As part of the citywide Sun Ra Celebration, Sidewalk will be screening Sun Ra's 1974 cult classic, Space is the Place.

Before the film, the Southern Music Research Center will share exclusive archival footage from Sun Ra's memorial service, held in Birmingham in 1993.

Film Synopsis: Avant-jazz mystic Sun Ra brought his pioneering Afrofuturist vision to the screen with this film version of his concept album. It’s a wild, kaleidoscopic whirl of science fiction, sharp social commentary, goofy pseudo-blaxploitation stylistics, and thrilling concert performance, in which the pharaonic Ra and his Arkestra lead an intergalactic movement to resettle the Black race on their utopian space colony.

Electromagnetic Field Gothic is a conceptual typeface project by artist and designer Ryan Meyer. What started as a mark-making style that visualizes the pervasive electromagnetic field, became a system of letterforms and symbols displayed as type specimens on wall objects. The drawings are made with bleach, staples, and graphite on black paper or fabric. As the bleach oxidizes the black dyes, it creates a chemical burn aesthetic that references a symbolic “burning sensation” from EMF exposure. For several years Meyer has been building a visual vocabulary around the themes of EMFs and artificial light. He is interested in the way they are thoroughly woven into both technological progress and the degradation of human and environmental health.

Meyer was raised between the suburban Deep South and the road. He received his MFA from the University of California at Davis and has shown work nationally and internationally. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Digital Media & Graphic Design at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. His art practice is research-based and is constructed from diverse topics and experiences. He often uses various forms of storytelling, data visualization, and graphic design to examine themes of technology, ecology, health, decay, ruderality, and the Anthropocene. Learn more about Ryan Meyer at ryanmeyerart.com or on his Instagram page @ryanmeyerart.

Electromagnetic Field Gothic is latest show in BPL’s Art for Everyone series. The exhibition is made possible by a grant awarded to the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Portraits of Ghosts features new works by artist Thomas Rooney, who works in the languages of overpainting, printmaking, and painting in order to explore the many facets of the human experience. According to Rooney, Portraits of Ghosts “is an exploration of interconnectedness and interdependence. I am interested in how the majority of oneself and one’s personality, their history and the consequences of their decisions and actions, is unobservable. Representing these invisible qualities, my work is an illustration of and metaphor for people’s interior worlds and intangible past actions, history, and relationships. Being an impression of an individual’s consciousness imprinted on a time and place, the word ghost serves as a descriptor for the unseen effects we cause and connections we develop and maintain.”

Thomas Rooney was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, where he currently resides. He received a BFA in printmaking from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. In 2023 Rooney was the recipient of the John Dillon Scholarship in Printmaking and the Virgina Rembert Liles Scholarship at UAB. Portraits of Ghosts is Rooney’s first solo show. Learn more about Thomas Rooney at tprooneyart.com and @tomporoonopolis.

Portraits of Ghosts is latest show in BPL’s Art for Everyone series. The exhibition is made possible by a grant awarded to the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.

