Dear Art + Soul Oakland Community:
Art + Soul returns to downtown Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza on Sunday, September 17, 2023 with our 21st annual festival! Free to the public, this year’s event will feature live Blues, Gospel, Jazz, Hip Hop, Dance, and more on three stages, children’s activities, as well as scores of artisan, commercial, nonprofit, community, and food booths. See our 2023 music lineup here:
New this year: Art & Soul is teaming up with AfroComicCon, produced by the nonprofit Oakland Technology & Education Center. AfroComicCon is an innovative, exciting, interactive comic convention that combines art, tech, workshops, gaming, cosplay, fashion, writing, creativity, FLASH, webtv, film, VR, and more! AfroComicCon is positive and inclusive, and focuses on showcasing the talents of underrepresented groups such as professionals of color, and women. The reward for attendees, especially children, comes through experiencing images and stories featuring characters they can identify with. You don’t have to know comics to enjoy AfroComiCon, but you will likely come to appreciate everything about them - the art, writers, illustrators, presenters, performers - and the sheer enjoyment - once you experience your first AfroComicon! Details can be found here:
Mark Your Calendars for Sunday, September 17, noon to 6 pm.
Check out our 2023 Promo Video!
Event logistics
Art + Soul Oakland/AfroComicCon 2023 is one of Northern California’s most accessible events with direct service via both BART’s 12th Street City Center station and AC Transit. For transit info: 511.org.
Also, $10 flat rate parking at City Center West Garage, 1250 Martin Luther King Jr. Way (enter at 12th Street), located just a little over one block from the west end of the event. The garage will be open from 8a - 8p.
Read our 2023 press release here
Note to prospective vendors/exhibitors: 2023 vendor/exhibitor registration is now live. Please register through our Eventhub portal: https://eventhub.net/events/Art---Soul-Oakland-2023_4768
Note to artists interested in performing at this year’s festival: Our 2023 program is now fully booked, with a long waiting list as backup. If you or a group you represent would like to be considered for future years, please send an email to: samee@heartofthetownevents.org
Twenty-First Annual Festival!
7th Annual AfroComiccon With Panels, Workshops, Gaming Expo, Fashion Show, Cosplay COntest and more!
Live Concerts on Three Stages
Artisan Marketplace
Two Food Courts - Vendors and Trucks
Liberation Park on the Road with artisans, roller skating rink and more family fun!
“One of the Top 7 Bay Area Music Festivals to Get Your Groove On”
“Best Music Festival”
“Highlighted as a Must-See in Oakland’s Ranking as 15th Coolest City in America to Visit”
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Sponsorship Opportunities
Contact:
Samee Roberts, Executive Producer
samee@heartofthetownevents.org
Art & Soul 2022 brought the crowds! Thank you all for your support!