Also this issue: Trading Spaces Fleisher/Ollman Gallery celebrates a milestone anniversary with a change of location. -Susan Hagen Degas Vu The Art Museum transports you back to Degas' world. -Robin Rice Ballet Lessons A dance critic's perspective on “Degas and the Dance.” -Janet Anderson Concerts for the Community -David Shengold Tango Buenos Aires -Deni Kasrel Jeanne Ruddy Dance -Deni Kasrel The Magic Flute -Steve Cohen The Dreyfuss Affair: A Love Story -David Anthony Fox

February 13-19, 2003

artpicks

19th Annual Celebration of Black Writing

It's a local tradition, and one of the better bookish events of the year. The keystone of this year's Celebration of Black Writing -- which includes venues as varied as the Franklin Institute, the Church of the Advocate and the Free Library -- is the appearance of Nigerian Chinua Achebe, arguably Africa's most famous novelist. Achebe will read at the University of Pennsylvania (Fri., Feb. 14, 4 p.m.), and be honored the following day with a Lifetime Achievement award. Most of the Celebration's other guests come from less exotic locales, like Temple. But the hometown sampling is impressive, with Samuel Delaney, part of the Science Fiction and Magical Realism program (Thu., Feb 13, 7 p.m., the Franklin Institute, 20th and the Parkway) and Sonia Sanchez, part of the Achebe award ceremony. A book fair makes featured writers' work available for purchase and signing, and workshops on journalism, screen- and playwriting, poetry and publishing offer practical advice to would-be scribes -- or, with any luck, honored guests of future celebrations.

19th Annual Celebration of Black Writing, Thu., Feb. 13-Sun., Feb. 16. Call 215-232-4485 or visit www.artsanctuary.org for times and locations.

—Elisa Ludwig

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