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The FREE Arts for the City book launch party

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What do you know about the history of art in San Francisco?
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If you’re like me, not much. But next week Thursday you could find out plenty at the book launch party for San Francisco: Arts for the City Civic Art and Urban Change, 1932–2012.

If you’ve ever enjoyed the WPA murals, wondered about the story behind Coit Tower, or been curious about why San Francisco is such an art-friendly city at all, this is the book that tells that story.

In 1934, San Francisco’s Coit Tower was finally complete and open to the public. Coit Tower was one of the San Francisco Arts Commission’s first projects, and it set the tone for the next eighty years of public art in a city full of world-class sculptures, music venues, and community arts programs.

From the Ethnic Dance Festival to slam poetry performances at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, Arts for the City tells the story of an urban landscape where diversity, creative energy, and political activism are reflected in civic art that is bold and innovative and where citizens take pride in vigorous, often contentious, creativity.

And it’s full of photographs from amazing photographers like: Richard Barnes, Ruth Bernhard, John Chiara, Imogen Cunningham, Jim Goldberg, Doug Hall, Todd Hido, Reagan Louie, Mike Mandel, Richard Misrach, Dan Nicoletta, Ira Nowinski, Susan Schwartzenberg, Larry Sultan, Catherine Wagner, and Henry Wessel.

Another cool thing about this book? It’s published by Heyday, an independent, non-profit publisher focused on California. Love it.

The book is like $32, but the launch party is FREE.

If you want to go, they ask that you RSVP here: artsforthecity.eventbrite.com

San Francisco: Arts for the City BOOK LAUNCH
Thursday, March 21
6:00pm – 8:00pm
California Historical Society
678 Mission St.

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Scott James - Paperback Pundit

Scott James - Paperback Pundit

Author of Sidewalk Ritual, self-publishing teacher, lover of coffee and IPA. http://scottandrewjames.com