AWAACC Reopening Friday, September 18, 2020
This summer has been unlike any of us have ever experienced in our lifetime, but it is also one that has given me hope: hope that our community will continue to work together to ensure that our families and neighbors remain healthy; hope as people around the world demand equality and stand against systemic racism; and hope that the art and conversations that the August Wilson African American Cultural Center has planned inspires meaningful discussions around these issues and brings you moments of joy in the weeks and months ahead.
As we look to the future, I am excited to share that we have been preparing to welcome you back to the Center with a tremendous exhibition in a safe manner. We will be opening our doors to the public on Friday, September 18, 2020with Dominic Chambers’ Like the Shapes of Clouds on Water exhibition.
Opening Exhibition
Dominic Chambers is an artist who creates large-scale paintings and drawings inspired by literary narratives, various mythologies, and African American history. His paintings feel kindred with August Wilson’s writings in many ways, and we are pleased share them with you. After the feedback we received for our previous virtual gallery tours from audiences in Pittsburgh and around the globe, we will again offer a digital tour of this exhibition on our website for those who are unable to visit in person, to be enjoyed wherever you are.
More details about our upcoming fall season will be available in the coming weeks, including the continuation of our monthly Lit Fridays series and other digital offerings. There is still time to register your young, aspiring writers for our free Summer Youth Writers Camp on August 10th. I hope to see you online at our “AWAACC Presents: Battle of the DJs” on August 22nd. We will be sending more information on how to RSVP for this end of summer PARTY very soon. It has been a rough year for so many of us. Let’s celebrate our resiliency; we deserve to enjoy music together, albeit virtually.
Health and Safety Protocols
Over the past months, the AWAACC team has been working with state and local officials to develop guidelines and protocols to ensure that our visitors, staff, and artists have a safe, enjoyable, and stress-free experience when returning to the Center. We will reopen with our visual arts programming only, and starting Sept. 18, 2020, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation Gallery will open at 10% capacity. Staff and visitors will socially distance at all times, and we will require everyone wear masks inside the building. We are also implementing new cleaning procedures, and a detailed list of these procedures and policies can be found here. I encourage you to review our protocol pages so that you know what to expect before your visit. Please reach out to us at info@aacc-awc.org or 412-339-1011 and we will be happy to help.
Thank you to all who have joined us online during this time, from the virtual celebration of August Wilson’s 75th birthday and our Lit Fridays offerings, to the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival Live On-line and those who supported $10 for 10 Years for the Festival’s landmark anniversary – we appreciate your ongoing engagement with AWAACC. We ask for your support NOW; it’s critical at this time so that we can come back strong and serve our community through art and culture. You can find more information about becoming a member or making a donation here.
We look forward to welcoming our community back into the AWAACC next month, and will continue to share updates on our website, social media channels, and via email. Join our email list here.