(Barrie, ON) The City of Barrie is a proud sponsor of black history month with celebrations taking place Wednesday, February 18, 2009 between 10:30am-11:30am in the Rotunda at City Hall. Several community groups are supporting this event through sponsorship including: the Barrie African Arts Association, Jacob, (Barrie Jewish Association) Barrie’s Multicultural Community Association, Georgian Copy, and Music Pro.
“This event has significant community support and I’m proud to work with all local organizations who have committed to the project. Supporting black history month is an exciting opportunity for the City of Barrie. This year’s celebration will be educational, inspiring and very memorable. Joe Sealy is very talented jazz musician and extraordinary artist who will give an exceptional presentation,” said Rudi Quammie Williams, Director for the Department of Culture.
The guest speaker for the event will be Joe Sealy, a Canadian jazz icon, concert pianist and radio broadcaster. Montreal-born jazz pianist Joe Sealy released a CD of original music, Africville Suite, in 1996 that won a Juno award the following year. It includes twelve pieces reflecting on places and activities in Africville, a community of African people in Nova Scotia’s Bedford Basin from 1830 to 1969, where Sealy's father was born. Sealy was working and living in Halifax during the time of the destruction of the community, and began the suite in memory of his father.
This year’s celebrations will be combining history and entertainment to create a very unique event. “Honouring history and supporting the arts and culture community is important to the City of Barrie and a priority of Council. I’m glad to see this event take place right here in City Hall,” says Williams.
Later in the evening, Joe Sealy and his band members will be performing at the Southshore Community Centre.
Advance tickets are $5 each and are available by calling Elaine Britnell at (705) 739 4299.
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