The Black Belt Community Foundation (BBCF) and the University of West Alabama (UWA) will present their “Black Belt Arts & Culture Symposium: Powering Up for the Arts.” The groups will present the symposium at UWA on Saturday, Sept. 8.

The groups have also garnered support from the Alabama State Council on the Arts (ASCA).

The purpose of the symposium is to explore the arts and culture of the Alabama Black Belt.

Felecia Lucky, BBCF president, said the organization is excited about the opportunity.

“We are excited to present this special day-long event in partnership with UWA and ASCA,” she said. “While we will be celebrating and exploring the arts and culture of our Black Belt with educational, entertaining and informative presentations from state arts leaders, our overall goal is to focus on economic development education.”

Lucky said the Black Belt’s original and unique culture is finally getting the recognition it deserves.

“The symposium’s theme is ‘Powering Up for the Arts,’ as the arts can be powerful assets to put to work for ourselves,” she said. “Black Belt art and culture has always been unique and special, and fortunately in recent years the rest of the world has started to recognize, respect and celebrate it on a much larger scale.”

Joey Brackner of the Alabama State Council on the Arts and Alabama Center for Traditional Culture and host of Alabama Public Television’s “Journey Proud” TV series and Dr. Billie Jean Young Associate Professor and Artist-in-Residence on the Fine and Performing Arts Faculty of Judson College in Marion will be the main presenters at the symposium. Other presenters will include Kristen Law, Donna Russell and Diana Green.

Resources and space are limited, so an RSVP is recommended. To RSVP call (205) 652-3828 or email centerforblackbelt@uwa.edu.

The fee is $10 per participant, and it covers lunch on-site.

For more information about the event, call (205) 652-3828, or email centerforblackbelt@uwa.edu.

For more information about BBCF visit www.blackbeltfound.org.