Collaborating Across Continents: Developing a Contemporary Masquerade Exhibition for North American and African Audiences
2024-08-02 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Louisiana
Join the New Orleans Museum of Art for a presentation on contemporary West African masquerade, in advance of the upcoming exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations, opening at the museum in April 2025.
The program will include a panel presentation and discussion with the exhibition’s curators; a first look at immersive documentary film clips from Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Cameroon; a signature West African-inspired cocktail; drumming performances; an opportunity to meet Dr. Aimé Kantoussan, Research Director of the Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar; and a virtual presentation from Cameroonian artist Hervé Youmbi.
Additional members of the New African Masquerades research team will present their developing scholarship and discuss the project’s ethical methodologies and foundational artistic, community, and institutional collaborations.
This program is free with advanced registration.
Register Now

About New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations
In New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations, an international team of scholars and artists present the stories of four individual masquerade artists, their motivations, artistic choices, and the patronage and economic networks with which they engage in order to make clear that masquerade is fundamentally contemporary. The show offers fresh research models for contemporary masquerade, bringing to the fore issues relating to restitution, ownership, and research ethics. This is the first major exhibition on contemporary West African masquerade artists to focus on individual creators rather than the typical presentation of masquerades as products of entire cultures, which undermines the nuanced and layered stories that individual artists and masquerades tell.
The exhibition team is led by Amanda M. Maples, Françoise Billion Richardson Curator of African Art at NOMA. Co-curators include Jordan A. Fenton, Associate Professor of Art History at Miami University Ohio, and Lisa Homann, Associate Professor of Art History at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Aimé Kantoussan, Research Director at the Musée des Civilisations Noires/Museum of Black Civilizations (MCN) and Hervé Youmbi, a leading contemporary artist in Cameroon, are research collaborators and contributing authors.

Gallery Talk on Show & Tell: A Brief History of Photography and Text
2024-08-07 12:30, 2024-08-07 18:00 | Louisiana
Join us in the galleries each Wednesday for weekly talks with artists, curators, and other special guests. During these casual conversations, we’ll take a close look at different works currently on view at NOMA.
This week, join Brian Piper, NOMA’s Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, Prints, and Drawings, for a discussion on the special exhibition Show & Tell: A Brief History of Photography and Text. This talk will be offered at 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm.
Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.

Soul-Sip at NOMA
2024-08-07 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-08-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Louisiana
NOMA is committed to offering innovative experiences for learning and interpretation and uniting, inspiring, and engaging diverse communities and cultures. Throughout the year, the museum provides an after-hours inclusive programmatic mix of unique experiences in response to art from across time and place. This summer, NOMA presents Soul-Sip, an art and wine series blending the sacred and social elements of guided meditation and wine appreciation to relax the mind, elevate the seven senses, and savor delicious sips of wine.
Perceptions about the cultural practices in museums are ever-changing. However, one thing consistent within the culture of museums is receptions that include wine. Wine is among humankind’s oldest beverages, regularly appearing in museums and pictured in paintings authenticated by ancient distilling pottery. It is the beverage of choice to mark exhibition openings, closings, receptions, and other special occasions.
The evening includes guided meditation, wine-tasting instruction, a curated wine flight, small bites from Cafe NOMA, a discussion of select wine-related artwork from NOMA’s permanent collection, and a little lagniappe!
General Admission $95 | NOMA Members $75
Register Now

About Soul-Sip®
The soul is the immaterial part of a human being, the actuating cause of an individual life. A sip is the act of drinking by taking small mouthfuls. Soul-Sip blends the sacred and social elements of guided meditation and wine appreciation in a 60-minute class designed to relax the mind, elevate the seven senses, and savor delicious sips of wine.
Sense of Place Mat
When you sit for meditation, you use a mat, cushion, or chair to help create a calm, sacred space for your practice. Soul-Sip classes use a placemat as your practice space; doodle, decorate, take notes, roll it up at the end of class, and take it with you!
Wine Flights
Aligning what is in a wine glass with who is holding the glass opens a direct path to mindfulness. Soul-Sip wine selections represent an appreciation for the people, places, and vineyards who share the journey of sipping. The Vine Life Group curates wine flights for Soul-Sip.
About the Instructor
Dr. Redell Hearn, Ph.D., is Chief Educator at NOMA and the creator and instructor of Soul-Sip. Hearn is a museologist and Certified Chopra Health instructor with four decades of formal and informal study, experimentation, meditation, yoga practice, workshops, courses, seminars, and retreats in the healing arts.

