Merced Arts Wrap for 4/17/15

Film on Filipino Americans

“Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the UFW Movement” will screen at 7 p.m. today at UC Merced’s Classroom and Office Building Room 120. Admission is free to the 30-minute documentary. It centers on the little-known Filipino farmworkers union led by Larry Itliong, who instigated the 1965 Grape Strike that brought about a merger of the Filipino farmworkers with Mexican workers and their leader Cesar Chavez. The film’s producer and director Marissa Aroy will attend a 6 p.m. reception before the film. The showing is sponsored by Pilipino American Alliance of UC Merced, Central Valley Filipino American National Historical Society and UC Merced Social Justice Department. For more information, email Luna Jamero at lujam@frontier.com or call (209) 394-2331.

Mariposa Art Company

The Mariposa Art Company will host its first Kute Academy art show at 6 p.m. Saturday. This show will feature art work of Merced County youths, ages 2-19. Part of the Week of the Young Child observance, this free event features a coloring contest and giveaways. Mariposa Art Company is at 1637 M St. in downtown Merced. For more information on classes and events, please visit www.mariposaartcompany.com or follow on instagram.

UC Merced Chicano literature series

The UC Merced Center for the Humanities Chicano/a Literature Series will bring Mexican American novelist, poet, writer, essayist and scholar Ana Castillo to Merced from 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Tuesday in the Bobcat Lair room of the library of the 5200 Lake Road campus. She’s the writer of “Otro canto,” “The Invitation” and “Women Are Not Roses.” For more information, email Manuel M. Martin-Rodriguez at mmartin-rodriguez@ucmerced.edu.

Arbor Gallery demonstration

Arbor Gallery will sponsor a free art demonstration by John Harrell on April 25. Harrell is a local acrylic painter and member of the Arbor Gallery. He has a great interest in painting trains, planes and things that move. Those attending are invited to bring art supplies if they wish to paint along with him or just attend to watch him develop a marketable painting. The demonstration will begin at 10 a.m. and last at least two hours. The Arbor Gallery is inside the Multicultural Arts Center, 645 W. Main St., Merced. For more information, call the Arbor Gallery at (209) 384-8338.

Sonora Master Chorale

The Sonora Master Chorale Spring Concert will be at 7 p.m. May 9 and at 3 p.m. May 10 at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 13880 Joshua Way, Sonora. It will feature songs from Franz Schubert, George Gershwin, John Rutter and more. The chorale will be directed by Ron Randall. The accompanist will be Jason Jeffrey. There is a suggested donation of $10 per person at the door. For more information, call (209) 532-6182 or (209) 586-2246.

Christian singer

St. Patrick’s Faith Event Ministry presents Matt Maher, a five-time Grammy-nominated artist, in concert at the Art Kamangar Center at the Merced Theatre on June 18. Tickets are $15-$29. Visit www.mercedtheatre.org to purchase tickets or contact the box office, 301 W. Main St., at (209) 381-0500.

Merced Camera Club

The Merced Camera Club welcomes all who are interested in photography to its meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at Merced County Farm Bureau, 646 S. Highway 59. Call (209) 382-0222 or (209) 761-0260.

Events at Kewl Cats

There’s karaoke at Kewl Cats from 9 p.m. until closing Monday through Thursday. Friday nights feature DJs, and live bands perform Saturday nights. For more information, visit kewlcats.net.

World Dance course

A World Dance course is being offered through Merced College Community Services and will be held Wednesday evenings from 7 to 8:30 at Merced College in Gym-4. The cost is $40 per person per six-week session, the first of which began Wednesday. Applicants can register for free online at www.mercedcommunityservices.com.

South Pacific dance lessons

The South Pacific Dance Company is teaching traditional dance and music from the cultures of Hawaii and Tahiti. The school is now enrolling for the spring semester, ages 4 and older, beginners to advanced. Males and females are both welcome. Classes are held at Creation Station, 2408 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. In addition, the Soul Power Dance Crew is now taking enrollment for an eight-week session in hip-hop dance for ages 7 through teens. For more information, email kikiraina@hotmail.com or leave a message at (209) 383-1435.

This story was originally published April 16, 2015 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Merced Arts Wrap for 4/17/15."