“EL BEMBÉ”: CELEBRATING IMMERSIVE COMMUNITY ART

“EL BEMBÉ”: CELEBRATING IMMERSIVE COMMUNITY ART

Termite TV Collective and the Norris Square Neighborhood Project (NSNP) in partnership with The Philadelphia Latino Arts and Film Festival (PHLAFF), invite you to El Bembé on Saturday, October 10, from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Held at the historic Las Parcelas and Villa Africana Colobó Gardens, the event celebrates the launch of the latest Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) installations from the ongoing community media project, Places of Power: Las Parcelas.

Co-directed by Anula Shetty and Michael Kuetemeyer (Termite TV) and Iris Brown (NSNP), Places of Power: Las Parcelas engages an intergenerational group of Norris Square residents to preserve neighborhood memories, traditions, and stories. Through hands-on workshops, community participants have co-created immersive digital works using 3D photogrammetry portraits, 360-degree virtual tours, and filmed oral histories.

This year’s showcase highlights stories centered on Bomba and Plena—two spiritual Afro-Puerto Rican musical traditions rooted in ancestral honor, survival and resistance. Through AR technology, physical landmarks and objects throughout the gardens are transformed into interactive portals, bringing resident voices and historic memories directly to visitors.

“Bembé” is an African word for a celebration or gathering of friends, chosen to honor African roots and bring that cultural connection into the work happening in the workshops and the gardens.

The gardens will be open starting at 11AM for visitors to come and explore the AR/VR works for Scribe Video Center’s North Philadelphia History Festival programming El Jardín de la Música y El Espíritu , then a reception with food and music performance will kick-off at 3PM.

Event Highlights Include:

· Immersive AR/VR Art Installations: Interactive media technology integrated throughout two vibrant community gardens celebrating stories of Puerto Rico and the African Diaspora.

· Live Musical Performance: A special presentation by El Junte, an Afro-Puerto Rican collective of community educators and artists honoring ancestral legacies through live drumming, song, and dance.

· NSNP Archive Activation: Explore photographs from NSNP’s community archive and leave a recorded memory for future generations.

Photography/Videography: By attending this event, you consent to be photographed and/or filmed and authorize the use of your image in event/project-related materials. If you do not wish to be photographed, please notify event staff.

Accessibility Information: The garden is generally accessible to wheelchairs; however, the ground is earthen and covered by wood chips.

Restrooms: There is a porta-potty available in the garden.

Parking: Standard street parking is available around the neighborhood.

Las Parcelas (Norris Square Neighborhood Project) – 2248 N Palethorp Street Philadelphia, PA 19133
October 10, 2026, 2PM – 6:00 PM EDT