Having taught for many years both at the University level and in the workshop environment I've been able to put together a formula that will show you my process in full detail. My first goal is to make you comfortable. This is your time and I am there to support that. For most people painting is a private process, doing so in a more public environment can create an anxious mind. I tend to try and keep things calm and will encourage you to let go of the fear of performance and embrace the act of creation in a relaxed environment. When working from life or photography my goal in every scene is to ask myself why I chose the subject and how do I convey that idea on paper. I start by breaking a scene down into its major elements and then allow myself the freedom to reorganize and adjust for as strong a composition as possible. I build on this using thumbnail sketches where I "play" with different versions of the scene. Once I am settled on a workable idea I begin the process of building the scene. I am known for saying a couple of things. First- never let reality get in the way of a good painting. Second- do not let a pencil line tell you where to put your brush. Thinking this way takes a little pressure off of the need to perform well from the start. We are so very good at seeing the bad things in our paintings and terrible at noticing the good bits. I want to show you how to avoid that distraction and plan a painting so that you understand as much as you can before starting in with paint. I cover as many different subjects as I can in each workshop. Skies, landform, water, reflections, the urban environment, all deserve attention so that I can give you a base of knowledge you can work from well after I have left the building. I don't want to create cadre of people that can paint in my style. I want to help you find your unique voice. You are the only one that can express the world in your way. I embrace that idea. I will of course show you tips and helpful ideas I've learned in my 25 year career. I will demonstrate how I work from the first scribble of a pencil to the final piece. It's all about embracing your creative side and learning to letting go of the little voice that tells you that you can't do it. My very best, Iain lain Stewart AWS / NWS is a Scots born watercolor artist and a signature member of the American and National Watercolor Societies among other state and international entities. He has also recently been inducted into the Whiskey Painters of America. His work has received numerous awards in international competition and hangs in many corporate and private collections. lain is a sought after watercolor instructor and juror and has been published in numerous books and periodicals. He has just finished production of his 5th instructional DVD. In 2021 his first book on painting; En Plein Air- Light and Color, was published. lain maintains a studio in Opelika, Alabama, and in addition to gallery work, is an Architectural Illustrator with an international clientele and has taught watercolor and design drawing at Auburn University where he received his degree. lain is an International Brand Ambassador for Escoda Brushes, Daniel Smith Watercolors, and Stillman & Birn Sketchbooks. Materials List Please note. In regard to the materials list it is wise to try and use as much of your existing supplies as possible. The following are what I use for painting- and everyone?s taste is slightly different there. You will need the Stillman and Birn sketchbook in either alpha or beta series. Hardbound or wire bound. We cannot replicate a paper?s reaction in different sketchbooks. You will need a couple of mop brushes mid sized for larger washes, a good springy pointed round for detail #8-14, and something smaller for detailed work. I also use a couple of flats at times. In most cases I can suggest ways to use what you already have to get the same results as I do. It?s rare that the materials are in control of what is happening on the paper. I use the following colors in artist?s grade tube paint. Whether you have these exact colors is of less importance than the way we think about mixing color and its strength. With a well rounded palette you can mix anything as long as you have decent primaries. My suggestion is not to go out and buy all the colors I have listed here with the exception of Winsor and Newton?s Burnt Siena or Daniel Smith?s Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Lavender, a decent dark like Neutral Tint and some Zinc White gouache. I mix many of my greens so some Quinacridone Gold is useful too. For me the first two colors are interchangeable- you just need a primary earth orange. My palette is based on earth tones and for each painting is fairly limited. If you have a well rounded palette we can mix colors that will work for you. Mixing colors with what you already have is a good exercise and I am rarely adamant about a certain pigment; value and temperature drives most of my decisions. Below is my full list of what I actually put to use. To go out and buy everything here is a significant investment and probably not necessary. I do suggest buying artist?s grade paint and the Escoda Perla is an excellent synthetic brush but, as with many materials, this is a personal choice and not exactly a must have. ? A sketchbook. I use a Stillman & Birn Alpha Series 9" x 11" hardbound sketchbook. If you already have a sketchbook it will be suitable as long as the paper can take watercolor. ? I use Arches or Saunders Waterford 140lb Cold Press or rough paper in addition to loose sheets of Stillman & Birn Beta series papers. Bring twice as much paper as you expect to use. We will typically work at 1/4 sheet and do at least one demo a day. ? A stretching board. I use masonite, or gator board and (Scotch brand) masking tape to affix the paper to the board. ? Drafting or masking tape 1? size ? A water holder and small spray bottle. ? A watercolor palette. I use a folding metal travel palette by Craig Young or the Holbein series flat palettes but the Mijello Fusion Airtight Watercolor Palette is a fine one (especially for Plein Air work) and inexpensive as are traditional round covered palettes. ? Paper towels- I use Viva, it?s extremely absorbent and works well. Do not use dyed or patterned towels Paint and Brushes ? Brushes- you will need a small, medium, and large watercolor brush. I recommend the Escoda Perla, Versatil, Ultimo series short handled rounds No's 14 and a Versatil 3/4" flat. A squirrel or synthetic mop No 14 or close to it. A small No. 4 round for detail. I also use a small palette knife. ? a brush carrier. I use a Cheap Joe's folding carrier but anything that will protect your brushes and not bend the points will work. ? Paint- I use primarily Daniel Smith Artist's watercolors. I do not suggest using student grade paint. The only difference is the amount of pigment used and your work will look much more washed out than mine.There are many manufacturers out there and I have tried most of them. Daniel Smith, Winsor and Newton, Holbein, M. Graham, Rembrandt, are all suitable. Full Palette (only as a suggestion- we can typically make your colors work. I do use the Quinacridone Orange and Cobalt blue quite a bit) Daniel Smith Watercolor Paints New Gamboge Lemon Yellow Raw Sienna Burnt Sienna - Winsor and Newton Light Red - Winsor and Newton Permanent Alizarin Crimson Cadmium Scarlet Imperial Purple Neutral Tint Cobalt Blue French Ultramarine Undersea Green Naples Yellow Greenish Yellow - Holbein Zinc White (gouache) Naples Yellow (gouache) additional colors- cobalt turquoise phthalo turquoise raw umber burnt umber winsor orange verditer blue lavender

Young John Connor (Edward Furlong), the key to civilization's victory over a future robot uprising, is the target of the shape-shifting T-1000 (Robert Patrick), a Terminator sent from the future to kill him. Another Terminator, the revamped T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger), has been sent back to protect the boy. As John and his mother (Linda Hamilton) go on the run with the T-800, the boy forms an unexpected bond with the robot.

