New Orleans Museum of Art

Passing It On: The Art of John T. Scott | Book Talk & Signing with Co-Authors Freddi Williams Evans & Anna Rita Scott
2025-03-20 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Chicago) | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
In celebration of the installation John Scott: Blues Poem for the Urban Landscape and the recent release of Passing It On: The Art of John T. Scott, join NOMA and The Helis Foundation John Scott Center for a conversation and book signing with co-authors Freddi Williams Evans and Anna Rita Scott in the museum’s Lapis Center for the Arts.
During the talk, the authors will explore the life, legacy, art, and innovation of John T. Scott, a MacArthur Genius Grant recipient and longtime Xavier University of Louisiana professor.
Registration is free, but seating is limited. Please arrive when doors open at 5 pm. Advance registration does not guarantee a seat. If you require special assistance, please email programs@noma.org before Tuesday, March 19, for access information.
Register Now
This program is presented in conjunction with NOMA’s book club, which members & non-members are encouraged to attend! Learn more about the book club here, or visit the NOMA Museum Shop in person or online to browse this year’s selections.

Program Schedule
5:30–7:00 pm | Conversation with co-authors Freddi Williams Evans and Anna Rita Scott, moderated by Brian Piper, NOMA’s Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, Prints, and Drawings. The talk will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.
7:00-7:30 pm | Book Signing with the authors

About the Speakers
Freddi Williams Evans is an arts educator, independent scholar, and author of award-winning books for children as well as adults. She is a native of Madison, Mississippi and a graduate of Tougaloo College and Hahnemann Medical College (now Drexel University). She is the author of Come Sunday: A Young Reader’s History of Congo Square and Congo Square: African Roots in New Orleans, which received the 2012 Louisiana Humanities Book of the Year Award and influenced the city ordinance that made “Congo Square” the official name of the historic landmark. She is the recipient of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ 2024 Lifetime Contributions to the Humanities Award for her scholarship on the Congo Square site. Her picture books include: Hush Harbor: Praying in Secret, The Battle of New Orleans: The Drummer’s Story, and A Bus of Our Own.
Anna Rita Smith Scott developed a love and appreciation for art, particularly the works of John T. Scott, during her 41-year marriage to him. She was born and reared in New Orleans, where she attended Xavier Preparatory High School before earning a degree in elementary education from Xavier University. As an educator, she taught elementary grades in public and Catholic schools of New Orleans as well as religious education at Epiphany Church. Today, Mrs. Scott manages the largest collection of her husband’s work. She enjoys reading, writing, creative crafts, and spending time with her five children, seven grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
About The Helis Foundation John Scott Center
The Helis Foundation John Scott Center presents expansive ideas of heritage and symbolism interpreted through the lens of artist, educator, and humanist John T. Scott’s life, art, and legacy while promoting opportunities that nurture connections and enhance human potential. Explore the John Scott Center online or visit the galleries in person at 938 Lafayette Street in New Orleans.

Tulane Maya Symposium Keynote Address with Dr. Marcello Canuto: "Precocious Pioneering, Steady Scholarship: M.A.R.I.’s Century of Indigenous Research and Partnership"
2025-03-21 18:30 - 21:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
In celebration of the centennial of the Middle America Research Institute (M.A.R.I.), director Dr. Marcello A. Canuto gives a lecture in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts: “Precocious Pioneering, Steady Scholarship: M.A.R.I.’s Century of Indigenous Research and Partnership.”
This program is free and open to the public. Registration is encouraged. Doors open at 6 pm. The talk is at 6:30 pm, followed by a reception in the Coleman Courtyard with small bites by Café NOMA.
Register Now
About the Lecture
Since 1924, the Middle American Research Institute (M.A.R.I.) at Tulane University has conducted groundbreaking research on Indigenous cultures across Mexico and Central America. From pioneering excavations at ancient Maya cities like Uxmal to cutting‐edge lidar surveys, robust collection digitization, and community‐based collaborations, M.A.R.I. has consistently advanced scholarship and preservation efforts. As M.A.R.I. celebrates its centennial, this presentation reflects on the Institute’s achievements, its continued dedication to honoring Indigenous perspectives, and its evolving role in highlighting Indigenous perspectives and bridging past and present.
About Marcello A. Canuto
Marcello A. Canuto is currently Director of the Middle American Research Institute and Professor of Anthropology at Tulane University. He received his BA from Harvard University in 1991 and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2002. Before coming to Tulane in 2009, he was an Assistant Professor at Yale University.
He has undertaken archaeological excavations in the Maya region, South America, India, Nnorth Africa, and the northeast US. His primary research interest in the Maya area has been on the integrative mechanisms that the ancient Maya used to build and maintain a socio-politically complex society throughout both the Preclassic and Classic periods. More broadly, his interests include household and community dynamics, the development of socio-political complexity in ancient societies, the definition of identity through material culture, and the modern social contexts of archaeology in Mesoamerica. His past research in Honduras investigated the nature of ethnic diversity at Copan.
He now co-directs a project in the understudied Northwest Peten, Guatemala where he investigates the construction of social categories and the mechanisms by which complex socio-political organizations develop and were maintained.
About the Middle American Research Institute
Founded in 1924, the Middle American Research Institute (MARI) at Tulane University strives to promote greater understanding of the vibrant and diverse cultures of Middle America. It stewards an extensive collection of textiles, artifacts, and an archive of letters, field notes, maps, and photographs from the scores of field projects it has sponsored and continues to sponsor. We strive to make these accessible to researchers and the general public through a variety of exhibitions, workshops, and symposia.
Furthermore, MARI continues to support anthropological, archaeological, ethnohistorical, linguistic, and ethnographic research projects throughout Mexico and Central America.

