CABLE POSITIVE CO-SPONSORS 5TH ANNUAL HIV/AIDS IN THE ARTS CONFERENCE

CONTACT: Nancy Schadoff Cable Positive 212.459.1505 nancy@cablepositive.org

NEW YORK - September 18, 2000
Cable Positive is co-sponsor of the 5th Annual HIV/AIDS in the Arts Conference on Monday, September 18th from 12 to 6 pm at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, in New York City. The free conference titled Experience, Exploration, Empowerment is an arena for artists, performers, and advocates of the arts to share experiences on how HIV/AIDS affects their professional, creative and interpersonal lives in the advent of ever-changing medical treatments.

The conference will feature performances by Penny Arcade, Mark Allan Davis, Damon Evans (THE JEFFERSON's television show), Errol Grimes Dance Group, Works/Laura Glenn Dance Company, Rose Guiraud, Chardelle Lassiter, Karen Mason (SUNSET BOULEVARD), Anthony Rapp and Bryon Utley (original cast of RENT), Ruby Rims, Jon Salvator, Fay Simpson, K.T. Sullivan, and James Stovall (THE LIFE, RAGTIME).

The conference will include a panel discussion on Experience, Exploration, Empowerment with artists infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, theatrical, dance and musical performances and a viewing of selected panels from The NAMES Project, AIDS Memorial Quilt. Sally Fisher (AIDS Mastery Workshop) will be the master of ceremony for the day and Hernando Cortez, co-founder of Dancers Responding to AIDS will give the keynote address.

This 5th annual day-long collaboration has been organized in response to the continuing need of members of the artistic community to support each other. Through their statement of how the HIV epidemic has made a profound impact on their livelihoods and creative work, these artists seek to begin dialogue that empowers those who have come to know this type of health challenge.

Experience, Exploration, Empowerment is organized and cosponsored by a group of AIDS providers including The Actors' Fund of America, HIV Arts Network, American Run for the End of AIDS, Dancers Responding to AIDS (BC/EFA), Judson Memorial Church, Cable Positive, Center Bridge Bereavement Services Program of the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center, Direct Access Alternative Information Resources, and The NAMES Project of New York City. Funding for the event is provided by a grant from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Cable Positive is a national non-profit organization that was founded in February 1992 by three concerned cable executives with the mission of organizing cable's resources in the fight against AIDS. Cable Positive is dedicated to unifying the talents, resources, access and influence of the communications industry to raise AIDS awareness; to fund AIDS education, research and care; and to promote a more compassionate climate for people whose lives have been affected by HIV and AIDS. Cable Positive has grown to include supporters from every major cable network, MSO, system, hardware manufacturer, trade association, media publication, and affiliated industry vendors and suppliers. For more information about Cable Positive, call 212.459.1502 or visit www.cablepositive.org.