Atlanta event to celebrate its 20th year

Showcase of artists, authors to focus on the literary arts

Appearances by Alice Walker, Dr. Cornel West, Richard Long and a group of emerging authors, joined by such artists as jazz great Wynton Marsalis, highlight the 2008 National Black Arts Festival in Atlanta.

This 20th anniversary fest, which unfolds over a 10-day period beginning Friday, will focus on the literary arts.

Among the showcase events is the Creatively Speaking series ($20 per session) at the Rich Theater, opening July 20 at 2 p.m. with an exploration of artists and the civil rights continuum featuring West, an author and Princeton University professor, in the company of Marsalis and visual artist Carrie Mae Weems.

It will be followed at 5 p.m. by a conversation between Walker and Pearl Cleage on The Voice of Alice Walker. At the conclusion of the conversation, many of those who have been inspired by Walker's work will pay tribute by reading selections from the poems, novels and essays, followed by a reading by the author herself.

An Evening with Dr. Richard Long is slated for 6 p.m. July 22 at the Woodruff Arts Center. Free of charge, this session with the noted cultural historian, scholar, writer and former Emory University professor and photographer Sue Ross will discuss his life of literature and the future of the genre.

On July 25 at 6 p.m. (location to be announced), the role of the artist as storyteller, archivist and societal conscience will be the subject of the Artist Roundtable on the Spoken Word. The panel weighs in on the question of what role the contemporary artist plays in "an ever-shifting cultural environment." Attendees are encouraged to participate in a dialogue on the topic with guest artists Mark Bamuthi Joseph, Steven Sapp and Mildred Ruiz. Meanwhile, the companion Spoken Word event Ebb and Flow 10 a.m.-7 p.m. July 26 at the Auburn Avenue Research Library offers poets ages 13-18 from local schools and youth organizations an opportunity to gain insight from gifted performance artists such as Joseph, Sapp and Ruiz, along with Jon Goode and E. Christopher Cornell.

The stated mission of the National Black Arts Festival is "to engage, cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression."

For more information and complete program listings, call 404-730-7315 or 404-892-2931, or visit www.nbaf.org/events/index.cfm.

Reach Bill Thompson at bthompson@postandcourier.com or 937-5707.