Studio 34 needs a “nightclub” permit to keep hosting large events like the City Kitties benefit auction pictured here. Photo from City Kitties.

A couple of dozen supporters of Studio 34, the yoga and arts space at 4522 Baltimore Ave., breathed a collective sigh of relief last night when the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee vowed to help figure out a way to get the studio compliant with city codes.

Studio 34 needs a “nightclub” permit to continue to hold events like dance recitals and art shows that it has held since it opened eight years ago. A few residents who live near the studio are concerned that if Studio 34 vacates the building one day (it has a 20-year lease) the nightclub permit might be used to open an actual nightclub. The building’s owner also owns the nearby Fiesta Pizza.

The ordeal began a couple of years ago when an organization rented Studio 34 to host a large event. They set up a bunch of folding chairs, but didn’t leave an aisle, a code violation. Later a city inspector came around and suggested that Studio 34 needed a special permit to hold large events that weren’t part of its core mission as a yoga studio. Since another part of its mission is providing community space for all sorts of events, Studio 34’s co-owners have decided to pursue the permit.

“We just want to do it above board,” said co-owner Jim Peniston.

The zoning committee committed to helping Studio 34 and nearby residents figure out a way to get the permit, but have some limits placed on it. For example, there could be a stipulation that the permit has an expiration date.

“No one is anything but complimentary about what you guys are doing,” said zoning committee chair Barry Grossbach.

While no decision was made at last night’s meeting, the board promised to be supportive of Studio 34’s efforts while reassuring neighbors that they won’t someday live near a rollicking, nighttime hot spot.

Tinycircus performs at Go West! Craft Fest (Photo West Philly Local).

One of this weekend’s highlights is the Spring edition of Go West! Craft Fest. The popular annual event is returning this Saturday (April 25) to the beautiful Woodlands grounds at 40th and Woodland Ave. and bringing dozens of artists and crafters, food, music and fun. Here are the deets:

The event will be held from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the front of the Woodlands (entrance on Woodland Ave). Around 100 artisans will present their handmade items, such as jewelry, accessories, ceramics, home accents, soaps & candles, toys, terrariums, prints, stationery and much more! The previous craft fest, held in December 2014, was a big success with scores of people shopping for holiday gifts. The upcoming event is a great opportunity to buy something unique for Mother’s Day.

The spring edition of Go West! Craft Fest is also a great family event. While parents are browsing the stalls, kids can enjoy live music and other performances and activities. The University City Arts League and the 34th Woodland Rangers Scout troop will be providing free craft activities, and there will also be free face painting. And here’s the performance schedule for this Saturday:

11 a.m. – The Green Tambourine
12:30 p.m. – Jay Sand, All Around This World
1:30 p.m. – Silverton
2:30 p.m. – Philadelphia Women’s Slavic Ensemble
3 p.m. – Tinycircus by Tangle Movement Arts
4 p.m. – Shakey Lyman & Sean Dorn  Continue Reading

How do we know that spring is here? Yes, beautiful flowers and blossoms are all around, but also so many cool events now happen every weekend – parties, community fairs, markets, concerts, exhibitions and more! This weekend’s round up is below. For more events, please visit our Events Calendar.

Friday, April 17

• ‘The Imaginary App’ Book Launch with DJ Spooky

The Slought Foundation, 4017 Walnut Street

Global software company ThoughtWorks is sponsoring the launch of ‘The Imaginary App’, a new book about digital apps and the way they have changed our world, featuring essays and articles by writers, artists, and theoreticians. Co-editor DJ Spooky (pictured right), who is also a composer, performer, professor, and activist, will spin music and discuss the cultural and technical shifts that have accompanied the emergence of mobile app technology. 6:30 p.m. Free. More info.  Continue Reading

Alumni from the Yale Russian Chorus, a storied all-male singing group that specializes in Russian and Slavic songs, will perform at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (3916 Locust Walk) on the Penn campus on Saturday, April 18.

A small group of students studying Russian at Yale started the chorus in the 1950s, during the early days of the Cold War when more Americans were trying to understand the culture and people of the then Soviet Union. The group took its first of many trips to Russia in 1958 where members performed impromptu concerts on Moscow street corners. They were soon dubbed “Yale’s singing ambassadors.”

Under the musical direction of co-conductors Brock Holmes and Bruce Lieberman, Saturday’s concert will be a rare opportunity to enjoy seldom-performed Russian and Eastern European musical masterpieces for male-voice choir. “Expect powerful music, thrilling solos, exceptional ensembles, and top-notch musicianship,” according to a press release from the chorus.

The chorus sings folk and religious music in Russian, other Slavic and East European languages, and occasionally in English. Its repertoire includes works by Kastalsky, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky.  Continue Reading

A number of great art and art education events are happening this month in the area, including exhibitions by local artists and Tibetans in Philadelphia, independent film screenings, and a master class by a renowned cinematographer. We compiled a list of the venues hosting them and more details about these events. Please visit our Events page for more upcoming events.

Exhibition, film screenings and master class at Scribe Video Center (4212 Chestnut St, 3rd floor)

• Stop by Scribe Video Center to check out Landscape Renewal, an exhibition featuring the works of seven artists working in diverse media: Richard Watson, Ted McGhee, Jonathan Pinkett, Alvin K.Nurse, Amir Lyles, Asaake Denise Jones, and Jerry Puryear. The exhibit kicked off on Thursday, April 2 and will go on until April 29. The opening reception will be held on Monday, April 6, 6-9 p.m. More details are here.  Continue Reading

Portraits by West Philly photographer JJ Tiziou are featured in a campaign against anti-Muslim ads appearing on buses around the city.

West Philly photographer JJ Tiziou is helping push back against the anti-Muslim ads posted around the city by providing portraits that showcase Philadelphia’s diversity.

Tiziou, who became known citywide with his amazing How Philly Moves murals, has been photographing Muslims in Philadelphia as part of the Dare to Understand initiative, a collective community response to anti-Muslim ads posted on buses around the paid for by a New Hampshire based organization.

The response includes a digital billboard on the Schuylkill Expressway featuring portraits by Tiziou that will run through April 12. The Interfaith Center of Greater Philadelphia, which fought the posting of the anti-Muslim ads through the courts, has launched a fundraising campaign to bolster the response.

“Our message has been clear: Not here. Not now. Not in our city,” a statement by the group reads.

Tiziou’s billboard photographs are part of his Everyone is Photogenic project, which he has revived as part of the Dare to Understand campaign. Learn more here.

The campaign is in response to ads on some 84 SEPTA buses sponsored by the American Freedom Defense Initiative. They feature the slogan “Islamic Jew Hatred: It’s in the Quran.” A federal court earlier this month ordered SEPTA to post the ads on free speech grounds. The ads will run for a month.

– Mike Lyons