African American Film Critics Association and Grammy Museum Team Up to Spotlight the Connection Between Music and Storytelling

The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) and the Grammy Museum are partnering to spotlight the intersectionality between music and content for film, television, and other multimedia platforms.

The year-long collaborative program — which aims to celebrate the fusion of music and storytelling — will feature a variety of activities at the Grammy Museum in downtown Los Angeles, including musical performances, panel discussions, educational clinics, and TED Talk-style lectures.

“So many people are unaware of the role that music plays in so many of the things that we see and do each day,” AAFCA co-founder Gil Robertson said in a statement. “Through our partnership with the Grammy Museum, our goal is to highlight how music functions to tell stories that influence people around the world. Music is an essential driver in storytelling that has the power to either deepen or elevate the impact of a project’s core messages.”

Grammy Museum chief program officer Rita George added, “We are looking forward to furthering our partnership this Black History Month with the African American Film Critics Association to bring year-long programming that celebrates the dynamic connection in people’s diverse backgrounds.”

In early December, the program launched its inaugural event with a panel discussion featuring the musical teams behind The Color Purple and Origin. The session included The Color Purple composer Kris Bowers, songwriters Denisia “Blu” Andrew and Brittany “Chi” Coney, executive producer Stephen Bray, and director Blitz Bazawule. Origin singer-songwriter Stan Walker also provided insights into their collaborative music creation process.

The series will soon shift to highlight the music of the Broadway reboot of the Tony Award-winning musical The Wiz, according to a press release.

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