EMERGENCE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hubert Sawyers III, Media and Blogger Relations
Comm.Unity Advantage / SORSAW
313-820-4075
hubert@sorsaw.com

$50 FOR 5e: DETROIT HIP-HOP VENUE 5e GALLERY LAUNCHES UNIQUE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT CAMPAIGN

Over 50 Members Of Detroit's Urban Music Community Featured
In A Star-Studded Music Marathon To Mark A Grand Closing And New Beginnings

Detroit, Michigan - May 3, 2010 - On Saturday, May 15th, from 5pm to 5am, 50 Detroit artists will perform at 5e Gallery at the first annual 50 for 5e Music Festival. The event will commemorate 5e's last day at their current Corktown location and fundraise for several renovations needed at their newly-purchased venue. This music marathon launches an engaging community investment campaign, also titled "$50 for 5e," which will invite community members to pitch in on 5e Gallery's transformation into a new space and format.

$50 for 5e is a unique presale model, developed in collaboration with Detroit Hip-Hop artist Invincible's EMERGENCE Media, which will allow 5e supporters to pre-purchase ticket packets that include 10 event admissions and 5 drink tickets for the low cost of $50. These tickets will be for use at the new venue location when it opens for business before the end of 2010.

5e Gallery is the first Hip-Hop cultural venue of its kind to offer ongoing pre-sale tickets and the community investment ethic doesn't end at ticket entries. 5e Gallery coordinators Sicari Ware and Piper Carter plan to build in input and involvement options to insure programming will meet the needs of 5e's community members. As Ware says, "It's important to involve community in every step of the process. The venue should have a relationship with both the surrounding neighborhood of Corktown, as well as the Detroit artistic community which it serves. This approach allows for involvement in the development stages so that those communities can help shape the vision of 5e moving forward."

5e also aims to expand their work to focus on healthy living when they move into their new location. This will be embodied by new services such as a raw juice bar and backyard garden, which will provide some of the vegetables for the juice bar.

The May 15th launch event will be the first time ticket packets are available and all purchasers will receive free entry to the 12 hour music festival. Patrons who cannot afford the $50 packet will be asked to donate $5 for 5e, in the spirit of the Gallery's existing online 5eGallery.org donation drive. Amongst the 50 artists performing at the event are T3 (of Slum Village), Miz Korona, jessica Care moore, John Arnold and Invincible. The current 5e Gallery is located at 2125 Michigan Ave in Detroit.

Sicari Ware, a DJ and youth worker, founded 5e Gallery in Corktown—the oldest neighborhood in Detroit—back in 2008. His intention was raising public awareness and encouraging visual arts, music, Hip-Hop culture and community through exhibitions and education. Since then it has served as an outlet for artists, musicians and people to unify and empower themselves. The space has also become a resource for various nonprofit organizations to utilize for fundraising, community events and cultural awareness programming.

If you'd like more information about this event, or to schedule an interview with Sicari Ware and/or Piper Carter, please call Hubert Sawyers III at 313-802-4075 or e-mail Hubert at hubert@sorsaw.com