Pier 68 on the Delaware River.
Photo by Matt Stanley courtesy of The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation: https://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com
FunTimes Magazine: ‘Culture & Entertainment’ column, week of July 7, 2025.
“The world is like a mask dancing. If you want to see it well, you do not stand in one place.”
– Nigerian novelist Chinua Achebe (1930-2013)
It seems that this summer is hot to trot. And you should be, too! Summer has been described as the song that sings itself. So, from art to jazz, go out and sing your tune, with these sizzling (low-cost or free) entertaining activities.
The Art Of Commerce
Saturday, July 12, 2025. Check out four short films, followed by a conversation with local creatives at “Converting Art to Dollars: Short Film Screening and Panel Discussions.” The screenings and chat afterwards focus on turning your talent into income. It’s where creativity meets commerce. The event will include a red-carpet entrance, a mixer, a pop-up artist market, and open dialogue about economic resilience in the arts. It will offer “a platform for candid conversations, real-life success stories, and solutions for building sustainable artistic careers.” It will be presented by the Philadelphia Film Society, Build the Table, and United We Heal Film Festival — and hosted by Jeta Simone and Tiarra Brown. Artists and panelists will include: Ebony Roberts, filmmaker; Kyra Knox, director of The Time Thief; Jamaal Jackson, co-director of Build the Table; Imani Harris, Pish Posh Brand; Steven CW Taylor, Ubuntu Fine Art; Julivia Christa, actor and entrepreneur, and Nas Cooke, youth-empowerment leader. For persons 21 and older. Individual tickets: $6. Mixer: 2:30 p.m. EST; Film Screenings: 3 p.m. EST and panel Discussions: 4:15 p.m. EST. Philadelphia Film Society / East Theater, 125 S. 2nd St. 215-488-3278 or https://filmadelphia.org/movies/converting-art-to-dollars-short-films-screening-and-panel/
Image courtesy of Interfaith Philadelphia
Good Art, Good Faith
Sunday, July 13, 2025. Check out an engaging tour or “mini-retreat,” Understanding: Visions and Values in Early American Art, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Explore two artworks that provide insight into the complex visions and passions of early-American patriots of the 1700s and 1800s. Participate in enlightening informal discussions and browse the museum galleries. The tour will be led by the Rev. John B. Hougen, PhD, of nonprofit Interfaith Philadelphia’s series The Art of Interfaith Understanding, and Dr. Christine Modey, Director of the Michigan Community Scholars Program at the University of Michigan. The Art of Interfaith Understanding is a program by Interfaith Philadelphia, co-sponsored by the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Office for Community Engagement, and the Church of St. Martin in the Fields, Philadelphia. Space is limited. Pre-register: Sliding scale of $10 to $50, free parking; 1:30 p.m. EST to 4:30 p.m. EST. Philadelphia Museum of Art. 2600 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. Email: jbh@interfaithphiladelphia.org, 215-222-1012, or https://www.interfaithphiladelphia.org/aiu62025/ or click here
Be fashionable at Culture Fest
A Celebration Of Joy On The Waterfront
Sunday, July 13, 2025. Get to the Delaware River waterfront for Culture Fest powered by Kabila Events, you won’t be sorry that you did. Culture Fest will be a tribute to “the strength, beauty, and brilliance of Black culture.” Enjoy live performances, great food, art, and a sense of community. From R&B to Afrobeats and hip-hop, chill to a dynamic lineup of performers and DJs. Check out spontaneous dance circles or battles, line dancing, and sing-alongs. Check out mural installations and live art focusing on the Black experience. Savor smoky BBQ to vegan soul food and signature cocktails. Black-owned restaurants and chefs will showcase their mouth-watering cultural flavors. “During the “Culture Influencer Awards” presentation, area change-makers will be recognized. Shop at more than 30 Black-owned vendors featuring fashion, skincare, books, and home goods. Culture Fest will feature wellness activations, cultural heritage booths, and opportunities for civic engagement. Founded in 2021, the event’s organizer, Kabila Events, is dedicated to highlighting small businesses and community wealth-building. Pre-register, admission: Individual tickets: $0 to $17.85; 3 p.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST. Liberty Point, 211 S. Columbus Blvd. https://www.eventbrite.com
Monday, July 14 to Friday, July 18, 2025. Interfaith Youth Neighborhood Mosaic summer weekday program celebrates the beauty of students’ identity and “the richness that identity brings to a diverse community.” The program gives students in 6th to 8th grades a chance to experience their neighborhoods in new ways; they learn about the religious and cultural diversity of their peers while strengthening their own identity and leadership skills through arts, crafts, games, identity workshops, and visits to houses of worship. Free, including lunches, 9 a.m. EST to 2 p.m. EST. Philadelphia Praise Center, 2300 S. 18th St. Email: trm@interfaithphiladelphia.org, 215-222-1014 (Ext. 4) or https://www.interfaithphiladelphia.org/mosaic-summer-program/
Kim Waters
Waters Flow at The Mann
Friday, July 11, 2025. Vibe to saxophonist Kim Waters at The Mann’s Jazz Under The Stars concert series, a showcase for contemporary jazz artists. Jazz Under The Stars is curated by Jazz Curator-In-Residence, West Philly’s Gerald Veasley. Free but pre-register for tickets; 8 p.m. EST to 10:30 p.m. EST. Mann Center for the Performing Arts/ Presser Foundation Stage (TD Pavilion), 5201 Parkside Ave. 215-878-0400 or https://manncenter.org/ or https://manncenter.org/events/2025-07-11/kim-waters
Cherry Street Pier Marketplace
Photo by Austin Marsdale, courtesy of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation
Raising A Voice For The Marginalized
Through Friday, July 11 , 2025. Attend an opening reception of GrioXArts’s Wings and Water: The Space Between, an artist collective in partnership with the Mason Stitch Art Collective (MSAC). The community-art project will provide a showcase for marginalized voices. The promotional material notes: “The title serves as a metaphor for freedom of expression and the fluidity of society, highlighting the gaps in understanding and the potential for bridging divides through shared narratives.” Wings and Water will create a “flag space” to reimagine the American flag as a collective canvas for people to share their ideas. The installation will run through Tuesday, July 29. It was spurred by community workshops in which artists enlisted the public to make embroidered bandanas for the flag. Free, 5 p.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST. Cherry Street Pier Marketplace, 121 N. Columbus Blvd. 215-923-0818 or https://www.cherrystreetpier.com
Job Workshop For Immigrants
Tuesday, July 15, 2025 to Tuesday, August 12, 2025. Take a deep dive into the immigrant transition and experience in the American workplace. Learn the career and leadership skills needed, solutions to economic exclusion, and how to move forward in your job journey. Get insight about all of these tools at The Meaning of Work: Employment and Well-being During Difficult Times virtual workshop. Complete the program and earn a Certificate of Accomplishment. The five-week workshops are hosted by the IMMIGRANT LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE and the Welcoming Center to promote community leadership and engagement in the Philadelphia area. The seminar will be designed for immigrants, refugees, and asylees. You must be at least 21 years old. Free, pre-register online. 6:30 p.m. EST to 8:30 p.m. EST. 2156-686-0876 or https://thewelcomingcenter.jotform.com/25168364
