SundayMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
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  • 6:00 PMIn-person! Vogue Drop-in Session
  • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Practice for the balls! Vogue drop-in. All are welcome. These [almost] weekly sessions are free unless the event is a ball in which case the admission price will be stated in the event info. 
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  • 7:00 PMIn-person! Rando Fest. ART + MUSIC + PERFORMANCES
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ART + MUSIC + PERFORMANCES = RANDO FEST!Doors at 6:30pm. Show at 7pmCome to a night of Random creative acts, including music, poetry, masks, puppets, tarot cards, and other stuff.Performers include:Sloopygoop - Ecstatic 8 Bit EmpresarioVelcro Homer - Grunge Rock GuruYam-On! - Absurd Sonic Space FrivolitistsJoel Chartkoff w/ Sammy Shuster - Dance Pop Circus RingleadersRichard Michael Gomez - Puppetry PandimoniumOrf Ensemble - Masked Drama DevoteesPlus free tarot card readings from Madame Leann and probably other stuff including weird art set up at tables for sale or to look at.THIS EVENT IS FREE! NO MONEY NEEDED! COME IN AND ENJOY THE RANDOM ART!
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  • 7:00 PMIn-person! The Bigger Picture presents Taxes for Artists ft. Donna Seapoe
  • 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM The Bigger Picture presents Taxes for Artists ft. Donna SeapoeNEW TIME! 7pm-9pmLearn how to navigate the confusing world of taxes as an artist with the help of Donna Seapoe, in this in-person event that's got your back!Join us for an exciting in-person event where we'll demystify the world of taxes just for you!Donna Seapoe, a tax preparer, will be sharing her invaluable insights and tips specifically tailored to artists like you.Whether you're a painter, sculptor, musician, or any other creative soul, this event is a must-attend!During this interactive session, Donna will cover everything from deductible expenses to filing strategies, ensuring you maximize your returns without any hassle.Get ready to learn how to navigate the tax maze while enjoying the company of fellow artists at The Rotunda.Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to gain the financial knowledge you need to thrive as an artist.Secure your spot now and get ready to conquer your taxes like a pro! Registration is FREE and highly encouraged. Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tax-preparation-workshop-for-artists-tickets-771096880527
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  • 6:00 PMIn-person! Vogue Drop-in Session
  • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Practice for the balls! Vogue drop-in. All are welcome. These [almost] weekly sessions are free unless the event is a ball in which case the admission price will be stated in the event info. 
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  • 7:00 PMIn-person! Rare Jazz Double Feature with Albert Ayler & Miles! MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER (2005, directed by Kasper Collin, 79 minutes, Sweden/U.S.) DINGO (1989, directed by Rolf de Heer, 109 minutes, Australia)
  • 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM BRIGHT BULB SCREENINGS, Free Double Features Every Second Thursday of the MonthFollow Bright Bulb Screenings on Facebook, InstagramComing in February: Jay Schwartz & The Secret Cinema!The Rotunda (4014 Walnut, Philly)Thursday January 11th, 2024!Rare Jazz Double Feature with Albert Ayler & Miles!MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER (2005, directed by Kasper Collin, 79 minutes, Sweden/U.S.)DINGO (1989, directed by Rolf de Heer, 109 minutes, Australia)Jazz history is rich with challenging, extreme personalities yet who can compare to saxophonist Albert Ayler? Originally out of Cleveland, Ayler worked steadily as a young sax player in R&B and bebop groups. From there he joined the Army, where he began honing a style that absorbed and expanding on the new “free” ideas exploding in 1960s New York while also summoning the sounds of brass bands whose roots stretched back to the turn of the 20th Century.Albert's deeply emotional and exploratory saxophone playing would remain divisive among music fans throughout his life, despite being personally brought to the Impulse record label by John Coltrane, who would later request Ayler to play at his funeral. A brilliant, sensitive artist, Ayler would struggle with his career and mental illness until his mysterious death at age 34 in 1970. Despite his early passing, Ayler has sustained his artistic profile, his influence transcending generations, being prominent in musicians including saxophonist Charles Gayle and the modern sensation Zoe Amba.Ayler found acceptance as an expatriate in Sweden and Swedish director Kasper Collins stylistically brings a real understanding to the music that extends to his exquisite visual design. The film includes memorable interviews with Philly drum legend and Ayler collaborator Sunny Murray, bassist Gary Peacock, ESP-Disk's Bernard Stollmen as well as Albert father and his trumpet-playing brother Don, who together weave a true story that channels the profound power of classic myth. Director Collins' masterful follow-up, the acclaimed 2016 portrait of Philly trumpeter Lee Morgan, I CALLED HIM MORGAN, enjoyed an extended run locally at The Ritz 5.“'My Name is Albert Ayler' brings a sense of logic and humanity to a man whose music was as unsettling as it was untethered to the tenets of jazz.”- Phil Gallo, Variety- - - - -DINGO, a 1991 fictional feature from Australia contains the only substantial acting role of the 20th century genius Miles Davis. Directed by Rolf de Heer (known for his cult film BAD BOY BUBBY), the film centers around a dingo trapper and family man in the outback of Australia. Although his small town pals deride his dream, he quiets nurses ambitions to pursue a career playing trumpet. A chance meeting with his horn idol Billy Cross (that's where Miles comes in) leads the Aussie horn man to chase his destiny in the nightclubs of Paris.Major plans for DINGO's release were thwarted after Miles passed away, foiling plans of performing a series of concerts to coinciding with the film's international release. Before DINGO's recent restoration, the film was best remembered for its soundtrack, a collaboration with film scorer Michel Legrand, whom Miles had collaborated with for the classic score to Louis Malle's 1958 New Wave film ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS. As an actor, what Miles lacks in craft is more than compensated by his intense, unique charisma, leaving behind a fascinating footnote to one of the greatest artistic careers of the 20th century.“A Deeply rewarding work....Miles is magnetic.”- Luke Buckmaster, The Guardian
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  • 1:00 PMCANCELLED! In-person! Guided Yoga Meditation and Writing
  • 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

