Celeste Bateman & AssociatesCeleste Bateman & Associates

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Celeste Bateman
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WELCOMEWELCOME

Greetings!

Thank you for visiting the Celeste Bateman & Associates website.

We recently promoted Trilogy Opera Company's performance of Darfur, Darfur: A Dramatic Cantata. On the heals of their successful production of Emmett Till: The Opera about a Chicago boy whose brutal murder in 1955 in the Mississippi Delta came to symbolize the start of the Civil Rights movement in America, Trilogy: An Opera Company presented Darfur, Darfur: A Dramatic Cantata by Michael Raphael. Trilogy’s artistic director, Kevin Maynor, once again, unleashed his cadre of talented opera singers to raise awareness of Darfur a war-torn region in western Sudan, Africa. The event was held October 16, 2008 at the WISOMMM Cultural Center in downtown Newark, NJ. Please read the full details in our "News and Reviews."
We recently worked with Umoja Dance Company in the promotion of Wofabe: African Dance & Drum Festival. Umoja Dance Company (Umojadance.com) a New Jersey-based, multi-cultural company of dancers founded in 1993 by Karen Love, presented Wofabe: African Dance and Drum Festival 2008 at Science Park High School in Newark, New Jersey. The festival was held three days from October 24 through October 26, 2008. The event, presented in collaboration with Performing Arts Services, is the only African dance and drum festival of its kind in the state. Renowned choreographer, Baba Chuck Davis, Founder and Artistic Director of the African American Dance Ensemble, served as host. Please read the full story in our "News and Reviews" section. (Pictured: Kulu Mele)
If you live in Jersey and haven't seen Nia Network artist Ben Jones' exhibition, Deliverance at the Jersey City Museum, get there in a hurry. It's fabulous! Read Dan Bischoff's article (The Star-Ledger, 9/30/08) http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/entertainment-0/1222748899129450.xml&coll=1

We recently hosted our annual Jazz Tea for Myasthenia Gravis on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at the IDT Building in downtown Newark, NJ. Music was provided by the Rudy Walker Quartet. Proceeds will benefit the Garden State Chapter, Inc.-Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America. Please visit our "Photo Gallery" to view pictures from the event.
We welcome our newest client, renowned African American psychic medium Quassan Castro, to the fold. Read about him at BlackNews.com.(http://www.blacknews.com/news/global_empowerment_foundation101.shtml).

Actor Jamil A.C. Mangan performed with an outstanding cast in a stirring production of Camp Logan written by Celeste Bedford Walker and directed by Chuck Patterson at the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. "...Walker's WWI military drama is a depiction of a true historical incident that offers a riveting glimpse into the hearts and souls of seven soldiers..." Other members of the cast were Mark Lang, Marvin K. Jefferson, Victor Dickson, Ron Wilks, Gary McNeill, Jahi Dasa Taquara and T.C. Carson. The play closed November 9 after a two-week run. Word is the production may be revived in February 2009 for Black History Month. Great job, Jamil!
Our busiest artist, Amiri Baraka, continues his book tour for Tales of the Out & the Gone as he prepares for the re-release of an earlier work entitled Digging. The production of his award-winning play Dutchman presented by the Cherry Lane Theatre (New York) received international recognition. Dutchman is being produced in various parts of the world and there is growing interest in his other plays, particularly Slave Ship which was presented in the U.K. in October 2007.

Several of our music clients, including Bradford Hayes, Sherry Winston and Spirit of Life Ensemble, recently released new CDs and our visual artists have been extremely busy with exhibitions around the country and around the world.

CB&A has, over the years, has provided public relations services and special events management for the small business and non-profit communities, and technical assistance to small and emerging arts organizations in the areas of:

Cultural Programming
Program Evaluation
Cultural Diversity
Public Relations
Grant Proposals
Board Development


We are now focused on public relations and our most recent initiative, the NIA NETWORK ~ a program bureau featuring artists and speakers covering topics and art forms relative to the African Diaspora.

Public Relations
CB&A works with various organizations to enhance their visibility in the media preparing newsletters, press releases, press advisories, public service announcements; issuing calendar & event notices; preparing biographies, brochures, web content, invitations, flyers, fact sheets, annual reports and other promotional material.

The Nia Network ~ A Program Bureau
CB&A has compiled a roster of extraordinarily talented individuals to form the Nia Network, a program bureau. The artists and speakers are available to perform and present at colleges and universities, performing arts centers, corporations, festivals, trade shows, etc. and will present art forms and address topics pertinent to the African Diaspora. "Nia" is the Swahili word for 'purpose' and the purpose of this division of our company is to promote what is good and positive about the African, Caribbean, and African-American cultural experience.

Nia Network Artists






PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to take on additional artists/speakers at this time, but please feel free to forward your information for future consideration.

Brief Bio
Celeste Bateman, a licensed booking agent, started her company, Celeste Bateman & Associates (CB&A), in September 1997. Her business caters primarily to small businesses, cultural and non-profit organizations.

Prior to starting her business, Ms. Bateman was cultural affairs supervisor for the City of Newark. Prior to her service with the city, she was the program coordinator at The Newark Museum. She also served as interim executive director of the Newark Arts Council, a non-profit organization that serves the city’s artists and arts organizations

Ms. Bateman is a freelance writer and in 1999, she wrote and produced the Gospel play, We’ve Got the Victory which was performed in New York City and at various venues in New Jersey. One of her short stories was published in former BET talk show host, Tavis Smiley’s book Keeping the Faith which won an NAACP Image Award in 2003. She is currently working on a book of essays, poems and recipes entitled Fall Back and Let the Universe Catch You.

Ms. Bateman received her B.A. in Theatre Arts and Speech from Rutgers University and holds a Masters in Communication Arts from Montclair State University.

Special Notes

Visit our News and Reviews section as we update it on a regular basis to keep you apprised of our artists' and speakers' activities. Also, you can hear samples of our musicians' music by going to The Nia Network and clicking "more" under each musician's bio. Celeste Bateman & Associates is a licensed booking ageny and a certified Women/Minority Business Enterprise (WMBE) in the State of New Jersey.

Enjoy!

Photos: Celeste Bateman, Kulu Mele, Ben Jones' works from the "Blood Series," Quassan Castro, Jamil A.C. Mangan, Amiri Baraka


Celeste Bateman & Associates Booking Agency
NJ Lic. No. BW0430900

Celeste Bateman, Booking Agent
NJ Lic. No. BA1740000
By God's grace, all will be well!
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