In covering the arts and culture scene in Savannah over the last decade–plus, I’ve noticed that the city’s “wake–up time” keeps coming earlier and earlier each year.
There was a time when the cultural calendar waited all the way until St. Patrick’s Day to thaw out from winter and kick off the city’s arts year in earnest.
Then, the social/cultural calendar began to dial back to mid–February, with the Savannah Irish Festival (then, as today, unaffiliated with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration).
But a few years back, the Telfair Museums upped the ante with the introduction of an ambitious free festival that was welcome not only for appealing to an underserved cultural community, but for filling a (cold!) hole in the yearly arts calendar.
The first annual Pulse Art & Technology Festival — which had its origins in the Telfair’s “Art and Technology Week” — was in January 2009 and was unlike anything Savannah had seen. While a festival combining art and technology would seem to be a no–brainer on the “Creative Coast,” that was pretty much the first attempt.
This year, Connect Savannah is proud to once again be the official print media sponsor of the Pulse Festival, taking place Jan. 20–29.
And did I mention it’s all completely free, thanks to funding from the City of Savannah?
In addition to the special insert in this week’s print issue (check it out!), please note Bill DeYoung’s extensive editorial coverage as well, including an interview with cover girl Bora Yoon and an interview with a performer onstage later in the festival, Adam Matta.
In addition to Pulse, we write about a slew of other events this week:
Jim Reed brings his annual Psychotronic Film Festival to Muse, featuring a typically eclectic and fascinating collection of kitsch and/or underappreciated classics. Like PULSE, it’s sponsored by Connect Savannah.
The American Traditions Competition, newly split off from the Savannah Music Festival, begins.
The Mountainfilm Festival comes to the Charles H. Morris Center this weekend.
The Savannah Philharmonic and Chorus kicks off its 2011 season with two performances of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte.
And of course all our regular features.