    CANCELLED! So sorry for any inconvenience 

    Guided Yoga Meditation and WritingPlease join Ash Brightwell and Krystle Griffin on Sunday, January 14, 2024, from 1pm - 4pm, for a 3-hour Yoga Meditation and Writing Workshop. This guided experience will take place in The Rotunda. Staying in tune with the New Year beginnings and the energy it brings, this workshop will focus on releasing. Begin this new year with Ash and Krystle as they both guide you through letting go of what no longer serves you.

     

    The event will begin with a quick guided prompt, followed by a rejuvenating and specially curated yoga session that will leave you feeling lighter. Through Ash’s guidance, you will work through releasing stress, anxiety, emotions and work on quieting the body and mind. Following this will be a longer writing session. Through Krystle’s lesson, you will write and share prompt responses that are specific to go hand-in-hand with the theme of Releasing. No matter your level of experience with writing, writing is therapeutic and a strong tool to help work through the brain bees.

     

    At the end of the event, there will be some light refreshments provided so that everyone can have a chance to chat.

     

    The Rotunda is an accessible space with a ramp on the West side of the building for access as well as a single ADA compliant restroom.

     

    For information on parking and such, check out the Rotunda’s website: The Rotunda - About

     

    Attendees are asked to bring their own mat and dress comfortably. Everything else is provided. Attendees are more than welcome to bring their own journals and such. However, materials will also be provided if need be!

    Registration is $30. Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/guided-yoga-meditation-and-writing-tickets-778845446697

    CANCELLED! So sorry for any inconvenience 

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  • 6:00 PMCANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER! In-person! Vogue Drop-in Session
  • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER! Practice for the balls! Vogue drop-in. All are welcome. These [almost] weekly sessions are free unless the event is a ball in which case the admission price will be stated in the event info. CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER! 
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  • 12:00 PMIn-person! Weekly Improvised Music Session
  • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Weekly Improvised Music Session. All are welcome to come and jam if you like to play improvised music. Wednesdays 12pm-2pm
  • 5:00 PMIn-person! The Fight for a Land Revolution workshop and community gathering
  • 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM

    Decolonize PhillyTHE FIGHT FOR A LAND REVOLUTION workshop and community gathering that will bring land justice organizations together in Philly.

