THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE: The Limitless Alchemical Imagination” – Lecture + Booksigning with author & artist Eliza Swann What is the Philosopher's Stone, and why has its pursuit endured for millennia? This talk moves through the architecture of alchemy – its symbolic systems, material experiments and metaphysical ambitions – tracing a lineage from the Hellenistic world to contemporary practice. Along the way, we'll consider the many forms the Philosopher's Stone has taken: a substance, a process, a state of consciousness, an artistic or spiritual achievement.

We'll look closely at the strange methods alchemists devised in their attempts to realize the Stone: from body modification, to the drawing of sigils and encoded diagrams, to the use of fermented urine believed to harbor latent vital forces.

Seen together, these practices reveal alchemy as a hybrid field where experimentation, imagination and devotion converge. The Philosopher's Stone hovers at the edge of impossibility, and it is precisely this condition that opens a space for radical creativity. The quest does not resolve; it deepens, expands and continually renews itself across time.

This talk is an introduction to The Alchemical Imagination by Eliza Swann, which traces the twelve stages outlined by George Ripley for creating the Philosopher’s Stone in the laboratory. Through this lens, the book reimagines alchemy as both a historical practice and a living, creative process—one that continues to unfold through art, consciousness, and transformation today.

Bio: Eliza Swann, aka Emerald, is a New York–based interdisciplinary artist, writer, and educator. They are the author of The Anatomy of the Aura (St. Martin’s, 2020), Green Mary (Cosmic Dog House Press, 2024), and The Alchemical Imagination (Weiser/Red Wheel, 2026). Their writing has appeared in BOMB, Arthur, Contemporary Art Review LA, Momus, and Perfect Wave, and in anthologies including Witchcraft (Taschen) and Modern Witches (Weiser). They hold a BA in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute and an MFA from Central Saint Martins, London, and have exhibited internationally, with recent shows at UC Santa Cruz and the Feminist Center for Creative Work in Los Angeles. Their work has been supported by grants from PEN America, the Foundation for Contemporary Art, the Author’s League Fund, the Gottlieb Foundation, and others, and through residencies at institutions including the California Botanic Gardens and the Art/Life Institute. Eliza is faculty at Pratt Institute, where they teach literature and alchemy. They were a 2023 lecturer-in-residence at the Philosophical Research Society and a 2024 lecturer-in-residence at Honey’s Brooklyn, leading programs on alchemy and art.

Sci-Fri horror film classic murder mystery. DEAD MOUNTAINEER’S HOTEL (“HUKKUNUD ALPINISTI” HOTEL) – 1979, Tallinnfilm, 84 min. "I was on call to drive to a mountain hotel. The hotel's name was The Dead Mountaineer," says police inspector Peter Glebsky (Uldis Pūcītis) at the beginning of Estonian director Grigori Kromanov’s dazzling, paranoid mixture of locked-room mystery, 1970s Euro giallo, classic noir whodunit, and (unbelievably) alien sci-fi ala THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH. Based on a novel by famed Soviet authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky (STALKER, HARD TO BE A GOD), the hall-of-mirrors plot follows Glebsky as he’s trapped by avalanche in the ski lodge with a rogues’ gallery of weird suspects: tubercular gangster Hinckus (Mikk Mikiver), creepy hotel owner Snewahr (Jüri Järvet, KING LEAR), a wall-climbing physicist (Lembit Peterson), a louche, wig-wearing beauty out of a Bryan Ferry song (Irena Kriauzaite) – oh, and the Dead Mountaineer’s faithful St. Bernard. The interior of the hotel (brilliantly art directed by Tõnu Virve and Priit Vaher, andphotographed by Jüri Sillart) is straight out of a Dario Argento or Sergio Martino thriller: all chrome-and-marble with Space Age modern designs, drenched in champagne and feather boas. Featuring a stellar electronica / prog score by composer Sven Grünberg, the film combines an eerie THE SHINING-like mountain locale with speculative sci-fi straight out of Chariots of the Gods. “This is the end of the road. The only way is back,” as the hotel owner cryptically smiles. Newly restored by Deaf Crocodile in collaboration with the Estonian Film Institute and Film Archive. In Estonian with English subtitles. Doors open at 7:00 PM, film at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. Safety protocols will be in compliance with local guidelines at the time of showing.