Selected by projectionist Nick Ferlisi as part of our Blockbusters Through the Decades Staff Picks Weekend.

Based on the remarkable true story of working-class hero, Lilly Ledbetter, a hard-working Alabama tire factory supervisor whose singular goal is to lift her family into the middle class. Having grown up in poverty, she endures a work environment plagued by pervasive harassment for the sake of the best paycheck in the county. As retirement approaches, Lilly discovers that the system has been cheating her, paying her close to half of what the men with the same jobs are earning. Outraged, Lilly fights this injustice to the Supreme Court, the corridors of Congress and eventually The White House all while powerful forces try to shut her down. LILLY follows the transformation of an ordinary citizen into the face of an issue, illuminating the impact a single, courageous person can have.

Robert Neville, a scientist, is a survivor of a man-made plague that transforms humans into mutants; he wanders alone through New York City, calling out for other possible survivors, and works on finding a cure for the plague using his own immune blood; Neville knows he is badly outnumbered and the odds are against him; the infected wait for him to make a mistake that will deliver Neville into their hands.

Selected by programming manager Allan Monterrubio as part of our Blockbusters Through the Decades Staff Picks Weekend.

Rachel Chu is happy to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. She's also surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must now contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far, far worse -- Nick's disapproving mother.

Selected by front of house associate Jasmine Schultz as part of our Blockbusters Through the Decades Staff Picks Weekend.

A man and his sister discover something sinister in the skies above their California horse ranch, while the owner of a nearby theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

Selected by cinema programming director Corey Craft as part of our Blockbusters Through the Decades Staff Picks Weekend.

During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.

Selected by front of house associate Violet Gein as part of our Blockbusters Through the Decades Staff Picks Weekend.

Please join Energy Alabama and Earth Libraries for this once-in-a-lifetime celebration honoring the life, music and legacy-- and 111th birthday!!! -- of Birmingham's very own Sun Ra with a special concert by the one and only Sun Ra Arkestra.

To help commemorate the occasion, the band will be presenting a special program of music at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame on May 22nd, as part of the four day Sun Ra Day Festival happening at venues around the Magic City from May 21-24, that will touch on several iterations of Ra's unique sonic catalog.

The band will be doing a short meet and greet for ticket holders starting at 7, followed by the concert at 8, and hope you all will come out to help us pay tribute to this true Alabama original and world-renowned pioneer of modern music. Space is the place!!!
General admission seating is first come

We hope to see you there!

Parking Information:

Parking is available at 4th Ave City Public Parking (purple parking sign). Here are the details:

Parking Lot: 4th Ave City Public Parking
Address: 1621 4th Ave N, Birmingham, Alabama, 35203
Cost: Free
Hours: 24/7
Entry Instructions: The entrance to this lot is located on 4th Ave.
Additional Notes:

We recommend arriving early to secure a spot, as parking may fill up quickly.
Here is a link to alternative parking options
Street parking is also available
If you have any questions about parking, please contact the venue at (205) 880-7381 or email info@jazzhall.com

For more event and venue details, please contact the venue at (205) 880-7381 or email info@jazzhall.com

We look forward to seeing you at Live Tribute to Odetta,  Honoring the "Voice of the Civil Rights Movement"! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

Legendary musician Swamp Dogg has been described as “one of the great cult figures of 20th century American music” and “the soul genius time forgot.” He is a genuine eccentric responsible for some of the most unique rock-influenced R&B (and wildest album covers) ever made. Hidden away deep in suburban Los Angeles, Swamp Dogg, alongside housemates Moogstar and Guitar Shorty, has transformed his home into an artistic playground. Together, they navigate the tumultuous waves of the music industry, and forge a wonderfully bizarre and inspiring path across time and space. Amazing access to Swamp Dogg, along with incredible archival material, creates a fun, hilarious and unconventional film for a perfectly unconventional life.

Suburban dad Craig falls hard for his charismatic new neighbor, as Craig’s attempts to make an adult male friend threaten to ruin both of their lives.

