Fried Eggs are Flying at MOCA

Tomorrow night is MOCA in the Middle and we have a great film and special guest for our film series. When Fried Eggs Fly gets its big screen Jacksonville premiere Wednesday night. This is a funny, inspiring, upbeat film highlighting the impact of arts in education. This is a full-length feature documentary of a NYC public school’s arts project created by music teacher Bruce Mack. Using his skills as a teacher, he took on a challenge that few others could: he made a commitment to get 162 eight-year-olds to compose, perform and record original music with their parents. And he did it. Throughout the process, Mack fights the same battle everyday that teachers fight everywhere – boredom, apathy, and lack of confidence while teaching the most elusive of skills – self-discipline and self-esteem.

Bruce Mack will be here for a Q&A after the film and returns on Friday for an encore performance and Q&A at 1pm.

Wednesday night's film starts at 7:00pm. So come early and have dinner or drinks or BOTH before the film.

Summer Cinema at MOCA

How does everyone feel about our summer film series? We have it on Wednesdays because of our Target Free Wednesday Night and partly because of ArtWalk. The Museum is already open late so it is a good fit. Also, movie goers can come early and see the gallery space for free courtesy of Target. Is 7:00pm a good start time? Has the movie selection been interesting? Is there something that you would rather see? How can we sell out EVERY week? Do you like the new Q&A on the second Wednesday? If so, what else would you like to see that night? Does anyone have a lead on a dynamite special guest? We are still working on our last Q&A for the summer. The movie is An Inconvenient Truth.

And now for my shameless plug. This week is Iron Giant. As David Edelstein put this week on Sunday Morning, it is "a sci-fi movie, set in the fifties, about a kid who befriends a colossal robot from space that the government wants to destroy. In its sense of wonder, "The Iron Giant" is worthy of comparison with Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. Spielberg influenced (writer/director Brad) Bird in all the right ways, like the way characters seize the foreground: Even in 2-D, they pop out." The Iron Giant is based upon the 1968 story, Iron Man, by the British poet laureate Ted Hughes. Bird's newest movie, Ratatouille opens this weekend so come out to MOCA Jacksonville this Wednesday for MOCA in the Middle and get your magic started. And if a movie isn't your thing, don't miss tonight's musical guests… The Bath Party. Grab a drink and enjoy the great music in the Atrium. Or better yet, come for early for happy hour. Listen to the great music. Have some drinks. Get dinner at Café Nola AND then take in the movie… a perfect evening to give you a break to your busy work week.

MOCA in the Middle: Cocaine Angel with Q&A

Wednesday night, MOCA Jacksonville launches MOCA in the Middle. We are trying something new. Imagine that! Here's the scoop. Everyone could probably use a break in the middle of the week so we have decided to host a little happy hour. And to make the happy hour a little happier, we have Shawn Lightfoot on Guitar in the Atrium from 5 – 7 pm. and free makeovers in our lobby courtesy of Daniel James Salon for those of you having a tough week. And to top it all off we are launching Wednesday Night Dinner at Café Nola.

But the biggest news comes from our Summer Film Series. Through the end of the summer we are planning a little something extra on second Wednesday for our film series. We have Q&As with special guests.

In June, Cocaine Angel captures a grinding and tragic week (day?) in the life of a weary young drug addict who is clinging to the remnants of his once hopeful existence amidst the stink, the sweat, and unforgiving heat of Jacksonville, Florida. This film sold out at the film festival last year… twice. And we will have writer/producer/star Damian Lahey in the Museum for a Q&A after the film.

The film starts at 7:00pm. So come early and have dinner or drinks or BOTH before the film.