    5pm-7:30pm

     

    THE FIGHT FOR A LAND REVOLUTION workshop and community gather is back! Join us on Wed Jan 17th at 5:00pm for an in-person event at 4014 Walnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19104 at the Rotunda. This event is all about advocating for a land revolution, and we're excited to continue the conversation from our last event. Our goal is to raise awareness about the importance of land reform and to empower individuals to take action. We'll have engaging speakers, interactive activities, and plenty of opportunities to connect with like-minded individuals. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to be a part of the fight for a better future!

    Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-fight-for-a-land-revolution-tickets-785808553537

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  • 7:00 PMIn-person! Cutting Ceremony (Pete Dennis, Tracy Lisk, and Abe Mamet) and Matt Lavelle
  • 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM Join Cutting Ceremony and Matt Lavelle at The Rotunda in a first-look at Cutting Ceremony's debut record. A limited number of demo CD's will be available for purchase.Doors will open at 7pm, $15 suggested donation.About the musicians:Cutting Ceremony is a new improvised music trio. The members are:----- Pete Dennis (they/he), a musician, improviser, composer, visual artist, and teacher. Living in West Philadelphia, Dennis is inspired by their beautiful community and the future. Other ever present inspirations include William Parker, the works of Octavia E. Butler, their partner Abigail, and the knowledge that all vibrations carry the potential to transmit the truths of life and death. Dennis’s recorded creations are released using the project name Search for the Infinite Light and include but are not limited to: Killing a Dixie Hummingbird (2019), World’s End Welcoming Committee (2021), and pastē (2022). They believe that sound is the foundation of healing and would like to acknowledge all master improvisers of the past, present, and future;----- Tracy Lisk (she/her), a percussionist who mainly performs on drum set, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ms. Lisk’s history as a painter and background in Brazilian percussion inform the substance of her improvisations which contain references to rhythmic structures while maintaining a fluid, suspended continuity. She has collaborated with William Parker, saxophonist Gary Hassay, Andrea Pensado, dancer Ryuzo Fukuhara (JP, SI), and Mia Zabelka (AU), cellist Helena Espvall (PT), among others;----- and Abe Mamet (he/him), a French horn player from Denver, Colorado and living in Mt. Rainier, MD. Abe's main artistic motive as a composer and instrumentalist is to use considered composition and rigorously practiced improvisation to more honestly ground himself, his fellow musicians, and his audiences within the spaces they occupy daily. Abe is further interested in expanding the use of the French horn in groove-oriented improvised music (aligned with and informed by jazz/creative music/BAM), and expanding the technical and theoretical limitations of that instrument.Cutting Ceremony is honored to perform alongside Matt Lavelle. A forward-thinking trumpeter and odd clarinet specialist, Lavelle has earned a high reputation as a gifted soloist with a bent toward adventurous free jazz. Initially emerging on the New York jazz scene in the early 2000’s, Lavelle studied with Ornette Coleman prior to the legendary saxophonist’s death, and played with artists like Sabir Mateen, William Parker, Jemeel Moondoc, Bern Nix, William Hooker, and Giuseppi Logan. His own albums showcase his inventive sound, influenced by the ‘60s avant-garde as well as more contemporary idioms. Lavelle is also a visual artist and a writer and is working to find ways to combine all three practices. Doors will open at 7pm, $15 suggested donation.
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  • 7:30 PMIn-person! Fire Museum Presents: Astroturf Noise, Systolic Murmurs, and Sam Wenc
  • 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM Fire Museum Presents:Astroturf Noise exists at the intersection of free improvisation, effects-heavy noise music, and American roots music.The group’s sound marries the propulsive rhythmic drive of bluegrass with the snarl of Downtown agitators such as the Lounge Lizards, Arto Lindsay, and James Chance along with textural flavors touching on glitch music, dub, doom metal, and Ornette Coleman. A broad melange to be sure, but one anchored by the group’s energetic drive and idiosyncratic improvisational language. This is the synthetic counterpoint to Bill Monroe’s “Bluegrass Boys”.Astroturf Noise was formed by Sam Day Harmet (mandolin/fx) and Sana Nagano (violin/fx) in 2016 after meeting at Karl Berger’s Creative Music Studio and discovering a shared affinity for high-energy free improv and American folk traditions. After a period of developing as a duo, they added versatile bassist Zach Swanson in 2018. Their debut self-titled album features guest contributions from genre-defying artists Billy Martin (percussion) and Sarah Bernstein (violin).Systolic Murmurs: Subtle, shifting, irregular patterns via plucked/bowed/rubbed strings n things, crumbling electronic impulses and tape-delay decay, strange seeds planted or tossed to the winds, growing how and where they care. Tones coaxed by Emily Milano (Permasquelch), Jordan Burgis (Honey Radar), Will Henriksen (Florry).Sam Wenc is a composer and interdisciplinary artist often working with sound, text, and fabric. As a multi-instrumentalist, he utilizes guitar, pedal steel guitar, vibraphone, electronics, field recordings, and found objects to compose structured and formless work that is curious about the themes and parameters of “folk" music. He has released music on labels such as Noumenal Loom, Obsolete Staircases, Where to Now (UK), Moone Records, his own label, Lobby Art. He received a MFA in Music & Sound at the Milton Avery Graduate School of the Arts at Bard College.Admission is FREE but donations are greatly appreciated. Advance registration is highly recommended. Please register HERE
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  • 6:00 PMIn-person! Vogue Drop-in Session
  • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Practice for the balls! Vogue drop-in. All are welcome. These [almost] weekly sessions are free unless the event is a ball in which case the admission price will be stated in the event info. 
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  • 9:00 PMIn-person! The Gathering
  • 9:00 PM - 11:59 PM The Gathering!  kicking it off with the homie @rebel_foster as a special guest. No battles, all jams all love. It’s 2024, let’s have a good time. Admission is $3 before 10pm, $5 after. 
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  • 2:00 PMIn-person! Moonstone presents the 27th Annual Poetry Ink
  • 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