Move Ya Brass in the AC
2024-08-08 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-08-15 09:00 - 10:00, 2024-08-22 09:00 - 10:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Incorporating sound baths and breathwork, Move Ya Brass presents a summer series of wellness classes at NOMA throughout July and August! Led by instructor Kathleen Barry, these low-intensity classes invite participants to move inward and restore themselves this summer. Enjoy the AC and the creative energy throughout the museum.
SCHEDULE
July 11 | “Breathe, Move, and Rest” in NOMA’s Second-Floor Contemporary Art Galleries
July 18 | Breath & Brass: Breathwork
July 25 | Breathe, Move, and Rest
August 1 | Breath & Brass: Breathwork
August 8 | Breathe, Move, and Rest
August 15 | Breath & Brass: Breathwork
August 22 | Breathe, Move, and Rest
Please bring your own mat and towel.
The class is free with advanced registration. Please register before 3 pm the day prior to the session you would like to attend. Registration is required and space is limited.
REGISTER NOW
Please email programs@noma.org if you have to cancel your reservation. Registrants will be notified of how to enter the museum.

About Brass and Breath: Breathwork
This breathwork class for beginners is a gentle and accessible introduction to the practice of controlled breathing techniques. In a welcoming and supportive environment, participants are guided through various breathing exercises to promote relaxation, reduce stress, and enhance mindfulness. These classes often focus on teaching foundational breath patterns and incorporating them into easy-to-follow routines. Participants can expect a calm and nurturing atmosphere, making it an ideal starting point for those new to breathwork and looking to improve their overall well-being.
About Breathe, Move, and Rest
This relaxing hybrid class will reset your nervous system. These classes will combine breathwork, slow-flow yoga, and sound bowls to promote deep relaxation and breath. The exercise will begin with using safe and accessible breathing techniques to warm the lungs and body up, leading to gentle stretching and a light yoga flow. The exercise will conclude with a sound bowl demonstration that will create vibrations stimulating a theta wave brain state, leading to deep and conscious rest.

About Move Ya Brass
Move Ya Brass Krewe is a fun and funky fitness program from New Orleans started by local jazz vocalist Robin Barnes. Offering free fitness classes around the city, you come to Move Ya Brass fitness classes as a stranger, but leave as family. The MYB mission is to promote a happy, positive, and healthy lifestyle, and to encourage celebrating our daily lives by taking you off the sidelines and into a New Orleans second line!
About the Instructor
Kathleen Barry has been teaching since 2018.In the words of Barry: “Yoga teaches me daily to be present with my breath and body and to find reverence for the little things. To explore discipline and freedom as co-existing necessities of living, and to always start from right now, this moment.”Barry does her best to honor yoga’s roots and lineage— the incredibly precise and relevant tools yoga offers to ameliorate our modern predicaments.
Barry’s certifications include: Registered Yyoga teacher (RYT) 200-hour program, E-RYT 200, RYT; Living Your Yoga Immersion with Judith Hanson Lasate; Laughing Lotus Advanced Bhakti Teacher Training 50 hour program in Rishikesh, India; Trauma Recovery Yoga (T.R.Y.) 20-hour program.

Gallery Talk on John Scott: Blues Poem for the Urban Landscape
2024-08-14 12:30, 2024-08-14 18:00 | Louisiana
Join us in the galleries each Wednesday for weekly talks with artists, curators, and other special guests. During these casual conversations, we’ll take a close look at different works currently on view at NOMA.
This week, join Brian Piper, Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, Prints, and Drawings at NOMA, as he discusses the newly installed John Scott: Blues Poem for the Urban Landscape. This talk will be offered at 12:30 & 6:00 pm in the Great Hall.
Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.

Book Club Discussion | Loot: A Novel
2024-08-15 12:00 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
The NOMA Book Club meets monthly to discuss fiction and non-fiction books related to art in NOMA’s collection and exhibitions. It is an informal group open to anyone on a month-to-month basis. In addition to monthly book discussions, the book club meets periodically for curatorial programs related to the book selections. You do not have to attend every meeting or read every book to join.
Book selections are inspired by the museum’s exhibition schedule. Participants are expected to procure their own copies. Selections are also available at the NOMA Museum Shop, where museum members receive a 10% discount.
Meetings are held in person or via Zoom. All meetings begin at 12 pm.
For information or questions about the NOMA Book Club, please email kmccurdy@noma.org.
Register Now

August 2024
Book Club Discussion | Thursday, August 15, 12 pm

Loot: A Novel by Tania James

Abbas is just seventeen years old when his gifts as a woodcarver come to the attention of Tipu Sultan, and he is drawn into service at the palace in order to build a giant tiger automaton for Tipu’s sons, a gift to commemorate their return from British captivity. His fate—and the fate of the wooden tiger he helps create—will mirror the vicissitudes of nations and dynasties ravaged by war across India and Europe.
Working alongside the legendary French clockmaker Lucien du Leze, Abbas hones his craft, learns French, and meets Jehanne, the daughter of a French expatriate. When Du Leze is finally permitted to return home to Rouen, he invites Abbas to come along as his apprentice. But by the time Abbas travels to Europe, Tipu’s palace has been looted by British forces, and the tiger automaton has disappeared. To prove himself, Abbas must retrieve the tiger from an estate in the English countryside, where it is displayed in a collection of plundered art.

