EVENT DESCRIPTION: Art exhibit, Music, Poetry, Dance, Comedy, Performances to Benefit SomArts Cultural Center; Art on exhibit from August 4 – 17, 2006

OPENING Reception: Friday, August 4, 5:00 - 9:00 pm
The art gallery will open up to include a full view of the theater stage performances featuring local bands, dance performance, along with a dozen other musicians, poets and other performance artists - TBA; Silent Auction #1 close end of night; wine bar. $5-$10 suggested @ door

Opening Night Performances: Gemini Soul featuring Ajamu Akinyele/Cyber Jazz, Brad Rogers/Solo Acoustic Guitar, K.C. Jiang/Tremolo Harmonica and Irish Whistle, Cheyenne/Sweetheart 0f San Francisco, Yolanda Rhodes and Ric Louchard/Transcendent Vocals and Piano, SF Women's Taiko Troupe/Japanese Drum Troupe

SATURDAY Performances: August 5, 12:00pm – 4:00 pm
A variety show in the gallery/theater plus a full line up of local musicians, poets, dancers and comedians Silent Auction #2 closes at 4pm

Sat 8/5 Performances:
Ilaya/Earthy, Groovy Rhythm, On The Fly/Dance and spoken word Randy Om/Stand up comedy, HoneyRose/Original Blues/Rock, Kim Harmon/Dance based theatrical performance

SATURDAY Performances: August 12, 12:00pm – 4:00 pm
A variety show in the gallery/theater, spoken Word and a full line up of local musicians, poets, dancers and comedians, Silent Auction #3 closes at 4pm

Sat 8/12 Performances:
The Harmalators/Pop with alternative music, Richard Stockton/Stand Up Comedy Ledbetter/Neo-Carnival-Freak-Folk music

CLOSING Reception: Thursday, August 17, 5:00-9:00 pm
A spectacular closing celebration of the diversity of Cafe Arts and Culture at SOMARTS featuring a dozen special guest performers will ensure that every artistic taste and cultural curiosity has been explored.

CLOSING PARTY Performances:
The Krelkins/Trio Based Original Rock, Voodoo Cabaret/World Music, Christina Simpson /Performing beautiful Bach Suites, Svetlana Jovanovic/Multi-Media Performance Theater

ARTISTS
Alexandre Koulouris, Allison Adams , Amelia Lewis, Anahid Arslanian, Anthony Achundo., Avi Deshmukh, Charlise Tiee, Chenee Fornier, Christine Cianci, David Leong, Dorian Katz, Edna Di Paula, Elisa Carozza, Faern, Fong Fai, Hillary Murray Freir, Jaqueline Paull, Javier Farias, Jennifer Morris, Jennifer Villanueva, Jennifer W. Mack, Joan Elan Davis, Kana Sekine, Karen Gutfreund, Kathryn Arnold, Kim Haueter, Kimiko Sakuma, Kristin Hashimoto, Maja Sidzinska, Margit Jones, Martha Rodriguez, Natalee Kolbrich, Nikki Schrager, Patricia France, Pauline Crowther Scott, Peter Foucault, Phyllis Rockne, Ryan Ethington, Sarah Soward, Shelley Gehlbach, Stephanie Cunningham, Susan D. Latham, Susan Roberts, Taiko Fujimura, Tamar Assaf, Telma Morais, Teresa Moore , Tony Perez, William Francis + More!!

ABOUT THE CAFÉ SHOW:
Over 100 painters, photographers, sculptors and 50 performing artists will come together during a two week exhibition and live performance series that promises an assortment of visual arts and live entertainment even bigger and better than last year!  Proceeds from the 4th Annual Café Show will raise money to help preserve the services and facility of SOMARTS, a pioneering San Francisco Arts and Cultural institution since 1979.

Celebrating the dynamic cafe tradition of the 18th-19th centuries, over 300 framed and unframed work will be displayed 'salon style' in the SOMARTS Bay Gallery. Unlike traditional gallery shows and silent auctions, the public may purchase and take home works 'immediately off the wall'.  Winning bids from each of 4 Silent Auctions will be removed at the end of each of the special performance events, and the sold works will be replaced with new pieces - to encourage return patrons.

On opening night the gallery will open up to allow view of a full theater performance of dozens of musicians, poets and other performance artists; silent auction close end of night; wine bar. $5-$10 donation.  Two Saturday afternoon variety shows are scheduled for those who can not attend the opening – or those who want to come back to view the art again, and enjoy a completely different line up of local talent.  On August 17th, an equally spectacular closing celebration of Café Arts and Culture at SOMARTS will ensure that every artistic taste and cultural curiosity has been explored. If you can not attend and wish to make a donation, please contact: Betsie Miller Kusz (415) 552-2131, mrc@somArts.org

ABOUT  SOMARTS & THE CAFÉ SHOW:
Although the City of San Francisco supports SOMARTS, recent cutbacks in arts
funding and rising upkeep costs have forced SOMARTS to downsize its projects and staff considerably. Realizing that this community gallery and theater space of over 30 years is in jeopardy of being closed, local artists have banned together to help SOMARTS. Most painters, photographers and printmakers have paid a $25 entry fee for displaying their work and are offering 50% of sales to SOMARTS during this two week exhibit. Over 400 pieces will be on display and for sale and over 100 works have been donated to a Silent Auction. Musicians, poets and other performance artists have also generously donated their talents to produce a huge opening celebration of Cafe Arts and Culture at the SOMARTS Bay Gallery. SOMARTS is a powerful force in the international and local art scene. It serves the community in ways that commercial galleries are often unwilling or unable to do. The centralized space is large and flexible and accommodates year round exhibits of experimental, multi-cultural, and international work in theater, film and the visual arts. Their resources, professional support services, venue opportunities and willingness to take risks in hosting unconventional art and performance pieces have made them an invaluable and much beloved organization among San Francisco artists and patrons of the arts. This is an opportunity for all of us to say thank you and we value you directly to SOMARTS, in word and deed.

 Please join us for this exciting and important event!

If you can not attend and wish to make a donation, please contact: Betsie Miller Kusz (415) 552-2131, Johnny Davis (415) 673-3080,

For more information: http://www.artworksf.com
~ Support SOMARTS ~ See more and Give more this year!