An expansive and revelatory inside look at John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s life in Greenwich Village in the early 1970s, ONE TO ONE: JOHN & YOKO delivers an immersive cinematic experience that brings to life electrifying, never-before-seen material and newly restored footage of John and Yoko’s only full-length concert. Featuring mind-blowing music newly remixed and produced by Sean Ono Lennon, the film is a seismic revelation that will challenge pre-existing notions of the iconic couple.

Join us for our family matinee series on select Saturday and Sunday mornings. Come cozy in your PJs and from 10am - 2pm enjoy light breakfast options for the whole family, plus a Bloody Mary and Mimosa bar for the grown-ups.

Film Synopsis: A thirteen-year-old girl is torn between staying her mother's dutiful daughter and the changes of adolescence. And as if the challenges were not enough, whenever she gets overly excited she transforms into a giant red panda.

Welcome to the 2nd Annual On My Block Fest! Get ready for a day filled with music, food, fun, an ART!

Join us on Sat May 24 2025 at 11:00 AM at 1701 Avenue E. Let's come together and celebrate our community an inspiring youth.

•This is a rain or shine event

(Tent space size 10x10)

(Sponsor Table must be 4ft)

NO REFUNDS- RAIN OR SHINE EVENT

📌Email Business Logos: bessemerartist@gmail.com

🚨Art will only be given away to the following:

•Kids (must be present)

•Teens (must be present)

•College Students (Must show school badge)

Building Verification:

Kasey Harris: 205-808-6665

Event Host:

Kiara McKenzie: 205-852-5664 (text/call)

Email: bessemerartist@gmail.com

Be sure to follow the host on all social media platforms to see more updates and vlogs on the event.

Birmingham Stallions|Michigan Panthers|UFL

Come join us at Studio 2500 for a fun and relaxing event. Let your creativity flow as you work on your projects in a laid-back atmosphere. Whether you're into painting, drawing, crafting, or any other form of art, this is the perfect place to unwind and get inspired. Connect with fellow creators, share ideas, and simply chill out while doing what you love. No pressure, no deadlines, just good vibes and good company. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so grab your supplies and come hang out with us at Create & Chill!

Sidewalk’s Book + Film Club unites movie and book lovers for a monthly film screening and discussion about famous films and the people who make them. At the end of the month, we host a screening of a film related to the book and host a round-table discussion. Each session is $35 and the includes book, film screening, and discussion. Buy 3 or more months at once with the book included and get 10% off your registration by using code ‘3ormore' at checkout! Already have the book? Select the $15 option for access to the film screening and post film discussion.

Registration Deadline to have books mailed: Friday, May 2nd. Books will be mailed within 72 hours of this date.

Registration Deadline to have books picked up: Monday, May 19th. Books can be picked up from our Box Office during our regular operating hours Thursday & Friday from 2pm til Close and on Saturday & Sunday from 10:30am until close. You will receive an email when your book is ready to be picked up.

Book: The Kaiju Film: A Critical Study of Cinema’s Biggest Monsters by Jason Barr

The Kaiju (strange monster or strange beast) film genre has a number of themes that go well beyond the “big monsters stomping on cities” motif. Since the seminal King Kong 1933) and the archetypal Godzilla (1954), kaiju has mined the subject matter of science run amok, militarism, capitalism, colonialism, consumerism and pollution.

This critical examination of kaiju considers the entirety of the genre–the major franchises, along with less well known films like Kronos (1957), Monsters (2010) and Pacific Rim (2013). The author examines how kaiju has crossed cultures from its original folkloric inspirations in both the U.S. and Japan and how the genre continues to reflect national values to audiences.

Film: Godzilla (1954) Dir. Ishirô Honda

After a dinosaur-like beast – awoken from undersea hibernation by atom bomb testing – ravages Tokyo, a scientist must decide if his similarly dangerous weapon should be used to destroy it.

Private screening and discussion will take place at Sidewalk Cinema May 28th at 7:00pm.

SHOUT Movie Night is a film series presented and curated by BAO (Birmingham AIDS Outreach) in conjunction with Sidewalk Cinema + Film. Our goal is to offer a diverse and inclusive film series that ensures all members of our community are represented. Please arrive an hour early for a pre-screening event and stay for a post-screening event both in the lobby.

*This is a free event. Reservations are strongly recommended but not required. Seating is first come, first served*

Film Synopsis: Aspiring director Corky St. Clair and the marginally talented amateur cast of his hokey small-town musical production go overboard when they learn that Broadway theater agent Mort Guffman will be in attendance.

Nina, an OB-GYN, faces accusations after a newborn's death. Her life undergoes scrutiny during the investigation. She persists in her medical duties, determined to provide care others hesitate to offer, despite risks.