The Somerville Arts Council is partnering with Oompa, a nationally-acclaimed, Boston- born, poet, rapper, and educator, to present a Black, Brown & Queer, a QTPOC (Queer and Trans, person of color) multi-disciplinary arts festival. This will be a free, outdoor, community festival, with all of the artists coming from the QTPOC community.

The festival will take place on Saturday, August 24 (rain date August 25) from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on the Union Square Plaza.

This festival will be a celebration of Boston QTPOC artists and their contribution to the arts community/scene. Often, QTPOC artists are asked to bring one part of themselves to the table and to leave or hide others.

What is a safer space for one identity does not cross the intersections into other identities, and often QTPOC artists leave feeling exploited and unseen as a result. This festival is loud about wanting to name, create, and cultivate a space that sees QTPOC artists as whole people with intersectional stories and selves to share.

The festival line-up includes rap, poetry, punk music, drag and more and features: DJ Lady Ly, Porsha Olayiwola, Golden, Red Shaydez, Brandie Blaze, Paper Citizen, Optic Bloom, Mint Green, Neon Calypso, Neon BLK and Just JP. The festival will also feature visuals artists and vendors.

The festival is curated in partnership with Oompa, who is forever representing the queer, black, orphaned, hood kids and them. Oompa is the winner of the 2018 Unsigned Artist of the Year award from Boston Music Awards after an unprecedented 6 nominations, the 2017 Women of the World Poetry Slam, is a finalist at the 2016 National Poetry Slam. Oompa released her new album, CLEO on August 9.

With questions about the festival please contact Special Events Manager, Nina Eichner at 617-625-6600 ext. 2998.