Old Art Building celebrates Summer Solstice with solar panels, Seth Bernard concert
From staff reports
On June 22 the Leelanau Community Cultural Center (LCCC) at the Old Art Building will host a Solstice Celebration to honor the summer sun. The event will also celebrate the installation of the 20-kilowatt rooftop solar system made possible by a $60,000 grant received from All Points North Foundation. From 11 am–3 pm there will be solar fun and educational activities for the whole family. At 7:30 the 2019 Ann Hall Visiting Artist, Seth Bernard, and a few of his friends will perform a Summer Solstice Concert on the Old Art Buildings front lawn. The morning activities are free, the evening concert is $10. Tickets are available from MyNorthTickets.com or call 231-256-2131.
Daytime activities include: Leland Public School will present a Solar Energy Expo; Leland’s Leelanau Books will offer Family “Sun” Crafts; Enerdyne of Suttons Bay will organize sun gazing and Solar building projects.
Information about solar energy and other environmental topics will be available from several local businesses and organizations: Peninsula Solar, LLC, of Leelanau County and Marquette, which installed the panels, provides sustainable energy throughout Michigan; Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities is a nonprofit collaborating respectfully with citizens and leaders to protect everything we love about Michigan; Northport Energy a nonprofit organization made up of a diverse group of farmers, engineers, economists, scientists, teachers, attorneys, public administrators, and energy experts—all coming together to pursue that same common interest in renewable energy; Title Track Engaging creative practice to build resilient social-ecological systems that support clean water, racial equity, and youth empowerment.
A special scavenger hunt concludes the visit and includes prizes.
Seth Bernard plays solstice concert
The Leelanau Community Cultural Center welcomes the 2019 Ann Hall Visiting Artist Seth Bernard. As the visiting artist, he will perform a concert on the lawn at the Old Art Building on Saturday, June 22 at 7:30 pm. Bernard, a northern Michigan singer/songwriter and environmentalist will be joined by a few of his closest friends. They will play original and cover music, share stories, and celebrate one of the longest days of the year. Tickets cost $10 and are available at MyNorthTickets.com or by calling 231-256-2131.
Bring your lawn/beach chairs and enjoy the music. Beer, wine and cider will be available for purchase. Thank you to Tandem Cider for supplying Sunny Day Cider. Following the concert, you are invited to enjoy the setting sun around the campfire.
On Monday, June 24, and Wednesday, June 26, Bernard will teach an intergenerational songwriting workshop. This workshop is a four-phase collaborative songwriting workshop process. It works for people of all ages, requires no previous experience and produces a new song every time. This inter-generational creative process builds community and provides individuals with valuable tools and experience to bring into future creative projects. Register online at OldArtBuilding.com or call 231-256-213.
Born and raised on Earthwork Farm near Lake City in mid-Michigan, Seth Bernard was brought up in the folk and farmstead culture with an enriching integrative experience of the arts, agriculture, and community. In 2001, Bernard founded Earthwork Music, a renowned Michigan-based collective of successful independent musicians who focus their efforts on environmental advocacy, social justice, creative empowerment, and community building.
Seth has traveled the world and covered the United States as a magnetic performer and uplifting cultural worker. He is equally at home fronting a large electrified ensemble as he is holding a crowd with nothing but an acoustic guitar. Bernard has served as the director of the Musical Ambassador Program for the Traverse City-based nonprofit On the Ground, where he helped cultivate partnerships and cultural exchanges between communities in southern Mexico, Ethiopia and eastern Congo and communities in Michigan with a focus on solidarity and creative collaboration.
As an environmentalist, Bernard was named the NMEAC Environmentalist of the Year for Arts Education and has worked with SEEDS and On Stage for Kids bringing nature-based experiential creative empowerment to young people across the Great Lakes region and beyond. In early 2018, Bernard launched the Clean Water Campaign for Michigan, a social movement using storytelling and music to amplify the groundswell of support for water issues.
Seth Bernard is the 13th artist to be chosen for the Ann Hall Visiting Artist and the first musician. The Ann Hall Visiting Artist (formerly Artist in Residence) program began in the summer of 2006. This program, a long-held goal of the Leelanau Community Cultural Center, was made possible by a special gift from the Hall family. The Halls, who have been Leland summer residents for years, were prompted to endow this position following the unexpected death of Ann Hall, a gifted artist. As a part of this program, Artist in Residence honorees are asked to teach workshops during their residency. These workshops are available to the public at affordable prices to allow for a wide variety of attendance with a professional artist.
