So, I have been a member of this tribe for a while, but never actually posted something because I didn't feel I'd done anything worth posting about, however I went to an amazing art event the other night, and feel a need to post about it so that maybe you all can help make something like this happen in your area.
It was called Illusion 2004, and it was at the neighborhood cultural center. As you walked into the space, you were asked to remove your shoes, and the entire space was covered in white butcher paper. The audience was asked to wear black, and all the artists were in white. There were a couple of art installations and six or seven painters who started with black canvases and had finished pieces by the time the night was over. There was a poetry wall where people were handed markers and encouraged to write, several of the painters were handing brushes to the audience to get them involved, there were also several musicians and dancers in the space, and a couple of people doing Butoh. There was a community altar, and snacks and a couple of interactive art projects. I absconded with a pen from the poetry space and ran around leaving bits of poetry near each piece that inspired me. I am sad that this only happens once a year, and I want to encourage folks to create events like this in their areas.