May 14, 2023 St. Petersburg, Florida. The Warehouse Arts District Association (WADA) aims for the arts to help create social change that starts locally – within communities and the neighborhoods of St. Pete. With 2023 seeing a sharp rise in mass shootings across the US, WADA is set to create impactful programming around the issues of gun violence. On Sunday, May 14, WADA presents a two-part event: a panel discussion and a musical performance featuring Bria Skonberg, a world-famous Canadian jazz trumpeter and vocalist. The panel discussion will feature survivors, community leaders and city officials. 4pm: Reception 5pm: Panel Discussion6pm: Performance THE INSTRUMENT OF HOPE:After the Parkland tragedy a special trumpet was created from spent bullet casings to “keep the conversation about gun violence prevention on the main stage”. A one-of-a kind instrument will be brought to the new ArtsXchange Stage on the historic Deuces corridor, for one night only. The Instrument of Hope was inspired by an organization called Shine MSD — which stands for Marjory Stoneman Douglas, the Parkland, Fla., high school where 17 people were killed in a mass shooting on Feb. 14, 2018. Shine MSD is an organization of Parkland students and their parents whose mission is to promote healing through the arts — and through this instrument, which is touring the country. Bria Skonberg will be performing on it, donating her time/performance to the cause. Two Parkland shooting survivors – Sawyer Garrity and Andrea Peña, channeled their pain and anger into writing an original song called ‘Shine’ days after the tragedy. What started as a personal healing journey quickly grew into an anthem met with an overwhelming response from Parkland and those who saw them perform at the CNN town hall on February 21, 2018. Sawyer, Andrea, their families and friends realized the power of healing through artistic expression, and the positive impact the arts has in inspiring hope and unity in the aftermath of tragedy. This song- ‘Shine’ -will be performed by Bria Skonberg during her concert with one of the young composers. |