Get in that summer spirit at the next Metro Art Presents event featuring a live activation of the magical-realist, LA-loving and transit-centric film Summertime at Union Station through poetry performance, live music and more.

Conceived by filmmaker/director Carlos López Estrada in collaboration with young poets from Get Lit: Words Ignite, Summertime takes place over the course of an imagined summer day during a heatwave as the lives of 27 young Angelenos intersect to weave in and out of each other’s stories across the city.

6:30 p.m.

Metro Art Bus Poetry Pop-Up

Front of Union Station

Come early for a sneak peek of the Metro Art Bus! Plus, enjoy sidewalk poetry by a current group of Get Lit Players, a DJ set by Sur Jazz and be sure to check out the current Union Station Passageway Art Gallery exhibition, We Are…#SomosWeAreLA!

7:30 p.m.

Summertime • Film + Live Poetry + Music

Union Station Historic Ticketing Hall (Ticket Concourse)

Eventbrite RSVP Required – FREE !

The Summertime screening will kick off with verses performed live by the film’s featured poets Marquesha Babers, Mila Cuda, Paolina Acuña-Gonzalez and Anna Osuna and a music set by Austin Antoine, who stars as Rah in the film.   The film runs 1 hour and 35 minutes.

Directions

Go Metro to the event! Union Station is accessible via Metro Rail, Metro Bus and several municipal bus lines. Take the B Line (Red), D Line (Purple), J Line (Silver) or L Line (Gold) directly to Union Station. Plan your trip on Transit app for routes and connections or call 323.GO.METRO (323.466.3876). Car and bicycle parking are also available on site.

Accessibility

The event takes place outdoors as well as indoors. The screening venue is indoors and on one floor located adjacent to the main entrance of historic Union Station, and is also wheelchair accessible. Preferential seating will be available indoors for guests during the performance and screening who require mobility accommodations.

About SUMMERTIME

Conceived by filmmaker/director Carlos López Estrada in collaboration with young poets from Get Lit: Words Ignite, SUMMERTIME takes place over the course of an imagined hot summer day as the lives of 27 young Angelenos intersect to weave in and out of each other’s stories. The director’s groundbreaking vision began at a poetry showcase where performers from across the City of Angels recited fearlessly personal texts about themselves, their communities, and their relationship to their city. The project was then developed around their individual poems and interwoven into a larger, unified, and gloriously moving narrative experiment — part contemporary musical and part sociological art. SUMMERTIME explores themes of identity, community, and intersectionality through the unique perspectives of this diverse ensemble and debuted at Sundance 2020 before its theatrical release in summer 2021.

About Get Lit – Words Ignite

Get Lit – Words Ignite fuses classic and spoken word poetry to increase teen literacy on the page and in visual media. Get Lit cultivates enthusiastic learners emboldened to inspire social consciousness in diverse communities. Get Lit’s poetry and film curriculum engages young people by providing a creative outlet, community, and real-life work experience, transforming students into activists, scholars, and stars. To find out more, please visit getlit.org or follow @getlitpoet on all platforms!

About Metro Art Presents

Metro Art Presents showcases an exciting array of arts and cultural programs at historic Union Station. All events are free and open to the public. For more information visit: metro.net/art, follow Metro Art @metro.art.la on Facebook and Instagram, and sign up for our email list.