Credit: Brightnoon Pictures, LLC

When Yao Nunoo first arrived in the United States from Ghana 16 years ago, the then 22-year-old African was building his life as a struggling immigrant artist.

He was a nomad in a strange land, passing through city after city before settling in West Philly in 2002. For 11 years, the now 37-year-old screenwriter/actor has thrived in his “home away from home,” blending into the motley crew of arts and culture alive west of the University of Pennsylvania. With a handful of small productions, a full-length feature, and acting credits under his belt, Nunoo has forged a name for himself in the community—one further elevated by his recent African Film Development Awards’ (AFDA) “Best African Actor in Diaspora” nomination for his role as Ghanaian National Police Inspector Boniface Koomsin in the Ghana-based thriller, The Destiny of Lesser Animals.

“It’s wonderful and flattering to be nominated,” said Nunoo. The AFDA take place June 29 in Tanzania. “The idea behind the African Film Consortium coming up with the AFDA is about contributions to the medium in Africa or about Africa that supports African development and progress. That focus makes the recognition doubly awesome.” Continue Reading

P.M. @ Penn Museum, the popular summer outdoor concert series that brings great live music performances and laid back atmosphere to the museum lawns every Wednesday night, from 5 to 8 p.m., is returning June 19. This year, the concerts, which cost only $5 and also include admission to the museum galleries, will run through mid-September and feature a colorful blend of global music performances – from gentle Latin folk to raucous Turkish fusion, to rhythmic Afro-Cuban jazz. American-influenced music will be also well represented, with bluegrass, swing, and good, old-fashioned rock n’ roll performances. See the full line-up here and check out the Events Calendar for upcoming concerts.

The P.M. @ Penn Museum series is specifically aimed at those who want to unwind after a long day at work. This summer the museum’s outdoor Stoner Courtyard will offer a relaxed outdoor locale for the concerts and the Pepper Mill Cafe’s garden bar will serve drinks and light fare. Please note that in case of rain concerts move inside.

This Wednesday, Bill Koutsouros’ internationally acclaimed ensemble, Animus, kicks off the series, offering an exciting fusion of ancient and modern music with traditional elements of Greek, rock, Middle Eastern, blues, Indian, jazz, and African music. On June 26, P.M. @ Penn Museum is hosting Philadelphia-based, multi-ethnic group Barakka, which specializes in Turkish folk-rock with a mix of eastern and western instrumentation.

Animus will kick off the P.M. @ Penn Museum concert series on Wednesday, June 19. (Photos courtesy Penn Museum)

Organizers of Make Music Philly, the inaugural free citywide music festival taking place June 21, have announced its first confirmed events and West Philly Local has the skinny on what’s going on in our neck of the woods.

So far, the following local venues are participating in the all-day music jubilee:

University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, 3260 South Street
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Sheena Grier (pop, R&B, soul)

XPN Free at Noon, 3025 Walnut Street
12 p.m. – 1 p.m.: Southside Johnny & The Poor Fools (rock)

World Café Life, 3025 Walnut Street
2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.: September Call-Up (indie-folk, indie-rock)
4 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.: Cult Choir (experimental, indie-folk, soul)
5 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.: Keepin’ the Family (bluegrass, folk, indie-folk)
6 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.: This Way to the Egress (cabaret, gypsy, roots)

University of Pennsylvania, Music Building, 201 S. 34^th Street
2:30 p.m. – 3 p.m.: Wesley Skold (world, Bossa Nova)
3 p.m.-3:45 p.m.: Classical Revolution Family (classical, other)
3:45 p.m.-4:15 p.m.: Matt Chylak (singer-songwriter)
4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m.: The Chairman Dances (indie-rock, art rock)

The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut Street
8 p.m.: JACK Quartet (classical, experimental, other)

The Porch at 30^th Street Station, 2955 Market Street
7:50 am – 8:30 am: Scot Sax (singer-songwriter)
8:15 a.m.: Kyo Daiko (Japanese drum group)

People interested in checking out the different Make Music Philly events can search either a listing of city venues or a city map on the festival’s continually-updated website. There’s also still time for artists and venues to register as an official MMP event before it unveils next Friday.

As West Philly Local first reported in April, Make Music Philly is the city’s first entrance into Make Music Day, a global do-it-yourself music celebration that began in France in 1982 and made its way to the states in 2006. The June 21 festival will take place across Philly from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Here’s a sampling of events you might want to check out. For more upcoming events visit our Events Calendar.

Fri, June 14

9 am – 5 pm – St. Francis de Sales, 47th & Windsor Ave – Donations to be sold at the St. Francis de Sales Flea Market are being accepted in the auditorium. You can bring almost anything, except books, clothing and large furniture.

6 – 9 pm – 40th Street Air Space, 4007 Chestnut St – 40th Street Artist-in-Residence Program is presenting The Past is Over, a solo exhibition of new work by 2012-2013 artist-in-residence Mike Harpring (pictured right). Please visit http://40streetair.blogspot.com/ for more information.

