October 16, 2008 [ CURRENT ]   [ ARCHIVE ] [houston institute] New HIFC gallery location opening, environmental film series, and more October 16, 2008 We have a very exciting announcement. Houston Institute for Culture is opening a new gallery and community event space in Houston's historic East End. You're invited to attend the opening activities and bring some friends on October 31 and November 1. IN THIS ISSUE Community Space Opening Volunteer Open House Environmental Film Series Accordion Festival Recap A Note on Hurricane Ike About this Email Newsletter Houston Institute for Culture will open a gallery and community meeting center at 708 Telephone Road near Lockwood. Two miles southeast of downtown Houston, the historic location was built in 1929. It is part of a complex of businesses and organizations located in the Tlaquepaque Plaza that are working to elevate cultural programs and community services in the historic East End. View an exterior photo of the space and compare it with one made circa 1930. http://www.houstonculture.org/office/location.html We will hold an opening on October 31 in conjunction with Bohemeo's, featuring music, Aztec dancers and a traditional Mexican Day of the Dead (el dia de los muertos) altar. We will offer a gallery exhibit in partnership with Museo Guadalupe Aztlan on Friday, October 31. The exhibit opening will take place at 7:00pm and Day of the Dead activities will follow at 8:00pm in Bohemeo's. At 7:00pm on Saturday, November 1 we will show "Darkness into Light: Following the Spirit," produced by Patricia Lacy Collins and Robert S. Cozens (San Rafael Films). The 56-minute film is narrated by actor Edward James Olmos. "Following the Spirit," the third documentary in the Darkness into Light series, brings the story of the spiritual journey of the people of Mexico to the present time. It traces a long-standing friction between church and state that resulted, in the 19th and 20th centuries, in somber and bloody repression of religious and human rights in Mexico. Suppression of religious life became particularly bitter following the Constitution of 1917. Leading historians paint a broad canvas of multiple struggles that are little known outside of Mexico. The historians and authors who tell this story include Drs. John Mason Hart, Guadalupe Jimenez Codinach, Manuel Ramos Medina, Raul Gonzalez Schmal, Elena Poniatowska, and John Meyer. The irrepressible spirituality of contemporary Mexico plays against the dark years of struggle. Observances of the Days of the Dead, the revived processions of Corpus Christi, and the canonization of San Juan Diego provide memorable counterpoints. Today, resolution of the conflict is underway. As never before, the Mexican people can choose to believe - or not believe - in matters of religion. For Artists, Authors, Musicians and Nonprofit Organizations The 2,300 square foot space will serve many community needs and work to promote local artists, authors and musicians. Houston Institute for Culture plans to include a bookstore and gift shop in the center that will offer books and CDs by local authors and musicians, as well as art and items with a distinctive regional appeal. Topical documentary films and books will be available in coordination with events in the center and Tlaquepaque Plaza. Artists, authors and musicians should contact us about offering their creations through the gift shop or during events that will take place on the plaza. In the early stages of our bookstore, we will mostly acquire items for sale on consignment and eventually grow to keep a larger inventory. We plan to include published works by University of Texas Press, Literal-Latin American Voices, Carnivalesque Films, San Rafael Films, Smithsonian Folkways, Arhoolie Records and many more. The bookstore and gift shop will carry books and films about local and regional history and interests, as well as international cultural and social issues. It will carry works by Houston artists and regional and international music. We will partner with other non-profit organizations to create exhibits and offer events for the public. Organizations that are interested to hold meetings or host book signings and readings should contact us for policies and reservations. We will also organize outdoor festivals on the plaza, such as a Community Gift Giving Fair, which will provide an opportunity for members of the Houston community to support local authors and artists during the winter holidays. We will work with Bohemeo's to present the seasonal East End Cultural Arts Festival. Student Organizations and Academic Activities Located just one mile north of University of Houston, two miles northeast of Texas Southern University and within just a few miles of several other Houston universities, the center has great potential to help student organizations hold activities that serve their missions. We regularly collaborate with academic departments and may bring cosponsored activities into the center. The Historic Houston East End Located roughly between the east edge of downtown, the Port of Houston and Hobby Airport, the East End is the most historic part of Houston. It includes Magnolia Park and Second Ward. Harrisburg, a community settled over a decade before Houston, is within the East