On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, RootStock Arts Center in North Oakland presents a special screening of the Afrofuturist masterpiece, Space Is the Place. Starring the legendary avant-garde jazz visionary Sun Ra, the film is a vibrant, cosmic blend of social commentary, science fiction, and musical odyssey. Doors open at 6:30 PM with the program beginning at 7:00 PM. The evening kicks off with an introduction and overview by acclaimed musician David Boyce, who will also lead a post-screening audience discussion. General Admission tickets are available for $30, with a discounted $15 early bird, student, and senior rate.

This screening holds profound significance as it returns the film to the East Bay, where many of its most iconic scenes were captured. Filmed largely in Oakland and San Francisco during the early 1970s, the movie serves as a psychedelic time capsule of the region’s landscape and radical spirit. Seeing Sun Ra’s intergalactic quest for a Black utopia just blocks away from where he originally landed his "music-powered" spaceship offers a rare opportunity to connect with the local geography of Afrofuturism. It is more than just a movie night; it is a homecoming for a work that remains a cornerstone of Oakland’s avant-garde cultural legacy.

Starring: Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Solar Arkestra
Director: John Coney
Producer: Jim Newman
Screenplay: Joshua Smith and Sun Ra
Music: Composed and performed by Sun Ra and his Intergalactic Solar Arkestra

Film: 'Space is the Place' (1974)

Film: 'Space is the Place' (1974)