South Bronx Culture Festival 2023: Mi Cultura Viva en Mí

June 2 – 4, 2023

Join them for a weekend of free performances in celebration of women creators

The Bronx- March 1, 2023 Since 2011, Casita Maria’s South Bronx Culture Festival has celebrated the vibrant culture and communities of the South Bronx through an annual performance series anchored by a new theme each year. This year’s theme, Mi Cultura Viva en

Mí, is rooted in healing and self-love. We have gathered a community of women from Caribbean and Latin American Diasporas who carry their culture with them and reframe traditional music and dance, sharing hope and creating inclusive community connections while amplifying the voices and perspectives of all who identify as women.

This year’s SBCF line-up, with musical roots from the diasporas of Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Haiti, México, Puerto Rico, and the confluence of cultures that is New York City, is curated by Casita Maria’s Interim Executive Director, Gail Heidel, in partnership with the Ori-Gen Collective, La Reina Del Barrio and Bronx Arts Ensemble.

FREE outdoor performances will take place June 2-4, 2023 at Father Gigante Plaza in front of St. Athanasius Church, 878 Tiffany St, Bronx, NY 10459. Everyone is welcome to attend all events in person, or to watch the Festival events at a later date on BronxNet Television, our media partner.

Throughout the weekend, bilingual celebrity MCs and BronxNet hosts Rhina Valentin & Javier Gomez will keep the celebration going, along with DJs BEMBONA, Sabine Blaizin and Boston Chery. Headliners will include percussionist and drummer Annette A. Aguilar performing with her 12 piece Salsa band, Afro-Brazilian percussion group Batalá New York, and Casita Maria’s 9-piece jazz ensemble BronX BandA featuring seven time Grammy award winning artist Arturo O’Farrill performing original compositions inspired by oral histories of women from the Bronx. The ensemble will be joined by Arthur Avilés Typical Theater, presented in partnership with BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance, who will choreograph and perform new work. These acts will anchor a full schedule that will include artists ranging from Young Artists of Casita Maria and Bronx Studio School for Writers & Artists to performance groups: Alea, Akua Dixon & Quartette Indigo, Renee Goust, La Manga, Mireya Ramos, and Sonia de Los Santos. The performance schedule is provided below.

Additional partnering organizations will create even more joy and activities for the community. Bronx Children’s Museum who will lead hands-on art making activities; Bronx Night Market will present a curated selection of Bronx food vendors; DreamYard; New York Public Library will park their Bookmobile near the stage. This entire program would not be possible without Sebco Inc., who will allow us to use Father Gigante Plaza for free.

Generous funding for the performance series is provided by Council Member Rafael Salamanca Jr., the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, and the Howard Gilman Foundation.

For Artist and Partner Bios & To Learn More Click Here: https://www.casitamaria.org/south-bronx-culture-festival

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

Friday, June 2, 2023

• 2-7pm: Bronx Children’s Museum, Bronx Night Market (Food Vendors), DreamYard
• 2-3pm: BEMBONA (Afro-Diasporic Sounds DJ Set 1)
• 3-3:45pm: *Bronx Arts Ensemble presents Akua Dixon & Quartette Indigo
• (Funk/Blues/Latin Jazz)
• 3:45-4:15pm: BEMBONA (Afro-Diasporic Sounds DJ Set 2)
• 4:15-4:45pm: Young Artists of Casita Maria and
•  Bronx Studio School for Writers and Artists
• 4:45-5:30pm: BEMBONA (Afro-Diasporic Sounds DJ Set 3)
• 5:30-7pm: Annette A. Aguilar / Young Dancers of Casita Maria (Salsa)

Saturday, June 3, 2023

• 12:30-5pm: New York Public Library Bookmobile
• 12:30-7pm: Bronx Night Market (Food Vendors), DreamYard
• 12:30-1pm: DJ Sabine Blaizin, Oyasound (Global Soul / African Diasporic Set 1)
• 1-1:45pm: La Manga (Afro-Colombian bailes cantaos)
• 1:45-2:30pm: DJ Sabine Blaizin, Oyasound (Global Soul / African Diasporic Set 2)
• 2:30-3:15pm: **Renee Goust (Latin/Regional Mexican)
• 3:15-4pm: DJ Sabine Blaizin, Oyasound (Global Soul / African Diasporic Set 3)
• 4:00-4:45pm: **Alea (Colombian Latin Alternative)
• 4:45-5:30pm: DJ Sabine Blaizin, Oyasound (Global Soul / African Diasporic Set 4)
• 5:30-7pm: Batalá New York (Afro-Brazilian Percussion)

Sunday, June 4, 2023

• 12:30-6pm: Bronx Night Market (Food Vendors), DreamYard
• 12:30-1:30pm: Boston Chery (DJ Set 1)
• 1:30-2:15pm: **Sonia de Los Santos (Bilingual Family Music)
• 2:15-3pm: Boston Chery (DJ Set 2)
• 3-3:45pm: **Mireya Ramos (Latin Fusion / Latin Alternative)
• 3:45-4:30pm: Boston Chery (DJ Set 3)
• 4:30-6pm: BronX BandA featuring Arturo O’Farrill & ***Arthur Avilés Typical Theater (Latin Jazz and Modern/Contemporary Dance)

*Presented in partnership with Bronx Arts Ensemble

**Presented in partnership with the Ori-Gen Collective

***Presented in partnership with BAAD! Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance

About Casita Maria

For almost 90 years, Casita Maria’s educational and creative arts programs have opened doors of joy and opportunity for the youth, families, and communities we serve. Our mission is to create a safe and welcoming community, enriching and uplifting youth and families toward shared cultural, art, and educational experiences and programs. We are guided by our vision of a dynamic and thriving community, celebrating arts and culture as integral to its vitality and success.

As the first and oldest Latino-serving charity in New York City, Casita Maria channels the artistic legacy and cultural achievements of the South Bronx and East Harlem to educate and inspire the youth, families, and community members who have made their homes there.