Education and outreach initiatives at NOMA are supported in part by the Zemurray Foundation; the Lois and Lloyd Hawkins Jr. Foundation; The Helis Foundation; The Gayle and Tom Benson Foundation; The City of New Orleans; IBERIABANK; The Wagner Foundation; Janice Parmelee and Bill Hammack; the Diversifying Art Museum Leadership Initiative, funded by the Walton Family Foundation and the Ford Foundation; Sara and David Kelso; Patrick F. Taylor Foundation; Dr. Scott S. Cowen; The RosaMary Foundation; The Azby Fund; the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency; The Collins C. Diboll Private Foundation; Burkenroad Foundation; Marian Dreux Van Horn Education Endowment; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Ruby K. Worner Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee; The Harry T. Howard III Foundation; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc.; Harvey and Marie Orth; The Bruce J. Heim Foundation; and Mrs. Bennett A. Molter, Jr. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Gallery Talk on Clementine Hunter with Curator Lisa Rotondo-McCord
2024-08-21 12:30 | Louisiana
Join us in the galleries each Wednesday for weekly talks with artists, curators, and other special guests. During these casual conversations, we’ll take a close look at different works currently on view at NOMA.
This week, join Lisa Rotondo-McCord, NOMA’s Deputy Director and Curator of Asian Art, for a discussion of Clementine Hunter in connection with September’s NOMA Book Club pick Letting in Air and Light by author Teresa Tumminello Brader. This talk will be offered at 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm.
Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.

Film Screening and Discussion: Katrina Babies
2024-08-21 18:00 - 21:00 | Louisiana
NOMA hosts a screening of director Edward Buckles Jr.’s Katrina Babies, a documentary offering an intimate look at the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and its impact on the youth of New Orleans. Following the screening, Buckles will discuss the film in a conversation with Chike Ozah, the film’s executive producer, and Simone Immanuel, one of NOMA’s Creative Assembly Cohort members, in remembrance of the hurricane’s 19th anniversary.
This event is free and open to the public. Limited seating will be available. Seating is first come, first serve.

About the Documentary
Years after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, an entire generation still grapples with the lifelong impact of having their childhood redefined by tragedy. New Orleans–born filmmaker Edward Buckles Jr., who was 13 years old during Katrina and its initial aftermath, spent seven years documenting the stories of his peers who survived the storm as children, using his community’s tradition of oral storytelling to open a door for healing and to capture the strength and spirit of his city.
Katrina Babies details the close-knit families and vibrant communities of New Orleans whose lives were uprooted by the 2005 disaster. These American children who were airlifted out of the rising waters, evacuated from their homes to refugee-like centers, or placed in makeshift, temporary living situations, have been neglected. As families were tasked with reintegrating into new communities, having experienced loss, displacement, and lack of support from government officials, the children were left to process their trauma in a wounded, fractured city.
Buckles raises his camera to elevate the voices of his city; utilizing confessional-style footage, home movies, animation, harrowing archival footage, and candid interviews with Katrina survivors, Buckles unearths a reservoir of grief and suppressed emotion. Through these moving, first-hand accounts, Katrina Babies journeys toward healing, not just from the most destructive storm in US history, but also from the multi-generational traumas of being black and disenfranchised in America. In the face of systemic racism, government neglect, and the unprocessed pain of family separations, the children of Katrina are left to chart their own path toward healing.
About Edward Buckles Jr.
Edward Buckles Jr. is the director of Katrina Babies.
Buckles is a son of New Orleans. Buckles’ work calls his audience towards remembrance and to see the beauty in imperfections. The award-winning filmmaker, director, and producer continues to find inspiration in his people and innovative ways to share the stories of Black communities that would otherwise be lost in the passing of time.
Buckles’ film Katrina Babies was shortlisted for a 2023 Academy Award. His production company, House of the Young Ent. is a beacon in the New Orleans’ arts community and a platform for the culture of the city. Buckles’ was featured on DOC NYC’s 40 under 40 in 2022 and was awarded the New Orleans Film Society’s Rising Star Award.
About Chike Ozah
Chike Ozah is the executive producer of Katrina Babies.
One-half of the award-winning directing duo Coodie & Chike, Ozah has made a mark on the film industry with his innovative storytelling and approach. A New Orleans native, Chike first collaborated with Coodie on the iconic music video “Through the Wire,” which played a pivotal role in launching Kanye West’s career, and Ozah has worked with other high-profile artists including the Black Keys, Joey Bada$$, Christina Aguilera, Mos Def, and Erykah Badu.
Ozah also executive produced Showtime’s NYC Point Gods, directed by Sam Eliad and Akin Omotoso, which delves into the legendary basketball culture of New York City, and his upcoming project, Meal Ticket, directed by Chicago-based duo Corey Colvin & Carlton Sabbs, highlights the prestigious McDonald’s All American Game, continuing his tradition of supporting emerging filmmakers. Coodie & Chike’s work on the three-act Netflix docuseries Jeen-Yuhs earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Documentary/Nonfiction Series and won Best Music Documentary and Best Docu-Series at the 2022 Grierson Awards.
About Simone Immanuel
Simone Immanuel is a multidisciplinary artist and writer from New Orleans, Louisiana. She attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and graduated with her BFA in theatre from Ball State University. She recently finished the Broadway Advocacy Coalition’s Artivism Fellowship and made her Off-Broadway debut in the play 7 Minutes by Stefano Massini. Immanuel’s play I’m Gonna Let it Shine was a Kennedy Center John Cauble Award finalist. Recently, Immanuel worked as an Artist at Work Resident with the Ashé Cultural Arts Center and the Office of Art and Film. She worked on projects that highlight the positive impacts of artistic civic engagement in her community. Immanuel’s goal is to use her unique experiences to show why representation is one of the most important purposes of art.