7 – 9 pm – 8 N. Preston St (40th & Preston) – Grand Opening of Inewsent Studio & Gallery – Many West Philadelphia artists are a part of tonight’s grand opening of Inewsent Studio & Gallery, located in the historic Bell Telephone Exchange building on 40th and Preston.

9:30 pm – City Tap House, 3925 Walnut St – Blue Grass Music in West Philly – The Brummy Brothers are back on the road again and this time they’re kicking it off in West Philly’s City Tap House. https://www.facebook.com/events/502534066468815/

Sat, June 15

9 am – 4 pm – St. Francis de Sales Auditorium, 47th & Windsor Ave – St. Francis de Sales is holding its annual flea market featuring bargains and homemade goodies. Lunch will be served. For more information call 215-222-2255 or 215-222-5819.

10 am – 1 pm – Church of the Holy Apostles and The Mediator, 51st & Spruce Sts – The Church of the Holy Apostles and the Mediator is partnering with ECOvanta to hold an electronic waste recycling event. In addition, Nexcut Shredding will be on site to provide secure document destruction for $1.00 per box.

10 am – 4 pm – Clark Park, 43rd & Baltimore Ave – All-Army Reunion – The city’s first All-Army Reunion is also a chance to mark the birthday of the US Army for all US Army veterans in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. An estimated 200-300 veterans will attend the event that’s also open to their families and the public. There will be contests, live music, guest emcees, food and refreshments and more. Tickets are $5 per individual and $10 per a family up to six. Tickets can be purchased online or at the event. For more information, visit: http://vetscomforthouse.org/

11 am – 4 pm – Porch at 30th Street Station – VIX Emporium and the University City District are bringing more than 50 local crafters to The Porch at 30th Street Station for the 2nd 30th Street Craft Market. There will be three of Philly’s finest food trucks too – savory slow-cooked barbecue by Vernalicious, gourmet Italian sandwiches by Lil Dan’s, and Mac Mart’s macaroni & cheese specialties. For more info, go to: http://www.vixemporium.com/craft-shows/30th-street-craft-market/

12:00 – 8:30 pm – 55th & Chester – Stop the Violence Kickback Block Party – Mont Brown, the Southwest Philadelphia Ambassador for the “Stop the Violence” movement, will kick-off the Block Party in this region of the city and hopes to deliver positive alternatives by promoting education, the arts and small business development. There will be free food, live performances by 30 artists and 10 DJ’s, as well as a host of local vendors selling merchandise.

Sunday, June 16

12 – 5 pm – Firehouse Bicycles, 50th & Baltimore Ave – Party on the Porch – Firehouse Bicycles has new Sunday hours this summer and is inviting neighbors to a party that will include Danophonic spinning records, free food on the grill, and deals on bikes. For more information, visit: http://www.firehousebicycles.com/blog/events

West Philly resident Siduri Beckman, Philadelphia’s first Youth Poet Laureate, has aimed her pen at Gov. Tom Corbett and state Republicans for education budget cuts that have disproportionately hurt poorer school districts. In A Word from the Cripples, which she gave us permission to reprint below, Beckman, a graduate of Penn Alexander and a Masterman ninth grader, speaks for the city’s public school students, the ones most impacted by the cuts.

The poem has received national attention – for good reason.

A Word from the Cripples

by Siduri Beckman

Siduri Beckman (Photo by Albert Yee Photo and reprinted from the Generocity website.)

I’ve got something
to say.
It won’t take long
Just as long as it took you
to snatch everything away
One fourth of the body is
the leg
You have crippled us
Cursing us to hobble
all of our lives.

You see us as a problem
the classic class problem
INNER CITY streaked like mud across our faces
they’re all on the street anyway.

Thrusting fear
into our hearts
Why make us feel
so small
helpless
Forgotten by the people
whose duty it is to remember

Turn your back on your city
that chose not to choose
you
Because they feared
and now do all fears dawn true.

We will show ourselves to be
as formidable a foe
as all of those frackers
who you refuse to tax.

Dismiss us
We cannot vote.
But in this country
we can speak.

The 6th Annual West Park Arts Fest is happening this Saturday, June 8, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the theme “Friends Across Cultures.” The festival celebrates the richness of art and culture in Philadelphia and focuses on the resources in the Fairmount Park Centennial District. Around 2,000 people are expected to attend this free public event that brings together more than 30 arts, cultural, nature, science and community organizations from West Philadelphia and across the city.

The festival activities will include a youth Chess Tournament hosted by A.S.A.P., drawing and theatre workshops, storytelling, science demonstrations, book giveaways, face painting, and more. There will also be live music and dance performances by more than 100 professional artists and 200 talented children and youth. The event will also include a free guided historical trolley tour of the Centennial District with Kathy Lee, educator and Associate Producer of the Trudy Haynes Show. Please check out the flyer below for more information or visit this page.