This is the second year Oscar Jimenez is organizing a naughty fundraiser for Pan Left Productions collective.  Last year’s event attracted more than 100 people to the courtyard at the Citizen’s Studio, 520 N. 9th St (corner of 9^th Ave & 6^th St) and they expect double that number this year.

Artists will challenge taboos and oppressive cultural norms through video, live performance, spoken word, music and painting. Featured performers are Cirqu du Sin, Cabaret Boheme, Marc Pedraza and Parasol Project. Local celebrity Bunny Fu Fu will serve as Mistress of Ceremonies and will guide attendees through this sensual and visually stimulating festival.

For last years installation art piece, seven artists created a peep show.  This year the collaboration has grown to at least 20 artists contributing to a giant group art project, “Confessional”, about sharing secrets and the elimination of sexual shame.

Free Sex celebrates sexual diversity, expression and non-conformity. Misogyny, homophobia, and sexual violence will be challenged by thoughtful and mindful art.    All profits go to support progressive and radical media produced by Pan Left.   The festival is intended for those that are ages 18 and up.

So mark you calendar for Saturday, September 12 from 7 to 11 p.m.; you wont want to miss this.  $6 suggested donation at the door.

In addition to founding and coordinating this event, Oscar Jimenez is a fashion designer, organizer of the Wingspan sponsored Tucson Latin Gay Pride 2009 festival, and writer and director of the soon to be released short film, “Esmeralda Del Desierto”.  You can reach him at miparaiso@hotmail.com.

As a producer and occasional performer for the past few years I’ve learned what Rita Mae Brown says so well: “Language exerts hidden power, like the moon on the tides”.  Spoken Word artists and writers employ the same basic tool, words.  How and where they use them is part of the mystique of the two separate yet connected artforms.  Mark Amidon says: “Language is the means of getting an idea from my brain into yours without surgery.”

Communicating meanings or feelings is the essential goal and there are many ways to get there.  Reading, listening, watching a performance, participating in spoken word events, all can produce the ultimate experience of understanding someone else’s creative expression.  Fellini explained it in this way: “A different language is a different vision of life.”

Chuck Larkin is talking specifically about storytelling when he writes: “All branches to various degrees are forms of entertainment and information transfer”, and I think the same applies to writing.

Writers reading their work or performers writing out their performance blur the lines.  There really aren’t any lines, it’s a continuum of the same craft.  The most important thing is the keep practicing, keep moving the pen and/or getting in front of an audience.  Colette said: “Writing only leads to more writing” and the same can be said about most creative endeavors.

To sum up, Jane Wagner puts it in perspective this way:  “I personally believe we developed language because of our deep inner need to complain.”

There are lots of opportunities for kids to tell their stories in Tucson.  Here are a few:

This is the 4^th year that Pima County Public Library presents the award-winning That’s My Take film project, where teens learn from professional filmmakers and work with mentors to write, direct and produce two-minute long cinematic adaptations of famous works of fiction.  Pan Left gave workshops to the participants and librarians in filmmaking for this project. This summer fifty teens were in the program and you can see eleven of the trailers and a short documentary about the project at The Loft on Saturday, September 12 at 10 a.m.

VOICES is now recruiting youth ages 14 to 21 to participate in their fall documentary arts programs. Youth can learn how to take photographs, write stories, and be on the radio.  For more information check out the VOICES website, or call 520-622-7458.

Kore Press is looking for young women or female-identified or trans individuals, ages 14-19 for the Grrls Literary Activism Workshop to be held Sept 9 – Dec 16. To apply now call 327-2127 or email lisa@korepress.org.

Girls Making Media teaches teenage women digital media skills as they produce media segments about issues affecting women and girls in their community. The skills learned are used by program participants to educate, inform and influence public opinion about issues they have identified as affecting women and that call for action for social change.  Beginners sessions start on October 10.  This project is a collaboration between the WomanKraft Digital Arts Studio, and the Pima County/Tucson Women’s Commission. For details about how you can participate, contact Quynn Elizabeth, earthtribetv@yahoo.com, 520-954-2004.

Pima Community College is offering Words Play: Creative Writing, a class taught by Elena Acoba for 8- to 12 year-olds, inspiring young wordsmiths to write creatively. Exercises will guide writing about real people and places and imaginary worlds. At the end of the course each child will have written at least five pieces of work.  The class takes place Saturdays, October 3-24 from 9 to 11 a.m. You can register at Pima for Kids program at Pima Community College.

“Stories That Soar! is a literacy and performing arts program which merges the talents of professional adult performers and children’s original stories to create innovative and insightful theatre productions for schools and community events.” Our programs appeal to a wide range of children, regardless of race, culture, gender, ability and socio-economic status. We believe everyone has wonderful stories to tell; we are here to help those stories be heard in the most creative ways possible.” To find out more visit their website.