Art Sanctuary Opened Center & New Play - P.A.W. Print

Jeffrey Hart, program coordinator of Art Sanctuary at Church of the Advocate, remembers Father Paul Washington as "A giant. He understood civil rights, he understood the oppressed." He also valued the arts as a way to lift the oppressed: "Father Paul understood the black arts movement of the 50's and 60's and he embraced it". Art Sanctuary, founded and directed by Lorene Cary, sustains the arts tradition begun by Washington. On April 24th, it honored the beloved rector's memory with the opening of the Paul and Christine Washington Family and Community Center. On April 29th -May 1st it presented a theatrical production, Reflections in Brown: Separate/Unequal/Still? by local high school students.

Art Sanctuary is situated in the Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia, a national historical landmark. Stepping inside its gothic walls one follows the same footsteps as the Black Panthers, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cecil B. Moore. Father Washington, as Hart explains, was himself a civil rights visionary. From ordaining 11 female Episcopal priests before the high bishop did officially to serving on the MOVE investigative commission in the 80's, Washington was "always there. Everyone knew Father Paul." The new center built in his, and his wife Christine's honor, hosted a celebration of music, dance, and spoken word for the grand opening event. Included were special appearances by Bishop Charles Bennison of the Diocese of Pennsylvania, The Dzifa Mask Ensemble, African drummers and stilt walkers, and muralists Richard Watson and Walter Edmonds, whose 14 paintings in the church depict the struggle of the African people in America from slavery through civil rights to today.


Poster for Reflections in Brown: Separate/Unequal/Still

Reflections in Brown: Separate/Unequal/Still? marked the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, and examined the inequalities that persist in public education in the city of Philadelphia. Jeffrey Hart cites the following statistic: "We know that only $750 per child is received from the state in the city of Philadelphia. Whereas it's about $2,000 per child in the suburbs." With this in mind, Hart recruits students from North Philadelphia high schools for the Sanctuary's after school program. They run the gamut from honor-roll to at-risk but they share a common goal: to learn of the triumphs and struggles of African-Americans through the arts. It is a cultural as well as personal education that they might not otherwise learn. This year, under the tutelage of poet and PEW fellowship recipient Trapeta Mayson and the direction of Temple University's Billy Yalowitz, the students wrote the production themselves. Hart stresses the importance of this: "We want the students to be at the forefront. We want to guide, but we want them to be the lead."

Consider the implications: by taking charge of the production the children take charge of their own education. On a recent trip to a suburban high school, the students were able to see for themselves the disparity between suburban schools and city schools, mainly in the arts programs. Reflections in Brown showcased their reactions, their hurt, anger, and determination for change in the form of dance, spoken word, and music. Featured in this multi-media experience were the musical compositions of Monnette Sudler, the spoken word talents of Def Poetry Jam's Twin Poets, the choreography of LaTonya Grant, and the masquerade arts of Ira Bond. The results prove nothing less than astonishing. You can hear the awe in Hart's voice. "I'm proud of the students. And the arts instructors are unbelievable".

Now in its fifth year, Art Sanctuary continues to strengthen, enlighten and empower the human spirit through the arts. History has proven that once the arts are allowed to flourish, people regain a sense of self-worth. As Jeffrey Hart muses, "The community has a new face, new life, new hope."

For further information on events please contact Art Sanctuary at Church of the Advocate, 18th and Diamond Streets, (215) 232-4485, info@artsanctuary.org, www.artsanctuary.org.