Directed by Edward Buckles, Jr. of House of the Young Entertainment; produced by Edward Buckles, Jr, Audrey Rosenberg of Invisible Pictures, Rebecca Teitel of TIME Studios; executive produced by Coodie & Chike of Creative Control, Ian Orefice, Loren Hammonds, Mike Beck and Alexa Conway of TIME Studios, Eileen Tavarez and Jess Jacobs of Invisible Pictures; written by: Edward Buckles, Jr, Luther Clement-Lam, Audrey Rosenberg. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Sara Rodriguez.

Gallery Talk on Come! Come! Come!: A Triptych by Wang Qingsong
2024-08-28 12:30 | Louisiana
Join us in the galleries each Wednesday for weekly talks with artists, curators, and other special guests. During these casual conversations, we’ll take a close look at different works currently on view at NOMA.
This week, join Lisa Rotondo-McCord, NOMA’s Curator of Asian Art and Deputy Director, for a discussion on Come! Come! Come!: A Triptych by Wang Qingsong. This talk will be offered at 12:30 pm and 6:00 pm.
Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.

Breaking Boundaries: The Art of Hip-Hop with Creative Assembly Member Kr3wcial
2024-08-28 17:30 - 19:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
Kr3wcial, one of NOMA’s Creative Assembly Cohort members, presents “Breaking Boundaries: The Art of Hip-Hop,” which includes a screening of the artist’s latest visual work Carry Me, followed by insights into the creative process. The program includes a panel discussion moderated by N’Dia Dugue, social media producer at BET Media Group, with Kr3wcial and video directors Dexter Williams and Jovan Hernandez, who will discuss hip-hop’s profound cultural impact and its recognition as an enduring artform. “Breaking Boundaries” explores how hip-hop continues to shape and reflect our world.
This event is free and open to the public.

About Dexter Williams
Dexter Williams is a New Orleans native who specializes in directing, editing, and producing industry-standard music videos as one of the top directors in New Orleans. Williams is the founder/creator of “Dope Media,” a multimedia company that creates aesthetically pleasing, visuals for companies and recording artists. Williams has over ten years of experience creating for clients internationally and locally. Williams has worked with several record labels, including Roc Nation, Atlantic and Empire along with production companies such as AMC and Amazon Prime. Wiliams music videos have been featured on BET Jams, Revolt and have garnered millions of views on YouTube and Worldstar Hip-Hop. Williams has spent over a decade using his skills and techniques to tell the stories of New Orleans artists and the streets that made them.
About N’Dia Dugue
N’Dia Dugue is a social media producer at BET Media Group, where she manages social platforms for BET and VH1 Networks. Dugue uses her passion for pop culture, music, and entertainment to craft strategies and produce engaging social content. Dugue has created short-form content for shows such as the “BET Awards,” “Love & Hip Hop Miami,” “America In Black,” and the Webby honoree program “For The Fellas.” Dugue is from Brooklyn, but her familial roots in New Orleans have called her to make the city her home.
About Kr3wcial
In the vibrant tapestry of New Orleans’ rich musical heritage, Kr3wcial emerges as a dynamic figure, transcending the boundaries of traditional hip-hop. Born and raised in the heart of the Crescent City, Kr3wcial’s music is a sonic journey through the soul of New Orleans itself. With lyrics that delve deep into the city’s intricate layers—from the gritty streets to the transcendent spirit of its people—he weaves a narrative that is both raw and poetic, reminiscent of the city’s jazz and blues roots. Kr3wcial’s tracks, often enlivened with the pulse of brass and the rhythm of New Orleans, serve as a compelling commentary on the city’s multifaceted nature. Through his verses, he explores themes of resilience, identity, and social consciousness. Beyond the studio, Kr3wcial is a community advocate, using his platform to inspire positive change. Collaborating with local nonprofits, he harnesses the unifying power of music to uplift the very city that fuels his creativity.
About Creative Assembly
NOMA Creative Assembly seeks to give renewed expression to the diverse voices embodied in New Orleans’ various neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are places that give birth and places where the honored dead remain present. They invite belonging, whether for a day or for many generations. Gathered between the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain, our neighborhoods are spaces where cultures flow from across continents and oceans to flourish. They are landscapes where nature takes on countless culinary, linguistic, ancestral, and sacred forms. Neighborhoods allow us to share our anguish and ask us to offer a voice for those who have suffered in the silences of injustice and ignorance. Through music, dance, images, and stories, we hope to create a space of belonging where people can see reflections of their own neighborhoods and find themselves at home.
Learn More

