Charleston Library Society brings back Wide Angle Lunches Series. We offer you an hour of space in the center of your day – an hour to forget what’s going on at home, in the office, in your head, and re-focus. An energizing lunch, an expert’s insight into a new theme, a fresh perspective on a familiar topic. Emerge from the peaceful surrounds of the Charleston Library Society rested, recharged and perhaps also inspired.

Leah Suarez, “Sacred Ground: The Call of Humanity and Art of Bearing Witness”

Almost two years ago, Charleston musician Leah Suárez found herself in Hundisburg, Germany, at the bucolic new home of Wide Angle founder Caroline von Nathusius. The timing of her visit was fortuitous; the tragic shooting at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston had just occurred, and what began as a bit of respite turned into the genesis of her deeply personal and creative witness bearing to commemorate the lives of the Emanuel Nine. One year later, in May 2016, Suárez returned to Germany, joined by collaborating composer/musician, Alex Collier, for the world premiere of the first phase of Sacred Ground. It was held in the Schinkel double-church at the dedication of an outdoor structure, Charleston Place, which was built by students of the American College of the Building Arts and named in solidarity with the Holy City.

This year, Sacred Ground makes its Charleston debut at the Circular Church on May 6th, 2017. Two days before what promises to be a moving concert, Wide Anglers have the privilege of hearing directly from Suárez on the story of how the piece came to be, and the role and responsibility of the artist and citizen to bear witness. For information on this concert click here.

As an accomplished musician (multilingual singer, valve trombonist, composer and bandleader blazing her own cool alloy genre that’s jazz tempered with a range of other roots traditions), arts entrepreneur (founder of arts production company De La Luz, co-founder and former executive director of Jazz Artists of Charleston and co-producer of the Charleston Jazz Orchestra), and recent seeker of her own Mexican roots and heritage, few are poised to speak as powerfully to the intersection of creativity and community, both in Charleston and around the world.

All lectures are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. A season pass is $75 for members and $95 for nonmembers.

The delicious lunches will be provided by Ladles.

For tickets, call 843-723-9912 or click here.