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UID:Indybay-18887775
SEQUENCE:19065712
CREATED:20260731T130100Z
DESCRIPTION:Calling SF Bay Area artists: \n\nCelebrate Artistic Free Speech Day in SF 
 on Friday, August 7, 2026, 1-4 pm, in SF’s Lafayette Park:   \n\nOn that 
 day, honor free speech for artists by remembering SF Mime Troupe Founder 
 Ron Davis’ in the place where he was arrested, in Lafayette Park, on 
 August 7, 1965 for performing without a permit from the San Francisco 
 Recreation and Park department.\n\nIn 2015, the San Francisco, Board of 
 Supervisors enacted a resolution that passed unanimously, designating 
 August 7 annually as Artistic Free Speech day.*\n\nPlease bring your 
 creative efforts to share with others whether it’s poetry, prose music, 
 visual arts or dance. Speak the truth (with beauty) to power and support 
 the struggle for democracy and social justice in this country. (There will 
 be no amplified sound--acoustic sound, only.)\n\nFor more historical 
 context:   "San Francisco Mime Troupe Arrested Historical 
 Essay”\n(https://www.foundsf.org/San_Francisco_Mime_Troupe_Arrested)\n\n*\nFILE 
 NO. 150897 RESOLUTION NO. 339-15 [Artistic Free Speech Day-August 7, 
 2015]\nResolution declaring August 7, 2015, as Artistic Free Speech Day in 
 the City and\nCounty of San Francisco.\n\nWHEREAS, Freedom of speech is a 
 core value in the United States of America; and\nWHEREAS, Artistic 
 expression is a form of free speech that has been pursued and\n challenged, 
 yet ultimately supported and admired in San Francisco for many years; 
 and\nWHEREAS, The following San Francisco artists and/or their 
 representatives were\narrested or threatened with arrest for expressing 
 themselves through their art; and\nWHEREAS, Writer and publisher Lawrence 
 Ferlinghetti and City Lights Bookstore\nmanager Shig Murao, were arrested 
 by the SFPD in 1957 for selling "HOWL" and other\npoems by Allen Ginsberg; 
 and\nWHEREAS, Comedian Lenny Bruce, was arrested by the SFPD in 1961 for 
 performing\na stand-up comedy act that expressed his social critique; 
 and\nWHEREAS, Vorpal Gallery owner Muldoon Elder, was arrested in 1964 by 
 the SFPD\nfor displaying "Themes from the Kama Sutra" sculptures by Ron 
 Boice; and\nWHEREAS, Journalist and filmmaker Saul Landau, was threatened 
 with arrest in 1964\nby the Berkeley Police Department for attempting to 
 screen Jean Genet's film "Chant\nd'Amour;" and\nWHEREAS, Actors Billy Dixon 
 and Richard Bright, were arrested by the SFPD in 1966\nfor performing in 
 Michael McClure's play "The Beard;" and\nWHEREAS, R.G. Davis, 
 founder/director of the San Francisco Mime Troupe, was\narrested by the 
 SFPD on August 7, 1965, for attempting to perform Giordano Bruno's 
 classic\ncomedy "II Candelaio" without a permit in Lafayette Park; 
 and\nWHEREAS, These past infringements upon the free speech rights of all 
 of these San\n Francisco artists should now be acknowledged and rejected in 
 the light of the progress we\n have made as a city and a society that fully 
 respects artistic freedom of expression; and\n WHEREAS, Artistic free 
 speech by San Franciscans has a major and beneficial cultural\nand economic 
 impact on San Francisco, known around the world for our artists' 
 creativity;\nnow, therefore, be it\nRESOLVED, Therefore, do we now declare 
 that the annual date of the arrest of R. G.\nDavis in San Francisco's 
 Lafayette Park on August 7, shall be known, recognized and\n celebrated 
 each year as Artistic Free Speech Day; and, be it\nFURTHER RESOLVED, That 
 the Board of Supervisors declares August 7, 2015,\nArtistic Free Speech Day 
 in the City and County of San Francisco.\n\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/07/31/18887775.php
SUMMARY:Artistic Free Speech Day in SF!
LOCATION:In Lafayette Park (between Gough, Sacramento, Laguna and Washington 
 Streets) close to the Gough Street side of the park, in the “meadow 
 gathering space” between Washington Street and the tennis courts.
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2026/07/31/18887775.php
DTSTART:20260807T200000Z
DTEND:20260807T230000Z
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