Press Release Grammy Award-winning Soweto Gospel Choir share their message of love, unity and hope at the Arsht Center's Free Gospel Sundays - December 18!

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County Presents

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR

Three-time Grammy Award winners, including Best World Music Album for Freedom in 2019, celebrate the holidays with their powerful blend of African gospel, freedom songs and international classics

“The Soweto Gospel Choir is nothing less than an international treasure” - Jazz Times

Featuring opening act
FLORIDA FELLOWSHIP SUPER CHOIR

with host
CALVIN HUGHES
WPLG Local 10 Anchor

December 18, 2022 at 5 p.m.
FREE
John S. and James L. Knight Concert Hall

Miami, FL – November 17, 2022 – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County (@arshtcenter) is thrilled to continue its 2022-2023 season of its beloved signature series FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS starring the internationally acclaimed SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR (@sowetogospelchoirlive). The three-time Grammy Award winners have been spreading joy to audiences across the globe for nearly two decades and will continue their jubilation at the Arsht Center’s Knight Concert Hall on December 18^th at 5 p.m. WPLG Local 10 Anchor CALVIN HUGHES returns as host.

Admission to FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS: SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR is free, however, first-access passes* will be available starting today. Details here. Sign up for Arsht Center emails here and be sure to select “Community & Free Events” to be the first to know when passes for remaining performances become available.

Hailing from Soweto (South West Township), a town outside Johannesburg and home of Nelson Mandela and South Africa’s democratic movement, SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR was formed in 2002 at the end of the apartheid era and during South Africa’s inspiring return to democracy. Comprising some of South Africa’s best vocalists and having collaborated with some of the greatest names in contemporary music, these vibrant and dynamic performers are sure to uplift Miami audiences with top songs including “Baba Yetu,” “Khumbaya,” and many more.

In their all-new concert HOPE – It’s Been a Long Time Coming, to be presented at Miami’s Arsht Center stage in the North America tour, the gospel group commemorate South Africa’s Freedom Movement and the civil rights movement in the United States. The celebration features South African freedom songs that inspired the Rainbow Nation, as well as uplifting works by legendary American artists such as Billie Holiday, James Brown, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and Aretha Franklin. The choir’s highly-anticipated latest album, HOPE, was released in September and is the group’s first recording in four years.

SOWETO GOSPEL CHOIR are proud to have performed on many occasions for the father of their nation, former President Nelson Mandela. The choir’s patron was late human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and they are proud to act as Ambassadors for the Nelson Mandela Foundation. For more information, click here.

Joined by opening act FLORIDA FELLOWSHIP SUPER CHOIR (@f2superchoir), this performance will also include holiday-themed gospel favorites to spread the joy of the season. With members in six regions and 13 cities throughout the state of Florida, the award-winning choir is open to singers, songwriters, directors and musicians of all faiths and denominations.

FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS is made possible with the leadership support of Rodney and Michelle Adkins, as well as the generous support of the Green Family Foundation Trust, Baptist Health South Florida, The Israel, Rose, Henry and Robert Wiener Charitable Foundation, the Friends of Free Gospel Sundays, the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

ABOUT THE ARSHT CENTER’S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS
FREE GOSPEL SUNDAYS is one of the 10 ongoing Arsht Center programs committed to community engagement and deepening the experience of the performing arts for all Miami-Dade County residents. Having served more than 105,000 people throughout its 16-year history, the programs broaden community participation and open the sights, sounds and possibilities of the world through the performing arts. New programs include:  Broadway on Biscayne, a series of pre-and post- performance experiences giving audiences a closer look at the shows; and Club Broadway which brings together a cohort of teen Broadway enthusiasts for shows and workshops. Existing programs include: Family Fest (Presenting Sponsor: Baptist Health), a season of free performances featuring the world's leading family-friendly artists; The Heritage Project (Presenting Sponsor: Bank of America), a free salon series and annual festival featuring panel discussions surrounding performing arts and social justice in the Black community; AileyCamp Miami, a full-scholarship, six-week summer dance camp which uses dance as a vehicle for the personal development of young people; CommuniTea Dance, an annual celebration honoring Miami's LGBTQ+ community; Knight Masterworks Classical Conversations, a series of free lectures which give the audience insight into the musicians, composers and history of music presented in our Knight Masterworks Classical Music series; Accessing the Arts Residencies, art workshops for children and adults with disabilities; and  Arsht on the Road (Presenting Sponsor: TD Bank), a series of free pop-up performances that bring the arts into Miami-Dade County's diverse neighborhoods.

@ArshtCenter                       #ArshtCenter

*All programs, artists, ticket prices, availability, dates and times are subject to change without notice. Visit arshtcenter.org for up-to-date information.

The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is made possible by the public support of the Miami-Dade County Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners, the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs and the Cultural Affairs Council, the Miami-Dade County Tourist Development Council and the City of Miami Omni Community Redevelopment Agency, as well as the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. The Adrienne Arsht Center also receives generous support from individuals, corporations and local, state and national foundations.

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AboutUs

Set in the heart of downtown Miami, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County is committed to welcoming and connecting ALL people to the arts, to the Arsht Center and to each other. Our stages are alive year-round with artists from around the world, innovative programming from our resident companies and local arts partners, free community events that reflect Miami’s unique identity and arts education experiences for thousands of Miami children each year.

Since opening in 2006, the Arsht Center, a 501C3 non-profit organization, has been recognized as a catalyst for billions of dollars in new development in the downtown area, a leader in programming that mirrors South Florida’s diversity, a host venue for historic events and Miami’s hub for arts education.

Each year, we serve more than 60,000 young learners and offer more than 100 culturally diverse and inclusive education programs — many enhanced by the Arsht Center’s relationship with Miami-Dade County Public Schools, local teaching artists and Miami-based arts organizations.

The Arsht Center is also a home stage for three resident companies — Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony — and a launch pad for local artists to make their mark on the international stage. Our 300+ events each year include the Center’s Signature Series of classical, jazz, Broadway, local theater and much more. We present a robust series of touring Broadway musicals direct from New York, the largest jazz series in South Florida, a major annual Flamenco Festival and an award-winning Miami-based theater program. In addition, our Family Fest, Free Gospel Sundays, CommuniTEA LGBTQ+ celebration and Heritage Fest are among dozens of free events that bring together people from all corners of our community. For more information, visit arshtcenter.org.