    Moonstone presents the 27th Annual Poetry Ink

    2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    We want you all: published poets, unpublished poets, academic poets, street poets, poets who write Sonnet, Villanelle, Haiku, Ekphrastic Poems, Concrete Poems, Epitaph, Elegy, Epigram, Limerick, Ballad, Ode, Free Verse.

    Join us for our 27th year of presenting 100 poets reading in alphabetical order. We will have the live event at The Rotunda on Sunday Jan 28 and a Virtual event over Zoom on Monday Jan 29. Last year we presented 50 poets at each event.

    Admission is FREE

     

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  • 6:00 PMIn-person! Vogue Drop-in Session
  • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Practice for the balls! Vogue drop-in. All are welcome. These [almost] weekly sessions are free unless the event is a ball in which case the admission price will be stated in the event info. 
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  • 12:00 PMIn-person! Weekly Improvised Music Session
  • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Weekly Improvised Music Session. All are welcome to come and jam if you like to play improvised music. Wednesdays 12pm-2pm
  • 8:00 PMIn-person! Jay$Wise I'm Home Concert + Bulletz the Juggernaut, Ric Santiaga & more. Hosted by Mike Smeeze
  • 8:00 PM - 10:30 PM Jay$Wise: I'm HomeDoors at 7pm. Show at 8pmThis is a concert to celebrate the music of Philly's own hip hop artist Jay$Wise. There will be food, merch, and of course some of the best hip hop music to come out of the city. There will also be other acts performing as well which includes Bulletz the Juggernaut, Ric Santiaga and a few more. Hosted by Mike Smeeze. Admission is $10 in advance or $20 at the door. Follow Jay$Wise on IG and contact him for advance tickets. instagram.com/jaywise23
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