Creative Writing Poetry Workshop With Creative Assembly Member Daniel Fitzpatrick (Off-Site)
2024-09-04 17:00 - 18:30 | New Orleans Public Library—Mid-City Library, 4140 Canal St, New Orleans, LA, 70119, United States
In partnership with the New Orleans Public Library, NOMA Creative Assembly cohort member Daniel Fitzpatrick leads a creative writing poetry workshop. Participants will work together to bring poems into the next stage of the creative process.
Before the event, registered participants will be contacted to send in the poem they would like to include in the workshop.
All poets who participate in the workshop will be invited to share their work at a public reading at the museum on Wednesday, October 9, at 5 pm, to celebrate the poetic life of New Orleans, its people, and its places.
Registration is required.
REGISTER NOW

Member Reception and Celebration | Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art
2024-09-13 17:00 - 19:00 | Louisiana
Join us for a members-only look at Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Following the reception will be an opening celebration for the exhibition featuring live music, tours, and drink specials.
Not a Member?

NOMA members support our institutional mission to present meaningful arts experiences that inspire communities in New Orleans and beyond. Members receive free admission the museum all year long, invitations to special events, and discounted tickets to programs.
Join Today
About the Exhibition
Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art looks at the more than 4,000-year history of glass around the world and how it intersects with scientific discoveries, foodways, and artistic innovations.
Learn More

Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art is sponsored by the Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by Susanne and David Purvis, the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, Harvey and Marie Orth, Robert and Pamela Steeg, Mary Beth and Sheldon Ray, in honor of Bettie Pendley, and Lori and John Solon.

Celebration for Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art
2024-09-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Louisiana
Please join us for an evening celebrating the special exhibition Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art. This free event will include tours of the galleries, live music in the Great Hall, and drink specials by Café NOMA.
This event is free and open to the public with advanced registration.
REGISTER NOW
About the Exhibition
Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art looks at the more than 4,000-year history of glass around the world and how it intersects with scientific discoveries, foodways, and artistic innovations.
Learn More

Celebration Line-Up

Live Music Performance by Alexey Marti
7–9 pm in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts

Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art is sponsored by the Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation. Additional support is provided by Susanne and David Purvis, the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, Harvey and Marie Orth, Robert and Pamela Steeg, Mary Beth and Sheldon Ray, in honor of Bettie Pendley, and Lori and John Solon.

POSTPONED | Healing Through History with Creative Assembly Cohort Member Dianne Honoré
2024-09-14 10:00 - 16:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
This event has been postponed. We look forward to announcing a new date soon.

This day-long workshop provides a space for collaborative learning about ethnic, gendered, and cultural practices that define our collective history and present reality. Led by Dianne Honoré, one of NOMA’s Creative Assembly Cohort members, program participants will explore local histories, cultures, and approaches to interpreting history and culture through talks, performances, and healing rituals.
The series promotes healing through safe, engaging, and respectful dialogue and activities among participants. Participants will adopt a traditional view of healing that emphasizes the power of narrative to promote well-being, balance, and harmony.
Indigenous elders believe that health is connected to understanding the story of our lives, summed up in four questions: Who are we? Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are we going? It is important to explore these questions as a collective to heal historical trauma within and between our communities.
This event is free and open to the public.

Program Schedule
Land Acknowledgment
Scierra LeGarde, member of the Bayou Lacombe Band of Choctaw and People of the Sacred Medicine Trail
Introduction
Dianne Honoré
Talk and Q&A | Historical Trauma and Healing Practices
Heather Goltz, Professor of Social Work, University of Houston
Healing Dance
Scierra LeGarde and the Bayou Lacombe Band of Choctaw
Talk and Q+A | A Place Called Desire: Researching and Documenting Your History as a Healing Journey
Leonard Smith III, producer and director of the documentary A Place Called Desire
Ancestor Acknowledgement Poem Accompanied by Creole Chant
Poem written by Laurita Marie, Iyanifa, Mambo Asogwe, Nuisettes Noir Baby Doll. Original Louisiana Creole chant, Vyé paran-yé, written by Dianne Honoré.
Reflection on Acting as a Healing Modality
Leslie Nipkow, actor and writer
Talk and Q&A | A City without Care: 300 Years of Racism, Health Disparities, and Health Care Activism in New Orleans
Dr. Kevin McQueeney, Assistant Professor of History at Nicholls State University
Auricular Acupuncture Demo: Healing and Releasing Energy
Bianca San Martin and Eva Hurst, acupuncturists
African Drumming and Chanting and Discussion on the Mbongi Circles
Papa Titos Sompa, musician and cultural activist
Black Keywords for Louisiana
Dr. Jessica M. Johnson, Associate Professor in the Department of History at Johns Hopkins University
Discussion | Healing through Passing on Tradition
Master Plasterer Jeff Poree’ and Big Chief Darryl Montana of the Yellow Pocahontas Hunters Black Masking Indian Tribe
Closing Performance and Reception