End, along Buffalo Bayou. The industrial area east of downtown has been home to many Eastern European and Latin American immigrants who came in the latter half of the nineteenth century. African Americans settled in the area following mass migrations that fled the great Mississippi River floods of 1927, bringing with them many southern and Creole traditions. They worked in the freight yards, built several historic churches in the area and constructed sections of Interstate 45 to Galveston. Asian immigrants settled in the area immediately east of Highway 59 and along Sims Bayou, operating large import warehouses, popular restaurants and religious temples. Evidence of aquaculture gardens still exists. The East End is more than 50 percent Latino, and includes many original families and recent immigrants. The annual Cesar Chavez Parade is a traditional event held in April. Needless to say, many of our programs will focus on the history of the East End, including oral histories of the people, presentation of traditional arts and entertainment, and examination of the impact of businesses and industries. Transportation The Tlaquepaque Plaza has plentiful parking spaces for events. It is easily accessible by bus and bike. Located less than a half mile north of the Eastwood Transit Center and less than a half mile south of the future Harrisburg rail line, the center can be accessed by many bus lines, including the 40 (Pecore/Telephone) and 36 (Kempwood/Lawndale). The Magnolia Park Transit Center is one east and University of Houston is less than one mile southwest. Bus information: http://www.ridemetro.org Bike: http://www.publicworks.houstontx.gov/bikeways/maps.htm Community Support The new center will provide a tremendous asset to Houston and the East End, as well as area universities and artists. As we are making significant steps forward, we need additional volunteers to support what we are doing. There are many opportunities in our programs for volunteers to take the lead on important initiatives. If you have ever wondered what the Houston Institute for Culture is up to and why we are determined to build an organization that will have tremendous beneficial impact on Houston communities, now is the best time to become an insider. To learn more about our future plans, please attend an open house for volunteers on November 1. The open house will take place during our regular monthly program meeting at 2:00pm and everyone is invited. Please note: The meeting will take place at 708-B Telephone Road, in the new center, and not at the Harwin Drive office location. In addition to increased support of volunteers, we also need community members to support activities in the center by spreading the word, becoming involved in planning, and supporting activities of artists and organizations in the center. Contact us for more information about getting involved. But, most of all, please come out and see us at the openings. See a schedule of our events and many other area events at Houston Monthly: http://www.houstonmonthly.org/calendar Learn more about our new location: http://www.houstonculture.org/office/location.html ____________________________________________________ Environmental Film Series We have an excellent and critical series of environmental films coming up. Please help spread the word about the events. Houston Institute for Culture, The Artery and KPFT present an important Environmental Film Series from Sunday, October 19 through Tuesday, October 28, 2008. All films are free and open to the public, beginning at 7:00pm (unless otherwise noted). The Artery [http://www.arteryhouston.org] 5401 Jackson at Prospect, Houston, Texas 77004 FILM SCHEDULE ============================================= Sunday, October 19 "The Water Front" The story of Highland Park, Michigan, and the larger issues of water privatization and human rights. ============================================= Tuesday, October 21 "Everything's Cool" Examines the media strategies, on both sides, that have resulted in the US government's failure to take decisive action on global warming. ============================================= Sunday, October 26 "Black Diamonds - Mountaintop Removal & The Fight For Coalfield Justice" Examines the escalating drama in Appalachia over mountaintop removal mining. With "Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars", 8:20pm ============================================= Tuesday, October 28 "King Corn" By growing an acre of corn in Iowa two friends uncover the devastating impact that corn is having on the environment, public health and family farms. Read film descriptions and reviews on line: http://www.houstonculture.org/film/env_fall08.html ____________________________________________________ Accordion Festival Recap Houston Institute for Culture was a partner organization in the International Accordion Festival in San Antonio last weekend, October 11 and 12. We had many roles and were primarily responsible for presenting artists on the Bolivar Stage. Taking place in the city's historic old town, La Villita, this was an extremely fun and educational activity and it gave us the opportunity to work alongside many organizers and promoters of the event. Along with the Consulate of Spain, the Consulate of