1980s Animated Sci-Fi Homage + Filmmaker Q&A **THE WEIRD KIDZ **(2022, Antenna Releasing, 81 min.)  Dir. Zach Passero.   From the executive producer of “RICK & MORTY,” THE WEIRD KIDZ is a wildly deranged animated homage to 1980s teen sci-fi / fantasy (think: Spielberg, Joe Dante, “STRANGER THINGS”), both nostalgic and wonderfully gross-out.  When three pre-teen boys and an older brother and his girlfriend take off for a weekend campout, none of them could imagine the horrors awaiting them in a remote desert inhabited by a legendary night creature and crazed townfolk. Puberty and adventure await...along with terror, amputations and midnight cult rituals.  Produced by Lucky McKee (THE WOMAN) and featuring the voices of Angela Bettis (MAY), Sean Bridgers (ROOM), Ellar Coltrane.   The filmmakers will appear for Q&A following the screening.   “The Weird Kidz feels like a throwback to 80s films with kids stumbling into something over their heads, oftentimes supernatural of extraterrestrial. In this case, it’s even creepier.” – Hysteria Film Festival

During our series, we host social dances from 8:00pm - 9:30pm immediately following the dance lessons at the 418 Project. Students from the lessons get into the dances for free. Dancers from the general public are welcome to join as well, for $5 during a regular DJ'd social, and $10 If we have a band.

We are offering two tracks for this series:

• Level 1 & 2 • Level 2 & 3 Please read the descriptions and register on our website :)

Each level is the same price ($65) and each includes: Three classes (1 hour and 15 minutes each) from 7PM to 8:15PM Three social dances from 8:15PM to 9:15PM All classes and dances are located at the 418 Project in Downtown Santa Cruz. Note: all classes are focused on Blues, East Coast Swing, or Lindy Hop, NOT West Coast Swing.

Santa Cruz Swing began in response to the growing interest and excitement the Santa Cruz community has shown for swing dancing. The teachers and those who have supported SC Swing have been swing dancing for over a decade and want to share the silly, playful, cool, and fun nature of the dance.

Dance Proudly — Pride Edition $10 Advanced/ $15 at the door We’re excited to launch Dance Proudly, a new monthly dance event at The 418 Project celebrating movement, music, self-expression, and community. Our first gathering will be a special Pride Edition—an evening dedicated to joy, connection, queer celebration, and collective energy on the dance floor. Whether you come to dance all night, connect with community, or simply be in the space, Dance Proudly is designed to be welcoming, expressive, and open to all. Meet the DJ: Electric Tomcat For Electric Tomcat, music isn’t just a passion—it’s an irreplaceable way of life. Driven to participate in sound at every level, they have been shaping dance floors and curating nightlife experiences across California since 2009. From late-night clubs to sun-drenched festival stages, Electric Tomcat has spun every flavor of EDM, bringing a seasoned ear and a deep respect for the dance community to every set. "My ultimate hope is to leave a lasting, positive impact on the audience emotionally and physically." The Sonic Journey Electric Tomcat doesn’t just play tracks; they weave progressive and emotional stories through sound. Refusing to be boxed into a single genre, they fluidly mix styles to craft a specific narrative arc. Because they care deeply about the unique vibe of every event, Electric Tomcat masterfully mirrors the room's current mood and intentionally guides the crowd's energy as it progresses through the evening. Prepare for a shared, transformative experience where the music hits your heart just as hard as it moves your feet. Come dance with us. The 418 Project complies with local health regulations.

BEYOND THE VISIBLE: HILMA AF KLINT Film Screening Friday, July 17th – 7:30 PM [SMALL THEATER] BEYOND THE VISIBLE: HILMA AF KLINT (2019, Zeitgeist Films, 93 min.). Dir. Halina Dyrschka. Swedish painter and mystic Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was an abstract artist before the term existed, a visionary, trailblazing figure who, inspired by spiritualism, modern science, and the riches of the natural world around her, began in 1906 to reel out a series of huge, colorful, sensual, strange works without precedent in painting. The subject of a recent smash retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum, af Klint was for years an all-but-forgotten figure in art historical discourse, before her long-delayed rediscovery. Director Halina Dryschka’s dazzling, course correcting documentary describes not only the life and craft of af Klint, but also the process of her mischaracterization and erasure by both a patriarchal narrative of artistic progress and capitalistic determination of artistic value – synopsis courtesy Zeitgeist Films.

Ticket Price: $10 advance / $15 at the door.