POSTPONED | Virtual Program: Created to Create with Creative Assembly Member Simone Immanuel
2024-09-15 14:00 - 15:00 | Louisiana
This event has been postponed. We look forward to announcing a new date soon.

Created to Create, a talk show hosted by NOMA Creative Assembly artist Simone Immanuel, is designed to foster honest conversations about creativity with local Black artists in New Orleans. The show’s goal is to spotlight local artists’ work, promote community growth, and amplify the voices of cultural bearers in the city. Featuring different artists in each episode, the show’s emphasis on personal transformation and the human experience aligns with the museum’s mission to support and showcase diverse perspectives within the arts.
On Sunday, September 15, at 2 pm, join a livestream of Created to Create being filmed in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts. This episode will feature celebrity chef, host, and social media influencer Jo Jackson, as well as fellow NOMA Creative Assembly member and hip-hop artist Kr3wcial. Together they will discuss entrepreneurship, social media influence, and the power of technology in artistry.
Follow @is_fierce and @createdtocreatetalkshow on Instagram for more information on Created to Create.
This virtual program is free and will be available for live streaming.
LINK AVAILABLE SOON

ABOUT SIMONE IMMANUEL
Simone Immanuel is a multidisciplinary artist and writer from New Orleans, Louisiana. She attended the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and graduated with her BFA in theatre from Ball State University. She recently finished the Broadway Advocacy Coalition’s Artivism Fellowship and made her Off-Broadway debut in the play 7 Minutes by Stefano Massini. Immanuel’s play I’m Gonna Let it Shine was a Kennedy Center John Cauble Award finalist. Recently, Immanuel worked as an Artist at Work Resident with the Ashé Cultural Arts Center and the Office of Art and Film. She worked on projects that highlight the positive impacts of artistic civic engagement in her community. Immanuel’s goal is to use her unique experiences to show why representation is one of the most important purposes of art.
Learn More About Creative Assembly

Hispanic Heritage Month Gallery Talk with Museum Educator Laura Moreno
2024-09-18 12:30, 2024-09-18 18:00 | Louisiana
Join us in the galleries each Wednesday for weekly talks with artists, curators, and other special guests. During these casual conversations, we’ll take a close look at different works currently on view at NOMA.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, join Laura Moreno, NOMA Museum Educator, for a conversation on an Aztec Maize Goddess sculpture. The talk will begin on the museum’s third floor and will be offered at 12:30 pm and 6 pm.
Check our calendar for more gallery talks in our Hispanic Heritage Month series!

Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.

Creative Writing Poetry Workshop With Creative Assembly Member Daniel Fitzpatrick (Off-Site)
2024-09-18 17:00 - 18:30 | Norman Mayer Library, 3001 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, LA, 70122, United States

Book Club Discussion | Letting in Air and Light
2024-09-19 12:00 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
The NOMA Book Club meets monthly to discuss fiction and non-fiction books related to art in NOMA’s collection and exhibitions. It is an informal group open to anyone on a month-to-month basis. In addition to monthly book discussions, the book club meets periodically for curatorial programs related to the book selections. You do not have to attend every meeting or read every book to join.
Book selections are inspired by the museum’s exhibition schedule. Participants are expected to procure their own copies. Selections are also available at the NOMA Museum Shop, where museum members receive a 10% discount.
Meetings are held in person or via Zoom. All meetings begin at 12 pm.
For information or questions about the NOMA Book Club, please email kmccurdy@noma.org.
Register Now

September 2024
Book Club Discussion | Thursday, September 19, 12 pm

Letting in Air and Light by Teresa Tumminello Brader

From a double shotgun house in New Orleans comes a true story larger than life. Teresa Tumminello Brader, niece of the convicted art forger William Toye, retells her family’s experience as she discovers her uncle’s misdeeds after decades of secrecy. Personal reflections and newspaper records alternate with a fictionalized reimagining of Toye’s complicated life. On both sides of the story, what emerges is an attempt to honor Louisiana artist Clementine Hunter’s legacy without flinching from the painful realities that come from reckoning with family bonds. Empathetic and honest, Letting in Air and Light will inspire you to look more closely at your own history and wonder what else you might have missed.