Panama, National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, Friends of the Canary Islands, Voice of Roma, and many more, we attended a city-sponsored reception in the International Center. The festival featured Ritmos Santeros de Osvaldo Ayala from Panama, Rupa and the April Fishes from San Francisco, Kal, a group from Serbia, and many more. On the Bolivar stage we presented small combos, including highly acclaimed accordionists from Bulgaria, Neshko Neshev with guitarist Kalin Kirilov, and Romania, Andrei Mihalache. HIFC transported Ritmos Santeros from Houston to San Antonio for the event. We also presented many acts, including Trio Roi Maceda from Spain, Charles Thibodeaux and the Austin Cajun Aces, Daddy Squeeze Trio from Minneapolis, and an exceptional Roma Convergence workshop with many excellent Eastern European musicians. Not only were the festival talent, organizers and volunteers exceptional, but City of San Antonio officials and media were really behind this event in a serious way that Houston officials and media should strive to emulate. We will definitely discuss this further in upcoming meetings as we continue to raise the organizations level of involvement in quality-of-life issues and programs in Houston. We will surely take part in the festival next year and take several more volunteers to support various functions of the festival. We will also play music of many of the artists and tell some memorable anecdotes on upcoming radio programs. (Kalin Kirilov was very helpful to me personally as I worked as sound engineer, stage manager and emcee simultaneously. I'm very thankful for his advice and humor in stressful situations. During my very first assignment on a hectic Saturday morning, Neshko Neshev looked serious and whispered to Kirilov, who translated for me, "Neshko says make volume loud enough to be heard in five Bulgarian villages.") Stay tuned for news of a follow-up to the festival on Houston radio. ____________________________________________________ A Note on Hurricane Ike We hope you have fully recovered from Hurricane Ike. Our offices sustained damage, with water entering from the roof of our building and soaking several computers and documents. We were forced to reschedule many events and meetings. Regular meetings are back on schedule, but please be sure to check on the location as we are beginning to move them to our new East End location. The reception for "Campaign for Achievement: Finding Heroes in the Faces of Houston, " originally scheduled for September 18, was canceled. We will have children and their families come to the Children's Museum on Saturday, October 25 to see the exhibit and receive awards. Campaign for Achievement, a National Urban League program, helps children recognize achievement in their daily lives. The Children's Museum of Houston and the Houston Area Urban League have partnered for the past eight years to create exhibits that reflect examples of achievement through the eyes of Houston's urban youth. What is a hero? As defined by one of this year's youth artists: "Heroes are normal people who do the right thing." Through a partnership with the Children's Museum of Houston, the Houston Area Urban League, Houston Institute for Culture, and SHAPE Community Center, photographer Ben DeSoto taught local youth between the ages of 8 to 13 a "bag of tricks" of how to capture the concept of heroism through the art of photography. Parents, siblings, doctors, policemen and scientists are just some of the heroes these children portray in this exhibit. Special thanks to the University of Houston-College of Education CITE lab for providing digital cameras for the students during the program. Student participants from the Houston Institute for Culture Camp Dos Cabezas program will receive certificates for being Young Achievers. All camp participants, family members, and HIFC volunteers and supporters are encouraged to attend. Contact us for more information. The exhibit can be viewed through Sunday, November 2. The Children's Museum of Houston 1500 Binz Houston, TX 77004 (713) 522-1138 http://www.cmhouston.org/directions ____________________________________________________ About this Email Newsletter The Houston Institute newsletter is provided about nine times per year to community members who have requested it, as well as Houston Institute for Culture volunteers and collaborators on beneficial programs. The newsletter features Houston Institute for Culture events and activities, as well as community and cultural activities throughout the region. We attempt to highlight events and organizations that resemble the educational mission of Houston Institute for Culture, as well as promote diverse interests. If you would like to be added to the list, please send an email to info@houstonculture.org. To be removed from the list, please reply or send a message saying "remove" or "unsubscribe". Thank you for supporting educational events in Houston. ____________________________________________________ M  a  r  k @houstonculture.org Houston Institute for Culture 7111 Harwin Drive, Suite 132 Houston, Texas 77036 Learn more about Houston Institute for Culture: http://www.houstonculture.org/resources/hifc.html HOUSTON INSTITUTE FOR CULTURE    SEARCH    info@houstonculture.org