor, PNC.

By Hailey Stangebye

Urban Strings Columbus joined forces with the New Albany High School Chamber Orchestra to perform a series of pieces inspired by the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance on Saturday, Oct. 6 at The Jeanne McCoy Center for the Arts.

The young musicians brought a wide range of music to life — from the iconic St. Louis Blues, to an original piece, “Sankofa,” by contemporary composer Mark Lomax, II, PhD. The final piece, “Reflections of a Rebirth” by Matthew Brazofsky, was also a modern composition.

Both composers attended to watch the students perform their respective pieces.

Bettye J. Stull, independent curator and Harlem Renaissance consultant, announces the “Journey to Harlem Exhibition” that immediately followed the orchestra performance.

Following the performance, the attendants were invited to a reception to mingle, eat and enjoy a gallery of artwork curated to honor the Harlem Renaissance. On display were photographs by Marshall Shorts and portraits carved out of wood by Percy King.

The event was a beautiful melody of music, art and community, all of which came together to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. Bravo!

Aaron Wilburn, director of orchestras at New Albany Local Schools, introduces the collaborative performance between Urban Strings and the New Albany High School Chamber Orchestra.

Students perform pieces inspired by the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance at The Jeanne McCoy Center for the Arts on Sat., Oct. 6.

Students perform pieces inspired by the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance at The Jeanne McCoy Center for the Arts on Sat., Oct. 6.

Dr. Mark Lomax, II talks about the inspiration for his piece, “Sankofa,” which was performed by the orchestra.

Students perform pieces inspired by the spirit of the Harlem Renaissance at The Jeanne McCoy Center for the Arts on Sat., Oct. 6.

Armond Wimberley conducts the orchestra for their performance of “Sankofa.”

Matthew Brazofsky announces his original work, “Reflections of a Rebirth,” at the performance on Sat. Oct., 6 at the Jeanne McCoy Center for The Arts.

Members of Urban Strings and the New Albany High School Chamber Orchestra stand to take a bow after performing “Reflections of a Rebirth,” by Matthew Brazofsky.

Today, he is a Broadway Distinguished Scholar-in-Residence at his alma mater, Miami University, and a guest curator of the I, Too, Sing America: The Harlem Renaissance at 100 exhibit at the Columbus Museum of art (opens Oct. 19).

Here is where you can hear Haygood speak:

Harlem Renaissance with Wil Haygood

9/19/18 at 12 p.m. | The Boat House at Confluence Park

The Columbus Metropolitan club will host Wil Haygood tomorrow, Sept. 19, from noon to 1:15 p.m. at the The Boat House at Confluence Park. This event falls on the day after the release of Haygood’s latest book, Tigerland: 1968-1969: A City Divided, a Nation Torn Apart, and a Magical Season of Healing.

Click here for more information.

An Evening with Wil Haygood

9/19/18 at 5:30 p.m. | The Lincoln Theatre

To celebrate the release of his latest book, The Lincoln Theatre will host a conversation with Wil Haygood. For more information or to reserve your tickets, click here.