Education and outreach initiatives at NOMA are supported in part by the Zemurray Foundation; the Lois and Lloyd Hawkins Jr. Foundation; The Helis Foundation; The Gayle and Tom Benson Foundation; The City of New Orleans; IBERIABANK; The Wagner Foundation; Janice Parmelee and Bill Hammack; the Diversifying Art Museum Leadership Initiative, funded by the Walton Family Foundation and the Ford Foundation; Sara and David Kelso; Patrick F. Taylor Foundation; Dr. Scott S. Cowen; The RosaMary Foundation; The Azby Fund; the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts, a Federal agency; The Collins C. Diboll Private Foundation; Burkenroad Foundation; Marian Dreux Van Horn Education Endowment; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; Ruby K. Worner Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee; The Harry T. Howard III Foundation; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation, Inc.; Harvey and Marie Orth; The Bruce J. Heim Foundation; and Mrs. Bennett A. Molter, Jr. This project is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration with Ecos Latinos
2024-09-20 17:00 - 21:00 | Louisiana
In partnership with Ecos Latinos, the museum is hosting a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration featuring a night of music and dance performances in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and performances begin at 6 pm. Light bites and a cash bar with specialty cocktails from Café NOMA will be available.
Performers include: Contratiempo, Siempre Flamenco, Orkestra Maria Fumaça, and Viváz.
Specialty cocktails and a special Hispanic Heritage Month Menu, including taquitos de pollo and beef empanadas, will be available for purchase at Cafe NOMA before and during the performances.
$30 for general admission | $15 for members
Purchase Tickets

About Ecos Latinos
Ecos Latinos is a monthly performance series featuring Hispanic musicians, poets, dancers, and visual artists—both local and international—at schools, hospitals, libraries, and festivals in Louisiana. Additionally, Ecos Latinos produces professionally edited documentary videos showcasing the music of Louisiana composers.

Additional Credits
The Ecos Latinos Hispanic Heritage Celebration is produced by Musicians for Music and the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Support comes from South Arts, the City of New Orleans, through a Community Arts Grant, New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and Louisiana Division of the Arts and the New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation.

Hispanic Heritage Month Cocktail Demonstration and Gallery Talk with Café NOMA Mixologist Virna Castillo
2024-09-25 12:30 | Louisiana
Join us in the galleries each Wednesday for weekly talks with artists, curators, and other special guests. During these casual conversations, we’ll take a close look at different works currently on view at NOMA.
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, join Virna Castillo, Café NOMA Mixologist, for a cocktail demonstration and gallery talk. After the talk, guests will be invited to the café to sample the month’s specialty cocktail. This talk will be offered at 12:30 pm at Café NOMA on the first floor.
Check our calendar for more gallery talks in our Hispanic Heritage Month series!

Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.

Creative Writing Poetry Workshop With Creative Assembly Member Daniel Fitzpatrick (Off-Site)
2024-09-25 17:00 - 18:30 | Cita Dennis Hubbell Library, 725 Pelican Ave, New Orleans, 70114, United States

Elders Sacred Talk Series with Luther Gray and Jamilah Peters-Muhammad
2024-09-25 18:00 - 19:15 | Louisiana
NOMA and the Congo Square Preservation Society present the Elders Sacred Talk Series with prolific elder New Orleanians, celebrating the lives they lead while providing the opportunity to learn firsthand about the impact they’ve had on our city.
On September 25, in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts, the program will feature Luther Gray and Jamilah Yejide Peters-Muhammad, co-founders of the Congo Square Preservation Society, in a conversation moderated by Kelly Harris Deberry, local poet and author. The program will also include a drumming performance by Timothy Brown and Wesley “Kamau” Phillips.
Free with museum admission. Louisiana residents receive free admission to NOMA on Wednesdays courtesy of The Helis Foundation. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the Lapis Center for the Arts.

