Non-Profit Group First Person Arts Kicks Off 10th Annual Festival
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - First Person Arts is a non-profit that believes everyone has a story worth telling. The group kicked off 10th annual festival on Thursday at the Christ Church Neighborhood House.
The 11-day festival is devoted exclusively to memoir and documentary art.
"We do film and theatre and storytelling and author memoir readings and workshops...very, very different genres of art," Marketing Coordinator Karina Kasala says. "But the common thread is that everything comes from real life."
Kasala says anyone can become a first person artist. The group holds events each month throughout Philadelphia.
"We really strive to create programming that allows for people to share their personal stories on stage and get the tools to tell their stories."
R. Eric Thomas is one of the artists. His one man show is called, "Will you accept this Friend Request" and tells stories about his search for love on the internet.
"It's an hour-long story-telling show that I worked with First Person Arts to Develop. They workshopped it, gave me feedback, provided me with space."
The festival kicked off with a story-telling Grand Slam at the Christ Church House. Events will run through November 20th at various venues in Old City. For more info, go to firstpersonarts.org.
Reported by Cherri Gregg, KYW Newsradio 1060