Overview

AWAKE, MY SOUL: The Story of the Sacred Harp Film Screening Co-Presented with Bay Area Sacred Harp (BASH) AWAKE, MY SOUL: The Story of the Sacred Harp (2006/2025, 81 min.). Prod. & Dir. by Matt & Erica Hinton. “The spiritual connection is the important part of the singing that we do, and why we do this singing.” – David Lee. Hoboken, Georgia. “It’s almost like the ground is shaking under you” – Richard Ivey. Huntsville, Alabama. "Nothing is weirder than Sacred Harp" -NY Times. Awake, My Soul: The Story of the Sacred Harp is the first feature documentary to explore the history, music, and traditions of Sacred Harp singing, the oldest distinctively American form of music. This haunting music has survived over 200 years tucked away from sight in the rural deep South and occurs mostly at community singing events, which typically include anywhere from a dozen to a couple of hundred singers. The events, called “singings”, emphasize participation over consumption since they are not generally performed for an audience. Sacred Harp singers begin each song by intoning syllables which are represented by specific “shapenotes” in their hymnal. To the casual observer, it is some foreign, unintelligible language, but to the Sacred Harp singers, it is the key that unlocks mysteries: songs of both beauty and sorrow, of life and of death, songs that cause feet to stomp and tears to flow, often at the same time. Introduction to the screening by Mark T. Godfrey of BASH.

WHAT IS SACRED HARP SINGING?

Sacred Harp singing is a form of a cappella shape-note hymn singing that preserves some of the earliest distinctively American music. Sacred Harp has persisted for almost two centuries in the Deep South, particularly in the context of community singing events that emphasize participation over consumption, as it is not generally performed for an audience. The tradition uses shape notes, in which triangle, circle, square, and diamond shapenote heads are paired with the syllables fa, sol, la, and mi to represent the notes in the scale. Sacred Harp is one of the open secrets of American music. If you have heard it at all, it may have been from the haunting choral music in the motion picture, “Cold Mountain,” or in a sample from such artists as Bruce Springsteen or M.I.A.. The past four decades particularly have seen remarkable growth of the tradition throughout other parts of America as well as another dozen countries, and particularly among young urbanites. The Sacred Harp hymnal, first published in Georgia in 1844 was revised and published in September 2025, the first revision in over 30 years.

BASH bio:

Bay Area Sacred Harp (BASH) exists to promote Sacred Harp and shape note singing in the San Francisco Bay Area. BASH is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose specific purpose is to sing, teach, and raise awareness of community-based shape note music, particularly the Denson Sacred Harp, by holding small and large singings and engaging in other and community-based educational, training and outreach activities. BASH serves to uphold the Sacred Harp traditions of hospitality and inclusivity. All events are open to the public, free of charge, and require no prior experience or skill. [https://bayareasacredharp.org/](https://bayareasacredharp.org/ "https://bayareasacredharp.org/")

Ticket Price: $10 advance / $15 at the door.

The 418 Project welcomes new and experienced Tango dancers for a night of practice dance and traditional Tango music. Hosted by Yuki and Aaron A Practilonga is a place to dance Tango as if you were in a regular milonga, following the same rules and etiquette of a traditional milonga, but also open to experimentation, asking questions, and a less formal dress code. Whether you're attending your very first tango event or you've been dancing for years, dancers of all experience levels are warmly welcome. Come to dance, practice, connect with the community, and enjoy an evening of traditional Argentine tango. Traditional tango music by DJ Yuki. Cash donations welcomed at the door. The 418 Project complies with all local health regulations.

Hip Hop/Rap/RnB After the Dark Starts- Series After the Dark Starts is a celebration of authenticity, music, and community. Throughout the day, we're often expected to wear masks playing roles, meeting expectations, and presenting the version of ourselves the world wants to see. But when the sun goes down and the spotlight fades, something shifts. The night creates space to let go, express yourself freely, and simply be who you are. That's what After the Dark Starts is all about. This edition of the series explores the soulful sounds, storytelling, rhythm, and culture of RnB, Rap and Hip Hop, bringing together local artists and music lovers for an evening of connection and creativity. Whether you're here to discover new talent, vibe with the community, or simply enjoy great music, this is a space where everyone is welcome. Mahaji and Tom met two years ago through their shared passion for music and building community. Since then, they've envisioned creating experiences that bring people together through authentic artistic expression. After the Dark Starts is one of those visions brought to life. This event is part of our What Is Music? series, an ongoing program dedicated to exploring different musical genres while highlighting the incredible talent of local artists. Each event offers a unique opportunity to experience music not just as entertainment, but as a way to connect, reflect, and celebrate the diverse voices that shape our community. When the lights dim, the music gets louder, the conversations become more genuine, and the real stories begin. Be yourself. Connect with others. Experience the music. After the dark starts, the masks come off. Tickets advance $20/ at door $25 No Alcohol on the premises. All are welcome, The 418 Project complies with all local health regulations.