About Art Thrives
NOMA’s Art Thrives initiative presents creative aging programs designed to support visitors ages 55 and up. In addition to art-making workshops, courses, and opportunities for hands-on art-making, the Elders Sacred Talk Series is a platform for older adults to share their experiences with audiences of all ages.
About the Speakers
Luther Gray
Luther Gray has been an active and important part of the New Orleans arts community since 1984. Gray co-founded the Congo Square Foundation, which is now the Congo Square Preservation Society. The organization was instrumental in the restoration of drumming and cultural activities in Congo Square. Due to the efforts of the Congo Square Foundation, Congo Square is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the organization led the effort to erect the Congo Square historic marker.
Gray led a team of artists, which included visual artist Douglas Redd, that carved three Bamboula drums from a one-hundred-year-old cypress tree, which are now on display at the Louisiana State Museum in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Gray founded and directed two bands, Percussion Incorporated and Bamboula 2000, for which he won the Big Easy Music Award in the World Music Category twice. Gray has produced several records; served as lead drummer for the Guardians of the Flame Mardi Gras Indians; and led workshops and tours for thousands of school-age children and adults yearly; and provided African drumming for events in Congo Square and throughout the city as the founding leader of the Congo Square Drum Circle, which dates back to 1988.
Jamilah Yejide Peters-Muhammad
Jamilah Yejide Peters-Muhammad, affectionately known as Mama Jamilah, is a lifelong resident of New Orleans. Peters-Muhammad is a graduate of Dillard University where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Peters-Muhammad also holds a degree in Faith Community Nursing. During Peters-Muhammad’s career, she worked at Touro Infirmary and Tulane Medical Center, among others, but left the hospital setting over three decades ago to pursue community-oriented practices.
In addition to community wellness, Peters-Muhammad serves as a leader in preserving and promoting the cultural traditions of her African ancestors. Peters-Muhammad co-founded the Congo Square Preservation Society, Kumbuka African Drum and Dance collective, and Bamboula 2000. Peters-Muhammad has performed and taught African dance and culture for over 40 years. Peters-Muhammad is a gifted healer, dancer, singer, percussionist, and choreographer. Peters-Muhammad has been a part of the Black Masking Mardi Gras Indian tradition since age 16 and is presently a member of Guardians of the Flame Maroon Society.
Peters-Muhammad is a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is a health and wellness consultant at the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, the community outreach nurse for the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation; and the leader of the health as well as the dance ministries at her church, Christian Unity.

NOMA’s Fall Festival
2024-09-28 10:00 - 16:00 | Louisiana
Celebrate twenty years of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at a free outdoor festival for all ages. Take guided tours to see highlights from the Besthoff Sculpture Garden, enjoy live music and performances, make your own art, and more. Café NOMA and pop-ups will offer food and drink for sale.
Join us for this one-time event to celebrate this important moment in the museum’s history.
Free and open to all. Advance registration is encouraged.
Register Now

Costume Contests
Enter our wearable art costume contests for a chance to win two tickets to the Visionaries Garden Party on Friday, November 8; a dual membership; and exclusive museum merch.
Simone Immanuel, one of NOMA’s Creative Assembly Cohort members, will host the contest and costumes will be judged by local artists and designers. Participants must sign up by 1:30 pm and the contest will start at 2 pm.
GARDEN COSTUME CONTEST
Dress up in a garment that is reminiscent of the beautiful scenery of the Besthoff Sculpture Garden.
ART COSTUME CONTEST
Show us your most fashionable interpretation of your favorite art piece or artist.
COSTUME GUIDELINES
For the safety and comfort of all guests, as well as the artwork at NOMA:

Costume masks that obstruct or cover the wearer’s face are prohibited. Face masks covering the nose and mouth for health reasons are welcomed but not required.
Accessories or toy weapons, such as swords, greater than 2 feet in length are not permitted.
No sharp objects are allowed.
Costume components cannot extend more than 2 feet in length from the body.
Please keep all costumes family friendly.

Other restrictions may apply at NOMA’s discretion. For questions regarding costumes, please call 504.658.4141.

Program Line-Up
ENTERTAINMENT
The Roots of Music
Lauren Messina & Collaborators
DJ Audio Jocks
Face Painters
Krewe Des Fleurs
ACTIVITIES
Voter Registration Drive with the Crescent City (LA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
Art Activities for All Ages Presented by Mo’s Art Supply
Move Ya Brass Class
Scavenger Hunt
Tattoo Station
Docent and Staff-Led Tours
FOOD TRUCKS AND POP-UPS
Available for purchase
Bonafried
La Cocinita
Café NOMA
Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls
Nori Guys
La Tangariné
COMMUNITY PARTNERS
Meet a selection of community partners, learn about their programs and projects, and get creative:
Crescent City (LA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated
Broadmoor Improvement Association
Congo Square Preservation Society
Daniel Fitzpatrick Poetry
KID smART
Kolaj Institute
Master Gardeners
Son of a Saint
Move Ya Brass
Created to Create
Glass Half Full
Greater New Orleans Iris Society
Indian Arts Circle
Mo’s Art Supply
Middle American Research Institute (MARI)
New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation (NOHHF)
New Orleans Public Library
Japan Club of New Orleans

Thank You to Our Sponsors for this Event
Lead Sponsor

Media Sponsor
Entertainment and Program Sponsors
Howard Family Foundation
Cammie and Charles Mayer
Art Activity Sponsor

Voter Registration Drive
2024-09-28 10:00 - 16:00 | Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans , LA, 70124
The New Orleans Museum of Art and the Crescent City (LA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, are collaborating to promote voter registration in advance of the upcoming fall elections.
On Saturday, September 28, 10 am–4 pm, stop by NOMA’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden to check your registration status and make sure you’re registered to vote in Louisiana before the deadline.
A table will be located outside as part of a free fall festival celebrating 20 years of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. Members of The Links, Incorporated, will be on site to assist with registration.
