“Any form of art is a form of power; it has impact, it can affect change - it can not only move us, it makes us move.”
- Ossie Davis
A Word from sf|noir Founder & Executive Director, Hervé Ernest
Like many residents in the Bay Area, I love the arts and feel very fortunate to live in an area that has a palette so rich in arts and culture.
One thing about any discipline of the arts, be it theatre, film, music or dance, interpretation makes it richer and helps to connect all of our diverse cultures in the most human of ways.
sf|noir began with a simple directive - to present arts and culture from the Black perspective in an inclusive fashion. Bay Area residents have always welcomed opportunities to learn about different cultures and sf|noir creates a vehicle that answers that call even in the face of a continued diminishing Black population in San Francisco - making the organization’s mission even more important.
Celebrating Black contributions to the arts, both as originator and interpreter, and also recognizing the interpretations of other cultures to uniquely Black art forms is the focus of sf|noir. Partnering with other arts, community and social organizations, from the American Jewish Committee to Youth Speaks helps to foster conversations that keep our communities informed about each other and ultimately more vibrant.
The preservation and representation of Black arts and expression are critical to maintaining San Francisco’s standing as a diverse, cosmopolitan center of culture. We envision a time when, like SF Opera, SF Ballet or SFJAZZ, sf|noir is recognized as an essential pillar of the city’s arts landscape.
Below is a clip from the very first sf|noir presentation which took place at the Palace of Fine Arts - a centennial celebration of Langston Hughes with Brian Freeman and New York-based saxophonist Robert Landham. I look forward to you joining the sf|noir community as we move into our second decade!
Yours in the Arts,
Hervé Ernest