Roxbury Plans Franklin Park Arts Festival

A woman who has run a school of Fine Arts in Roxbury for 17 years is bringing about a full-scale arts festival in Franklin Park.

"I hope it will give a new dignity and a new hope to our community," Elma Lewis, the organizer of the festival, announced yesterday. "Nearly all of the thinking and energy should come from here in Roxbury. All the events should be black."

There will be some kind of show free to the public every night at the festival from July 19 through September 4. WBZ and WGBH plan to televise some of the performances. "I want the Negro community to see it on TV," says Miss Lewis, Director of the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts. "I want them to see that more than the riot news can come out of here."

The festival will feature big-name professionals (Jackie Washington, Odetta), local amateur groups such as the People's Theatre, and a number of films (Black Orpheus, Come Back Africa). But much of the entertainment will be provided by students of the Elma Lewis School, who will stage the Tempest, The Mikado, and a number of dance concerts.

The School's summer session will include 200-300 students, ranging in age from six to ripe adulthood; each will pay a nominal fee. At the moment the school has no home and, said Miss Lewis, "we will work in the streets if necessary."

The Festival, however, has all the money it needs--about $60,000. Last fall, Miss Lewis took her idea to the Cultural Foundation of Boston (which sponsored Winterfest), and they raised the bulk of the funds by going to local foundations and Boston businesses. The Office of Economic Opportunity also contributed funds.