As you may know, actor Kevin Bacon’s father, Edmund Bacon, was born in West Philadelphia and was a renowned architect and Philadelphia city planner. Kevin and his brother, well-known musician Michael Bacon, are encouraging both students and professionals to be part of the 2016 Better Philadelphia Challenge with a chance to win $5,000. The annual urban design competition was founded in 2006 in memory of Ed Bacon.

The 2016 competition focuses on the Mantua/Belmont section of West Philadelphia, which was designated as a “Promise Zone” by President Obama.

“As part of this neighborhood’s development, what physical design interventions could encourage healthy and active lifestyles, thereby improving public health among residents?” reads the competition announcement.  Continue Reading

On Friday, Aug. 14, families are invite to celebrate Back to School Education Day (E! Day), which will be held at the School of the Future (4021 Parkside Ave.). The event, hosted by the School District of Philadelphia, will include on-site student registration, information sessions, free book bags and other giveaways, and educational games. School District officers will be there to answer questions about transportation, lunch programs, uniforms, and many other things. The event will take place from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. More information is available on the School District website.

Just a reminder that the 2015-16 school year for grades 1-12 at Philadelphia public schools begins on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Branford Marsalis Jazz Quartet (from left: Joey Calderazzo (piano), Eric Revis (bass), Branford Marsalis (saxophone), and Justin Faulkner (drums)).

Internationally acclaimed jazz musicians will be guests at the 2nd annual Community Unity Music Festival at Clark Park (43rd and Chester). Saxophone legend Branford Marsalis and his band, The Branford Marsalis Jazz Quartet, will again headline the festival, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. This year’s festival, which promotes nonviolence and unity in the Philadelphia community, is called “A Day to Remember.” In addition to live music performances, the festival program includes inspirational speeches from city and state dignitaries, food, games and other activities for kids.

The festival is organized with the help of Justin Faulkner, the drummer of the Marsalis Quartet, who grew up in West Philadelphia. One of the main goals of the festival is to show young community members that “creativity enriches the soul” (the festival’s motto is “Put down the guns and pick up an instrument”). To help local artistic youth, the festival organizers created “The Each One Teach One” coalition, which gives scholarships to five deserving students for private music lessons with one of the festival’s partners, the Clef Club for Jazz and the Performing Arts.

For more information about the Community Unity Music Festival and people behind it, click here.

Photo courtesy Scribe Video Center

This month, Scribe Video Center is bringing back its Street Movies! program, with free outdoor film screenings and live performances taking place across Philadelphia neighborhoods. The program features independent films from around the world that spark discussions of issues relevant to the community. Each screening is hosted by a community organization and is followed by a moderated discussion. Two screenings will be held in West Philly this weekend, both at 7:45 p.m. – at Clark Park on Friday and at Malcolm X Park on Saturday. Details are below (for more info, visit scribe.org/news/streetmovies).

• Friday, Aug 7, 7:45 p.m.

The Bowl @ Clark Park (45th Street and Kingsessing Avenue)
Host: Jubilee School
Event Emcee: 900AM WURD’s Stephanie Renée
Opening live performance: the Jubilites of Jubilee School

The program includes the following film screenings:

Tengo Talento: Jennyselt Galata of Yoruba Andabo & Sailen (Afro Cuban Folklore)
dir. Eli Jacobs-Fantauzzi

Jennyselt is a dancer of Afro Cuban Folklore, with great prestige within Cuba and internationally and currently dances with the group Yoruba Andabo. She seeks her successor to keep the legacy of Afro-Cuban culture, dance and religion alive. Who will she choose to keep the legacy alive? (Cuba, 2014, 10:21 min, Spanish w/English Subtitles)  Continue Reading

Local artists are invited to be a part of a new project on 52nd Street. The Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation (TEC-CDC) is seeking experienced artists to paint 56 parking meters on the 52nd Street commercial corridor between Arch and Walnut streets.

The designs will be created with community input and according to a coordinated branding scheme for the corridor. Beginning in September, the selected artists will work with local schools, community groups and businesses on the initial design of the parking meter art. The painting project will begin in October, and is expected to be completed by mid-November.

The project, which will help fight blight in the form of aging parking meters, is part of the ongoing 52nd Street commercial corridor revitalization efforts spearheaded by TEC-CDC. The project is funded by Philadelphia LISC.

This is a paid opportunity for artists or creative groups (up to 10 artists can be selected to participate in the project), and TEC-CDC will cover all the supply costs. Application deadline is 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 10. More information about the project, application details and forms are available here. If you have questions, please contact Akeem J. Dixon at 215-895-4021 or ADixon@theenterprisecenter.com

Former Transition To Independent Living Center building at 4534-36 Spruce St (archived photo).

The new owners of the former Transition To Independent Living Center building at the corner of 46th and Spruce streets will be at the Spruce Hill Community Association’s zoning meeting on Thursday, Aug. 6, to hear what neighborhood residents want to see developed at the site.

The building went up for sale again in June after its owner, Mission First, didn’t receive enough funding for the development of an affordable housing project at the site. The new owners have not been identified yet.

The meeting will take place at SHCA’s office at 257 S. 45th St., beginning at 6:30 p.m., and the 4534-36 site will be discussed first (for approximately 30 minutes).

Other development projects to be discussed at the meeting include:

– Ronald McDonald House expansion plans. (7 p.m.)

– Jubilee School (4211 Chester Avenue) – Erection of a mobile trailer at the rear of the lot for expanded educational activities. (7:15 p.m.)

– 4249 Walnut–Construction of a two-story addition in the rear of an existing three-story structure. (7:30 p.m.)