From the Center

Please save the date and support through circulating this flyer. We are so excited to welcome both Saddi Khali, internationally known photographer and Def Poetry Jam Poet, and Sibyl's Shrine.

St. Louis, MO, May 28, 2024 – From August 9-11, 2024, the vibrant city of St. Louis will host "At the Center: rematriation + rest + regeneration," a groundbreaking symposium dedicated to exploring healing, survival and joy in the arts. Organized by Dail Chambers and and Sibyls Shrine, a nation-wide art collective and residency program dedicated to uplifting Black artists who m/other, with local support from Agriculture for Community Restoration Economic Justice and Sustainability (A.C.R.E.S.), Fannie Lou Hamer House, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, and InvestSTL. This event promises to be a transformative experience.

Saint Louis, nestled in the heart of the United States, serves as the backdrop for this symposium, offering a rich tapestry of history and culture. Yet, it also grapples with profound social challenges such as redlining, food apartheid, and crime. In response, Sibyls Shrine member Dail Chambers emphasizes the urgent need for a "symposium of love, in the arts, to express the history, current condition and potential of a thriving community."

"At the Center" seeks to address these issues through a robust program of workshops, performances, and discussions. Participating artists will engage in a place-based inquiry, exploring the intersection of art, activism, and community revitalization. 

Highlights include a lymph node clearance movement workshop led by organizer Dail Chambers; land and body work by Tiara Burtin; an inclusive soccer game designed for Black mothers, aunties, grandmas, and caregivers led by Naomi Chambers; a preparation workshop inspired by Octavia Butler's 'Parable of the Sower' facilitated by Jessica Gaynelle Moss; and the filming of Sibyls Shrine founder Alisha B Wormsley's experimental film project, 'Children of Nan: A Survival Guide', which explores the survival strategies of Black and Indigenous matriarch.

In acknowledgment of the wisdom and guidance of community Elders, "At the Center" will feature their prominent participation. These esteemed individuals will lead the program welcome and offer teach-in learning sessions, enriching the symposium with their invaluable insights and experiences.

"As an homage to the original priestesses of the African goddess Mami Wata, Sibyls Shrine seeks to empower artists to reclaim their divine status and creativity," says Sibyls Shrine administrative director Jessica Gaynelle Moss. "Through 'At the Center,' we hope to create a space for healing, joy, survival and collective transformation."

"At the Center: rematriation + rest + regeneration" is not just an event but a catalyst for ongoing dialogue and action. As St. Louis serves as the inaugural location, future expansions and explorations are anticipated, sparking conversations that transcend geographical boundaries. For more information and to register for the symposium, visit [website].

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About Sibyls Shrine: Founded by Alisha B Wormsley and developed with Jessica Gaynelle Moss in 2019, Sibyls Shrine is dedicated to uplifting Black artists who m/other by providing opportunities for radical care, rest, and support. Through a comprehensive resource framework that includes financial support, career development, skill-sharing, and access to arts and cultural institutions, Sibyls Shrine aims to address systemic barriers faced by Black artists who m/other.

Contact: Jessica at [email protected]

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At the Center

Why?

Saint Louis, is in the heart of the United States. With the extreme social issues of redlining, food apartheid and crime, our most naturally gifted areas are left vacant and under cared after years of struggle. For this reason, we are calling for a symposium of love, in the arts, to express the history, current condition and potential of a thriving, sustainable community.

How?

Through the arts, we explore a holistic view of healing and joy. We will look through the lens of transformative healing, to imagine our individual and community space thriving. In North Saint Louis, we are grounding ourselves in an Internationally historical area that holds a legacy of love.

This place based inquiry will work with artists and environmentalists who center their practice on self love and community care. We will enjoy our weekend in the community, with activities for the total family unit. Saddi Khali is a global citizen, originally from New Orleans, a southern sister city of Saint Louis. Sibyl’s Shrine is a collective of mother artists who are based in Pittsburgh, an industrial sister city to Saint Louis on the east of the Mississippi River. Fannie Lou Hamer House founders, Dail Chambers and Treasure Redmond host artist residency spaces for the restoration of black artists while simultaneously archiving and creating solutions to the long standing systemic and civic issues in our area.

Who?

Saddikhali.com

DailChambers.life

Sibylsshrine.com 

Neighbors and Community of North Saint Louis At Large

Saddi Khali in Saint Louis Artist Residency

“Creating a space to have a loving and open conversation in community” S.K.

Saddi Khali is booking photo sessions as a part of his tour, "Love Every Angle." During his week-long residency he is participating in the At the Center Symposium and holding space with Black Men in an intentional healing circle. View his work during the symposium and contact him at [email protected] for more information.

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Host or Publisher itshanapa dail chambers