We’re opening our doors and inviting artists, performers, and media makers to join us at The 418 Project on every First Friday of the Month for 2026 at 5 - 9 PM. Visual artists can table in our lobby and share their work with the community. Performers and media artists can take the stage in our small theater for live performance, short films, video art, and more. This is about connection. Collaboration. Showing up for each other’s creativity. Interested?

Check back in before the show for links to signups for next month!

Disney World Urban Explorers Documentary STOLEN KINGDOM (2026, Antenna Releasing, 74 min.)  Dir. Joshua Bailey.   STOLEN KINGDOM is a wildly entertaining and jaw-dropping documentary that delves into the history of mischief, scandal, and theft at Walt Disney World, ultimately leading to the theft of an animatronic valued at nearly half a million dollars. The film features key figures from the park’s underground exploration community, each sharing their unique stories. As the narrative unfolds, early pranks and antics are shown to have inspired more recent crimes, culminating in a true crime mystery. What begins as a tale of friendship and passion ends with one lingering question: Who stole Buzzy?  A selection of the Slamdance Film Festival.   Zoom discussion with filmmakers following the screening.   “Outrageous, fascinating, and brilliantly well told! See it before it’s illegal!” - Bobcat Goldthwait   "Stolen Kingdom is an entertaining, comical, disturbing and downright tragic look at what was once supposed to be a cultural utopia.” - Orlando Weekly   Ticket Price:  $10 advance / $15 at the door.

Santa Cruz Premiere – Q&A with filmmaker Valerio Ciriaci ELVIRA NOTARI: BEYOND SILENCE (2025, Awen Films, 89 min.) Dir. Valerio Ciriaci. Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence is a feature documentary chronicling the life and work of Elvira Notari (1875-1946), Italy's first woman film director. Despite directing hundreds of silent films that captivated audiences from Naples to New York, Elvira was relegated to the margins of film history for half a century. Her films, poised between realism and staged drama, were deeply rooted in Neapolitan folklore. A woman in a man’s world, her works were targeted by Fascist censorship yet found the embrace of audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. The documentary interweaves voices of those who celebrate her legacy today – from the experts who rediscovered her films to contemporary artists reimagining her vision through new works – to resurrect Elvira’s singular vision. More than a biography, Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence is a prismatic portrait of an artist who continues to inspire new creative pathways.

Discussion following with director Valerio Ciriaci.

Elvira Notari - Biographical Overview

Elvira’s films were deeply rooted in local folklore, drawing on Neapolitan songs and adapting them for the screen in the tradition of the sceneggiatatheatrical genre. Stories of intrigue, betrayal, and crimes of passion were intertwined with documentary-style footage of the city: its lively streets and beautiful vistas, but also the hardships of its poorer quarters. Her filming in the streets and immersion in real working-class settings anticipated many of the methods that would define Italian neorealism. Yet within her realist gaze, moments of dreamlike invention emerge: abstract, superimposed, and colorized images that transform the everyday into a realm of imagination and wonder. Among her characters, modern women stand out – figures who embody a sensuality beyond the strict conventions of their time, challenging the rigid divide between victim and femme fatale.

By the late 1920s, Elvira’s films faced growing scrutiny from Fascist censors determined to impose a new national image, purified of regional differences and tales of criminality. To survive, Dora Films shifted its focus to the United States, distributing its productions widely among Italian immigrant communities. An enthusiastic response from these audiences allowed the company to endure even as many others in Naples were forced to close. And alongside its feature films, Dora Film also began producing short documentaries capturing daily life in Southern Italy, commissioned by migrants yearning for a glimpse of home.

In 1930, Elvira withdrew from filmmaking and retreated to Cava de' Tirreni. Her reasons remain uncertain: was it the burden of censorship, the challenges of the new sound era, or unresolved family tensions? Recent discoveries revealed that Elvira and Nicola had a third daughter, Maria, whom they entrusted to the care – a painful decision made perhaps to preserve the fragile balance between work and raising a third child, and one that created rifts in the family. When Elvira left Naples, she went alone. She died in 1946, far from the public eye. For decades, the loss of her films and the silence around her name kept her legacy at the margins of cinema history. Doors open at 7:00 PM, film at 7:30 PM at The 418 Project, 155 South River Street, downtown Santa Cruz at the Dragons Gate. $10 in advance, $15 at the door.