Arts & Entertainment

This May, Black and Unknown Bards present an outdoor, immersive performance of Marita Bonner's award-winning one-act play, The Purple Flower. Written in 1928, The Purple Flower is a surrealistic allegory for the decades after the end of slavery in America and a prediction for what would come to pass. Reserve tickets for The Purple Flower The Purple Flower is presented as part of SEEK Raleigh, an experimental public arts program of Raleigh Arts. Event Details When: Saturday, May 20 at 12:00 p.m. Location: The Pecan Grove (located beside the parking lot and basketball court) at Shelley Lake Park, 1400 West Millbrook Rd., Raleigh, NC 27614 Cost: "Pay What You Wish" In the spirit of bringing historical Black literature to as many people as possible, Black and Unknown Bards presents The Purple Flower on a "Pay What You Wish" basis.  You choose your ticket price.  From $0 to infinity, your presence is WELCOME. Tickets: Ticket reservations are encouraged as seating is limited. Walk-ins are welcome. Reserve tickets

This May, Black and Unknown Bards present an outdoor, immersive performance of Marita Bonner's award-winning one-act play, The Purple Flower. Written in 1928, The Purple Flower is a surrealistic allegory for the decades after the end of slavery in America and a prediction for what would come to pass. Reserve tickets for The Purple Flower The Purple Flower is presented as part of SEEK Raleigh, an experimental public arts program of Raleigh Arts. Event Details When: Saturday, May 20 at 3:00 p.m. Location: The Pecan Grove (located beside the parking lot and basketball court) at Shelley Lake Park, 1400 West Millbrook Rd., Raleigh, NC 27614 Cost: "Pay What You Wish" In the spirit of bringing historical Black literature to as many people as possible, Black and Unknown Bards presents The Purple Flower on a "Pay What You Wish" basis.  You choose your ticket price.  From $0 to infinity, your presence is WELCOME. Tickets: Ticket reservations are encouraged as seating is limited. Walk-ins are welcome. Reserve tickets

Join us at Sertoma Arts Center on Sunday, May 27, 2-5 p.m. to meet fiber artist, printmaker, and educator, Claire Kiester, who is featured in the Raleigh Room gallery. Learn more about the May/June Gallery Exhibits at Sertoma Arts Center Event Details When: Sunday, May 27, 2-5 p.m. Location: Sertoma Arts Center, 1400 Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27612 Cost: Free and open to public Artworks are for sale. Contact Sertoma Arts Center for details.

Join us at Pullen Arts Center on Saturday, June 24, 2-4:30 p.m. for a closing reception of Affinity Travelers. The exhibition is on display through June 29 and features the work of artists Jonh Blanco, Amy Veatch, Brian McCarthy, and Ndidi Kowalczyk. Learn more about the artists and artworks in Affinity Travelers

Join artist Justin Perry for an art making workshop at the Lions Park playground located at 516 Dennis Ave., Raleigh, NC 27604. The artwork you create will be digitally incorporated into a larger mural located at Lions Park Community Center. This project is part of We Art a Village, a public art project supported by SEEK Raleigh and Raleigh Stories Project. Learn more about the We Art a Village project and workshops. Event Details When: Tuesday, June 27, 6-8 p.m. Location:  Lions Park playground located at 516 Dennis Ave., Raleigh, NC 27604 Cost: Free and open to the public. Art making supplies are provided.

Join Raleigh Arts for an exhibition reception on Thursday, June 29, from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to celebrate the Voices of Oberlin exhibition. Through portraits and oral histories from elders and community members, the Voices of Oberlin exhibition emphasizes how special the Oberlin community was and still is. Learn more about Voices of Oberlin Event Details When: Thursday, June 29, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. Parking: Visitors can park in the Municipal Building Deck at 201 W Morgan St. Raleigh, NC 27601 Where: Block Gallery, 222 W. Hargett St. (inside Raleigh Municipal Building) Before visiting, please review the Raleigh Municipal Building rules Cost: Free and open to the public

Join artist Justin Perry for an art making workshop at the Lions Park playground located at 516 Dennis Ave., Raleigh, NC 27604. The artwork you create will be digitally incorporated into a larger mural located at Lions Park Community Center. This project is part of We Art a Village, a public art project supported by SEEK Raleigh and Raleigh Stories Project. Learn more about the We Art a Village project and workshops. Event Details When: Thursday, July 6, 6-8 p.m. Location:  Lions Park playground located at 516 Dennis Ave., Raleigh, NC 27604 Cost: Free and open to the public. Art making supplies are provided.

Who doesn't love a fashion show? Especially one with a historic twist! Join the City of Raleigh Museum and Corsets & Cravats to explore clothes from the 19th century and hear their stories as participants walk the runway.

Fabricating Reverence, a new performance art piece choreographed and danced by Myra Vincenza, is a collective reflection on loss and grief. Part vigil, part performance, the experience takes place at Lake Johnson Park that begins with a reflective walk (about half a mile) that starts at the Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center and ends at the Waterfront Center. Fabricating Reverence is presented as part of SEEK Raleigh, an experimental public arts program of Raleigh Arts. Learn more about Fabricating Reverence Event Details When: Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m. Location: Lake Johnson Park, Beginning at Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center at 5611 Jaguar Park Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, and ending at the Waterfront Center Cost: Free and open to the public Accessibility Accommodations Raleigh Arts works to ensure everyone has access to the arts. To request accommodations for this event, please contact Kelly McChesney at kelly.mcchesney@raleighnc.gov.

Fabricating Reverence, a new performance art piece choreographed and danced by Myra Vincenza, is a collective reflection on loss and grief. Part vigil, part performance, the experience takes place at Lake Johnson Park that begins with a reflective walk (about half a mile) that starts at the Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center and ends at the Waterfront Center. Fabricating Reverence is presented as part of SEEK Raleigh, an experimental public arts program of Raleigh Arts. Learn more about Fabricating Reverence Event Details When: Thursday, August 10 at 7 p.m. Location: Lake Johnson Park, Beginning at Thomas G. Crowder Woodland Center at 5611 Jaguar Park Dr., Raleigh, NC 27606, and ending at the Waterfront Center Cost: Free and open to the public Accessibility Accommodations Raleigh Arts works to ensure everyone has access to the arts. To request accommodations for this event, please contact Kelly McChesney at kelly.mcchesney@raleighnc.gov.

Join us for a closing reception celebrating the artists of the July/August Gallery Exhibits at Sertoma Arts Center on Thursday, August 24, from 6 to 9 p.m. Learn more about the July/August Gallery Exhibits at Sertoma Arts Center Event Details When: Thursday, August 24, 6-9 p.m. Location: Sertoma Arts Center, 1400 Millbrook Road, Raleigh, NC 27612 Cost: Free and open to public Artworks are for sale. Contact Sertoma Arts Center for details.