Get artsy at The Barnes this Saturday

If you’re a social butterfly, attending events all the time can get old pretty fast — dressing up, nibbling on hors d’oeuvres, sipping on a cocktail and making small talk starts feeling more like a chore and less like a good time. 

Luckily, The Barnes is hosting a new evening program that promises to shake things up and immerse attendees into a world of art. It’s called Artist Bash: Personal Stories on Public Style. Taking place on Saturday, May 13, guests will get to meet poets, musicians, performers and fashion designers who share personal stories through style. 

Onehunted, iHeart Radio, Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival and Small But Mighty Arts are event partners and helped connect many of the featured performers.

Erica Hawthorne-Manon of Small But Mighty Arts notes: “We want to bring emerging artists to the forefront.”

DJ Oluwafemi, co-founder of Worldtown, will provide beats set to projections of his own visual designs, which he’s even expanded into a line of bold, imaginative leggings. Lyrispect will present original poetry, which is influenced by her background in theatre and Ikire Jones, a men’s fashion line, will be displaying their West African- inspired collection.  Classical Indian dancer Roshni Tailor will perform, as well as AveNoir, a musical trio founded at The University of the Arts that combines hip-hop, modern jazz and progressive rock.

If you want to dive into the creative process at the party, there will be an open mic hosted by Loraine Ballard Morrill, Director of News and Community Affairs at iHeartMedia. There will also be a jazz pianist there and singers are welcome to share the stage to perform a song or two.

If you go:
Artist Bash: Personal Stories on Public Style
Saturday, May 13
8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Non-members $30, Members $15
The Barnes Foundation
2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
barnesfoundation.org