Manifest Hope Arts Festival

Pictures of the event

ashpolitics — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:33:13 +0000

Thanks to Rachel and Alisa for sharing their photos. If you have some to share, please email them to ashpolitics@gmail.com. Thanks!

A progressive call to Alabama

ashpolitics — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:05:25 +0000

The Manifest Hope Arts Fest was just that … the call of a progressive reawakening in Alabama. But I don’t think I’ll tell you about it, I’ll let this letter we received from an attendee speak for us:

What … the Manifest Hope Art team pulled off was nothing short of
fabulous and I have been on a high ever since! The intangible elements
of yesterday are what I would like to discuss in this email.

No matter what happens on Tuesday’s election (and I think we will win!)
this campaign has been a life-changing experience for me and I believe
for the majority of US citizens and world citizens. The past month I
have been in several countries and everywhere I go our election and
Obama has captured the world’s excited attention. People around the
world are waiting like expectant grandparents, anxious to see what is
delivered next Tuesday. And what they wouldn’t give for an opportunity
to vote in this election! Never before has a vote meant so much to so
many.

In a more obvious, grander way, yesterday’s Manifest Hope event was what
we all experience in our day-to-day lives, and demonstrates the
fundamental change in our society that has happened and is continuing to
happen along racial, economic, religious and cultural lines. It is a
coming together of diversity that has my heart filled with happiness to
the bursting point. Who would know that in our lifetimes we would see
love conquer hate and acceptance replace close mindedness? And here in
Alabama, in my lifetime, we have come together, remembering the “four
angels” dead in Birmingham 45 years ago, but also building new memories
like our Manifest Hope Festival yesterday. This is the truth we all
know, that we all experience every day, the truth of people being kind
to one another and accepting one another and beyond that, enjoying and
rejoicing in one another. It is not so much like the rainbow that
happens occasionally; it is more like the spectrum of colors refracted
in our every day light, and our every day experiences. I’m not saying
there is no longer darkness. I am saying that for the first time in my
50 years I know beyond a doubt that our prophets Jeremiah and Martin saw
this day, today, a day when justice is rolling down like waters. And we
are being flooded with those waters of justice right now, just when we
need them the most. Y’all, we are the orphaned children of these
prophets and we HAVE kept walking and we DID keep hoping, knowing that
days like we experienced yesterday, and will experience in future days
are real, are possible, and within our grasp. The waters of justice will
not go flow back into the darkness because we are in the light and of
the light and carry those waters within us.

If you came to the event and would like to share your own reflections, pictures or anything else, please feel free to email them to ashpolitics@gmail.com or leave them here, in the comments. If you do email them, please let us know if we can share them on the website.

Children’s activities announced for the Arts Fest

ashpolitics — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:53:51 +0000

The organizers of the Manifest Hope Arts Fest are excited to announce plans to involve even the littlest Obama supporters in what promises to be a fun day for the whole family. Events and entertainment for the children will include clowns, jugglers, and a space for chalk art. All entertainment will also be child safe. So bring the kids for a Sunday afternoon of family fun and help support the Obama – Biden campaign. Get your tickets now!

Additional entertainment announced for the Arts Fest

ashpolitics — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:47:55 +0000

The Manifest Hope Arts Fest is excited to announce that the following artists will be performing at the Arts Fest:

Rhythms for the Savage Masses

Marilyn Coffey: spoken word artist

Ruthie Puckett: singer

Jay Pilzer: folk guitar

Other surprises are in store. Get your tickets now!

Additional artists announced for auction

ashpolitics — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 12:43:39 +0000

The Manifest Hope Arts Fest is excited to announce the addition of the following artists for the art auction:

Charles Siefried: photography

Alan Davis: painter

Doug Bennett: black and white photography

Pollie Sandy: mixed media

All proceeds from the auction will go directly to the Barack Obama for President campaign. Get your tickets for the Arts Fest now!

Entertainment news!

ashpolitics — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 13:08:21 +0000

We are excited to announce the addition of the following artists to our entertainment line up for the Arts Fest:

Sheena Adams-Avery: spoken word artist

Ruth Braswell from Poetry Happens: spoken word artist

Bette Yeager: local actor performing a short monologue

We have a fantastic entertainment line-up planned and hope you’ll join us. Get your tickets now!

Shepard Fairey Poster Raffle

ashpolitics — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 10:01:30 +0000

We know that you’ve seen this Shepard Fairey poster:

We are thrilled to announce that we will have several to raffle off at the event on Sunday, 10/26. Just one more reason to click the poster to your right, get your ticket, and join us for this terrific event!

John Sayles autographed posters for auction at the Festival

ashpolitics — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:15:22 +0000

The Manifest Hope Arts Festival team is very excited to announce that we will have a limited number of these signed John Sayles posters, created by Shepard Fairey, available for auction at the Festival.

The posters are 18×12 and are autographed in silver pen. Only ticket holders for the event will be eligible to participate in this auction, so be sure to get your tickets now by clicking on the Hope poster to your right!

Manifest Hope Arts Festival in Huntsville on Sunday, October 26

ashpolitics — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 17:03:13 +0000

The Manifest Hope Arts Festival will be held on Sunday, October 26, 2008, from 3-7 pm at the Lowe Mill in Huntsville, AL. Designed as a fundraiser and get-out-the-vote effort for the Barack Obama for President campaign, the Festival will feature a drum corps, street artists, an art auction, great food, and performing arts. Tickets to the event are $15.00 and can be purchased in advance by clicking the poster to your right or on the day of the event. Tickets are limited to 250, so get yours now!

Manifest Hope Arts Festival announces line up

ashpolitics — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 16:16:50 +0000

The Manifest Hope Arts Festival is thrilled to announce that the following performers and artists will be represented at the festival on Sunday, October 26.

Performing Arts:

Madison Mission Drum Corps

Phil Weaver, Classical Guitarist

Artists participating in art auction:

Helen Vaughn: Award winning Huntsville artist specializing in pastel painting and original oil paintings. Ms. Vaughn will be providing a print for our auction.

Connie Ulrich: Huntsville jewelry designer and metalsmith

Marcia Weese: Boulder, CO, artist and interior designer

James Pitts: Santa Fe photographer

New artist and performer announcements to come. Keep watching!