For Immediate Release
September 6, 2022

CLARK ART INSTITUTE SCREENS SUMMER OF SOUL

Williamstown, Massachusetts—On Wednesday, September 14, the Clark Art Institute partners with Images Cinema to screen Summer of Soul, the Oscar-winning documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. The film is shown outdoors near the Clark’s Reflecting Pool at dusk, around 7:30 pm.

Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, the Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). More than 300,000 people attended the summer concert series that celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion. After the summer of 1969, the festival footage sat in a basement for fifty years . . . until its debut in Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s debut film, Summer of Soul. The documentary—hailed as part music film, part historical record—includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension, and more. Summer of Soul premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the documentary categories. The recipient of an Academy Award, a Grammy, and a Peabody Award, Summer of Soul stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present.

Free; no registration is required. The film is rated PG. Bring a picnic and your own seating. For more information, visit clarkart.edu/events.

ABOUT THE CLARK
The Clark Art Institute, located in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, is one of a small number of institutions globally that is both an art museum and a center for research, critical discussion, and higher education in the visual arts. Opened in 1955, the Clark houses exceptional European and American paintings and sculpture, extensive collections of master prints and drawings, English silver, and early photography. Acting as convener through its Research and Academic Program, the Clark gathers an international community of scholars to participate in a lively program of conferences, colloquia, and workshops on topics of vital importance to the visual arts. The Clark library, consisting of more than 285,000 volumes, is one of the nation’s premier art history libraries. The Clark also houses and co-sponsors the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art.

The Clark, which has a three-star rating in the Michelin Green Guide, is located at 225 South Street in Williamstown, Massachusetts. Its 140-acre campus includes miles of hiking and walking trails through woodlands and meadows, providing an exceptional experience of art in nature. Galleries are open 10 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Sunday, from September through June, and daily in July and August. Advance tickets are strongly recommended. Admission is $20; free year-round for Clark members, all visitors age 21 and under, and students with a valid student ID. Free admission is available through several programs, including First Sundays Free; a local library pass program; and EBT Card to Culture. For information on these programs and more, visit clarkart.edu or call 413 458 2303. 

Use of facemasks is optional for all visitors. For details on health and safety protocols, visit clarkart.edu/health.

Press contact: [email protected]