Monica McIntyre. photo, D. March

The 2004 Philadelphia Black Women's Arts Festival (BWAF) came to life at the Rotunda on 40th Street and Walnut Street from 12 to 10 pm on July 17. The indoor/outdoor event was largely the oeuvre of this year's curator and host, Monica McIntyre. Her life parallels the production of BWAF in that she too, is a Black woman artist living in Philadelphia. Her creativity, best exhibited by the unique way she plays the cello was also tapped when booking this year's talent. Founded by Cassendre Xavier in March 2003, BWAF is an annual showcase of talent, films, vendors and products created by Black women.

McIntyre explains that the BWAF is an opportunity to showcase the talent that she explains is innate in all Black women. "The thing is, every Black woman is an artist-- we gotta be," she explains. McIntyre's penchant for individualism characterizes her surpassing of the typical expectations by Philadelphia audiences of poetry, music and dance. For instance, she transforms the cello into a guitar and bass when she plucks its strings or taps its frame to create a blend of blues, soul and jazz. "I really wanted to bring in all the different aspects of what Black women do," she says. McIntyre, employing intuition and drawing upon her affiliation with Black women artists, approached potential talent whenever she saw subjects who looked like artists. "I just happened to see someone at Starbucks and I said, 'you look like you do something'," explains McIntyre. Her prospect was Misia Denea, an African belly-dancer who would perform at the festival. This candidly deliberate approach helped McIntyre populate the Rotunda with different and diverse talents. On the roster were spoken word artists, dancers, a violinist, two drum groups, hip hop artists, a novelist, a jazz singer and a handful of funk and soul bands.

Shelley Nichole's of blaKbüshe. photo, www.blakbushe.com

In addition to the talent from Philadelphia, artists from outside of Philadelphia also showcased their art. Brooklyn native Shelley Nicole performed with her band blaKbüshe. McIntyre says she brought Nicole into the festival with the idea that she'd be inspirational. Nicole explains that she comes from a tradition emphasizing uniqueness. "I am coming to bring something different, something that will make people say, 'I need to tell someone about what I saw'." Nicole is her band's bass-player and lead vocalist. She was fierce on stage, donning a mane of red rooster-like feathers in her hair.

The festival itself was a family affair with standing room only. Some attended carrying their children on their hips, accompanied by their teenaged daughters and sons. Others came with friends, lovers or husbands. An audience filled with artists was encouraged to share its talents during the open-mic sessions peppered throughout the program. "I felt like I was a part of [the show] even before I got on the open mic", says Lenee Voss. Voss shared her poem Miss Congeniality, which addressed the prejudices and victimization to which overweight women are subjected. After sharing her piece, Voss says she felt "invigorated."

	Author Karen E. Quinones Miller

The communal vibe of the event was also inspirational for some. Karen E. Quinones Miller, author of Satin Doll (Oshun, 1999), I'm Telling (Simon and Schuster, 2003) and Using What You Got (Simon and Schuster, 2003), changed her prose presentation based on how as a spectator of the festival she says she was "moved in a different way by each performance." She had initially intended on reading a selection from one of her books, but was inspired to share her experience and birth as a novelist. "I think that what I'm meant to do is be the most helpful," Miller explains.

Tamara Xavier captivated the audience with an interpretive dance. Spoken word artist UVA enlightened the audience about her Panama roots. Hip hop performer, MC Babe spoke inspirationally to the audience about remaining "positive."

McIntyre says she wanted the festival to be more than just a showcase of artists, but an opportunity to see how all Black women connect in the universe as artists. "I wanted to bring in new people and help them become part of this circle of Black women doing their art," she said. As host, she laughed, joked and related to the attendees as if they were close friends. When off-stage, McIntyre was just as engrossed in the artists' performances as was the audience, moving and swaying with the energy that percolated through the venue. She seemed to be conscious of the audience's tastes and provided a comprehensive mix of talent, including old school hip hop, 70's funk, opera, jazz and folk.

The Philadelphia Black Women's Art Festival is one of Philadelphia's notable cultural events, helping Black women to attain fellowship and share their talents. It is inspirational, comfortable and is founded in the simple principle that all Black women are artists in some way, shape or form. There are no preconceived notions, no undue expectations and no boundaries in its conceptualization and vision. As McIntyre put it, "Just do what you do."

For more information about participating in or attending the third annual BWAF, contact BWAFphilly@hotmail.com. More information about McIntyre can be accessed at www.MonicaMcIntyre.com. Sounds from blaKbüshe can be enjoyed at www.blakbushe.com. Please also visit Essence Magazine's best-selling novelist at www.karenequinonesmiller.com.

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