SFist This Weekend Benefits Everyone

Wow, there's a whole lot of benefits for worthy causes going on this weekend, as well as a head-spinning amount of other stuff to do:

Friday that's tonight, and it's the kick-off for Creativity Explored's (3245 16th St. at Guerrero) Annual Holiday Art Sale, a bargain hunter’s paradise of original artwork by artists with developmental disabilities. And it’s all on sale for rock bottom prices – many items as low as $5. Creativity Explored is a nonprofit visual arts center for artists with developmental disabilities. More than 100 studio artists work in different media, from painting to bookmaking to sculpture - and everything in between. Half of the proceeds from the sale of the work go directly to the artists. (7-9pm)

And we totally love the idea for this art show: Mission 17 (2111 Mission Street Suite 401 at 17th St.) presents its 3rd Annual Juried Exhibition, Anti/Social, a response to the shall-we-say trendiness of social practices art. Heck, we posted about a show of said trend at CCA earlier this week! Anti/Social asks, "What has become of the misanthropic artist, who embodies social conflict in her alienation? What has become of the critical force of the autonomous work of art in its distinction from the world around it?" (6-9pm)

In the East Bay it's the first Friday of the month, and thus, time again for the Oakland Art Murmur with 12 galleries to crawl to and from in Uptown and North Oakland. (7-10pm)

The ever-innovative jazz ensemble, ROVA Saxophone Quartet plays at Berkeley's The Starry Plough (3101 Shattuck Ave. at Prince, near Ashby BART) with the Nels Cline Singers featuring Scott Amendola and Devin Hoff, followed by a short collaborative set including John Coltrane's "Living Space." (9:30pm)

Saturday
More art! Choice Art is an exhibition and silent auction at The Garage Gallery (2830 Pacific Ave. at Divisadero) to benefit Planned Parenthood Golden Gate. This exhibition features work by emerging and established artists for your own collection or for gifting with starting bids at or under $200. Complementary drinks and small plates. (7-10:30pm)

Receiver Gallery (1415 Valencia at 25th St.) and Poketo collaborate and bring together over 20 artists from around the world in a themeless vocational exploration titled I Think We Better Split Up, with over 20 artists from around the US and Japan displaying their current work. John Casey will be taking over the window display with a dimensional curiosity. (7-10pm)

And SFist Editor Jon wants you all to cap off your Saturday night by going down to Mezzanine (444 Jessie Street) for a fashion and multimedia DJ party organized by Chillin' Productions. With hundreds of creative folks representin' and a long list of sponsors, we think this will be an adventure in sensory overstimulation plus booze. Trop de fun! (8pm - 2am)

Sunday
It's Help Is On The Way for the Holidays VIII, the 8th annual star-studded, featuring Rip Taylor, (heh) AIDS benefit at the Herbst Theatre (401 Van Ness Ave) presented by The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation. Along with Mr. Taylor, the King of Confetti, Nancy Sinatra is on the bill, with a host of others. (7:30 pm)

And all weekend long it's the Anti-Corporate Film Festival at the Victoria Theater (2961 16th St at Mission). CounterCorp presents this new film festival focusing on issues of corporate power and influence, featuring movies, speakers, and panels discussing the role that corporations play in the U.S. and around the world. Recent muckraking classics The Corporation and The Future of Food as well as one of SFist Sarah L's faves.