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The first opportunity for the public to see panels from The Quilt will be at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival's "Creativity and Crisis: Unfolding The AIDS Memorial Quilt" – the first Festival program ever to focus exclusively on ways in which community craft and performance have helped educate people and helped them cope with one of the most complex epidemics in modern history – where:
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- DreamGirls' Sheryl Lee Ralph will perform her one woman show Sometimes I Cry on the opening day
- 8,000 Quilt panels – within the activity tents and in 3 distinct displays – will be unfolded publicly.
- Over the 10 days of the Festival, the public will have the opportunity to participate in Quilt display rituals including reading of names, unfolding ceremonies, dedication of new panels and the signing of signature squares.
- New mobile web app "AIDS Quilt Touch" will enable visitors to locate a specific panel display and contribute comments to a Digital Guest Book. The app also enables people worldwide to search for specific panels and contribute comments to the Guest Book. Download at www.aidsquilttouch.org.
- There will be craft demonstrations, dance and musical performances, interactive discussions, and other activities
WHERE: The National Mall, Washington, D.C. (Between Madison and Jefferson Drives at 12th Street)
NOTE: Following the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, The Quilt will be displayed as follows:
- 4,800 Quilt panels will be featured in more than 50 venues throughout the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area from July 21 to 25 during the AIDS 2012 International AIDS Conference also taking place in Washington
- 35,200 panels – 8,800 per day – will be on display, also July 21-25, on a portion of the National Mall, from 8th to 14th Streets
SOURCE The NAMES Project Foundation
