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Black Art Matters – Downtown West Palm Beach
The West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority will be celebrating African American culture during Black History Month with Black Art Matters, a series of free live performances in Downtown West Palm Beach every Thursday through the month of February.
These performances are a showcase of young talented black artists amplifying their voices in our community. Residents who identify as Black or African American account for 34.4% of the city’s population, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.
When: Every Thursday in February at 6:30 p.m.
Where: CityZen Garden, 400 Datura St., West Palm Beach
Who:
FEBRUARY 1: Bianca Rosarrio
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South Florida’s very own Bianca Rosarrio is an international jazz singer with a captivating voice that can melodically narrate her audience through a journey of sultry expressions and powerful climatic crescendos. She infuses her style with the ease of jazz, the honesty of blues, the nostalgia of the standards and the dynamics of soul. The conception of the often-sought-after songstress’s talent began at an early age while studying musical theater at Dreyfoos School of the Arts. She was eventually discovered by well-known German music producer Frank Farian and signed to his label working in Germany and touring around the world. She has performed and provided entertainment in 17+ countries including landing prominent shows in Bangkok at King Power MahaNakhon; the tallest skyscraper in Thailand.
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- FEBRUARY 8: Tim Dukes
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A South Florida native, Timothy Dukes is truly a Jack of all trades with a passion to save the world through each one. Timothy is a saxophonist, pianist, singer, vocal coach, life coach, and a future author. With intentionality to reach people through his gifts and talents, he is taking over the community by storm!
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- FEBRUARY 15: Von Archer
- A South-Florida-based hip hop artist with a culturally diverse style, Von is a man that has evolved and attracted success over the years. From his collaborations on “Cassius” and “Elevate” with recording artist Doxamillion to hit “Viva A Sua Vida,” Archer boasts thousands of monthly listeners on the music streaming platform Spotify. He hopes for his music to do more than just entertain, he wants to make music that embodies excellence and evolution.
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FEBRUARY 22: Branndi Lewis
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A graduate from the University of Florida, Branndi studied Dance & Dance Composition and obtained a Bachelor’s of Science from the College of Health & Human Performance in 2013. Upon graduation she attended the Pedagogy program at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater where she received extensive training in the implementation of Horton technique education.Branndi began her 8-year journey as a Dance Educator at Alexander W. Dreyfoos School of the Arts in 2015 when she was invited as a Guest Choreographer which she then accepted a full-time position teaching horton, contemporary, improvisation, dance career preparation, dance history and composition. In 2022, she was invited to choreograph for the Professional Division of The Ailey School, in which the institution commissioned a new work. During her fall semester with The Ailey School, Branndi also instructed contemporary dance repertory lectures at Marymount Manhattan College.In early 2023, Branndi founded her own dance education and mentorship program called GroundedWPB; an arts & equity program curated to individualize dynamic dance education & mentorship to equip aspiring professionals for advancement in the arts. This program is specially designed for families within the underserved community in order to serve as a resource for quality training and mentorship.
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- FEBRUARY 29: Jashua Sa-Ra
- An award-winning performance poet, author, event producer, host, lecturer, playwright, teaching artist, graphic designer, and musician. As an active artist in his community, he has produced and/or hosted several critically acclaimed performance events, including a festival in Brooklyn, NY, open mic venues, showcases, slams, and a variety of special events. Jashua has been creating and implementing arts-infusion curricula for over 20 years. He has worked from kindergarten to university level, including special needs groups and correctional facilities. For over a decade he has been the Artistic Coordinator for the annual Spring Residency at the Kravis Center for Performing Arts in West Palm Beach.
