Organizers of the Henry C. Lea Elementary School mural arts program are looking for volunteers to help with the installation of murals in the school from April 18-22, the week of spring break for the school district.

A planning meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 12 at 5:30 p.m. at the school (47th and Locust), where volunteers and community members can learn more about the project. A wide range of talents are needed to prepare the areas in the school for the murals.

The program recruited artist Jeremiah Johnson last month to design the murals that will be installed next week.

Interested volunteers should contact Yvette Almaguer at yarecess – at – gmail.com.

Don’t miss the opening of the exhibit by the current 40^th Street Artist-in-Residence Erik Ruin tonight at 6 p.m. at the 40^th Street A.I.R. Gallery (aka Airspace Gallery, 4007 Chestnut Street). Ruin will present a floor-to-ceiling installation of shadow projections and prints titled “For the Sake of Future Days.” The central theme of the exhibit is the exploration of hopes and anxieties for the future of the world in the midst of adversity and transformation.

The Artist-in-Residence Program was founded in 2003 to assist West Philly artists with their career development. It awards one year of free studio space at 40^th & Chestnut Streets.

The exhibit will run through April 29. Additional viewing hours are: April 15, 22, 29 at 3-7 p.m. For more information call 267-262-0208 or e-mail: erikruin(at)gmail.com.

Good beer, good pizza and a good cause. That is precisely what you’ll get this Sunday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the fourth annual Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship fundraiser at Dock Street Brewing Co. (50th and Baltimore).

Food and drink from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. are included in the ticket price ($35 in advance/$40 at the door). Cash bar is 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Live music is also on tap. Advance tickets are available at the Cedar Park Neighbors website or by calling Laura Tate McHugh at (267) 235-2046.

A bunch of items, from salsa lessons at Take the Lead to admission for 6 to National Constitution Center, are up for grabs during the silent auction (see the list to the left). A 50/50 drawing will also be held. Tickets for that are $1 apiece or $10 for an arm’s length. The silent auction bidding closes at 5:45 p.m.

The fundraiser provides financial assistance to college-bound students who live in Cedar Park. The scholarship fund has made more than $67,000 available to local students.

Click to enlarge.

A Protect Public Education rally is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning at City Hall. The rally is being organized to protest state cuts to education funding. The rally will take place on the Dilworth Plaza (west side) of City Hall and is scheduled to last until about 9:45 a.m.

A forum on education is also being held tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. at WHYY headquarters at 150 N. 6th St. The event will feature more than 40 local, regional and national speakers on education issues. The forum will include informational presentations on the state of education in Philadelphia and a reception for the launch of the education edition of the Philadelphia Social Innovations Journal.

The Journal and Young Involved Philadelphia are hosting the event. RSVP here.

A slew of local political candidates will be in West Philly tomorrow evening beginning at 7:30 p.m. The meet and greet will take place at the University of the Sciences’ Rosenberger Hall (600 S. 43rd St.). The 27th Democratic Ward is sponsoring the event.

Candidates scheduled to be on hand include:

City Council – At-Large

Sherrie Cohen
Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown
Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr.
Councilman Bill Green
Councilman William Greenlee
Councilman Jim Kenney
Isaiah Thomas

City commissioner

City Commissioner Anthony Clark

Sheriff

John Kromer
State Rep. Jewell Williams

Young artists still have a couple of days to enter work in the Manga Art Show and reception at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library (125 S. 52nd Street).

Young artists ages 10-18 interested in displaying their work in the show must submit pieces to the library by Friday, April 8.

The after school show and reception will be held Tuesday, April 12 at the library from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Manga (Japanese comics) have swept the nation (just ask any 10-year-old) and this show will celebrate those who read them and also draw them. Japanese refreshments will be served.

For more information call the library at 215-685-7433.