Music in the Garden feat. Mark Coleman Funk Blues and Brett Gardner’s Cigar Box Serenaders
2025-03-23 14:00 - 16:00 | Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans , LA, 70124
NOMA presents Music in the Garden, a seasonal outdoor music series.
Encounter the sounds of local New Orleans musicians while strolling through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden on select Sunday afternoons throughout the year. Performances will take place alongside sculptures across the garden.
On March 23, Mark Coleman Funk Blues plays in the Piano Truck, parked in front of NOMA at 2 pm. Brett Gardner’s Cigar Box Serenaders performs in the Besthoff Sculpture Garden amphitheater (enter on Enrique Alférez Drive) at 3 pm.
From the Artists
Mark Coleman Funk Blues
Mark Coleman Funk Blues is a mixture from Philly to New Orleans. Their latest recording Side Door at Four includes original pieces: “Side Door at Four,” “Duke,” “Twice the First Time,” “It Happened Once,” and “Spittin.” Included also are Bobby Timmons’s “So Tired” and Jobim’s “One Note Samba.” The band on the recording is Mark on piano and harmonica, Charlie Kohlmeyer on drums, Casandra Faulconer on bass, and Matt Galloway on guitar.

Brett Gardner’s Cigar Box Serenaders
The instruments you’ll hear the Cigar Box Serenaders play can’t be found in a music store: cigar box guitars, tin can banjos, cigar box violins, wine box basses, found sound trash kits, and more! Every upcycled instrument is homemade and unique. The band plays an eclectic mix of New Orleans funk, swing, and groove music. They currently have two albums out: Spasm and Cigar Box Serenaders. The band has been a featured artist at cigar box guitar festivals across the country including New Orleans, LA, Huntsville, AL, Blue Ridge, GA, Robbinsville, NC, and Bradenton, FL.

Art in Bloom Presented by First Horizon Bank
2025-03-26 - 2025-03-30 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
One of the most anticipated springtime events in New Orleans, Art in Bloom Presented by First Horizon Bank showcases spectacular floral designs created by garden clubs, floral designers, and creative talents from New Orleans and beyond. Take in fabulous floral installations throughout the museum, learn directly from today’s top design talents, and celebrate spring during the luncheon and fashion show.
This year’s event, themed “Les Jardins de la Nouvelle-Orléans,” will take inspiration from the elegant gardens and French history of our city.
Event Chairs | Charlotte Meade and Keith Porteous Meade
NOMA Volunteer Committee Chair | Taylor Pospisil
Garden Study Club of New Orleans President | Courtney Le Clercq
Patron and Preview Party | Wednesday, March 26, 6–9 pm
On View to the Public | Thursday, March 27–Sunday, March 30, 10 am–5 pm
Lecture Series | Thursday, March 27, 10:30 am
Luncheon and Fashion Show | Thursday, March 27, 12:30 pm
Silent Auction | Monday, March 24–Monday, March 31
Your support through Art in Bloom provides critical resources for both NOMA’s educational initiatives and exhibitions and the Garden Study Club of New Orleans’s community grants program.
For sponsorship inquiries and questions about Art in Bloom please email aib@noma.org or call 504.658.4121.

Tickets
Admission to Art in Bloom during regular museum hours includes access to floral displays on all three floors of the museum.
Thursday, March 27
Friday, March 28
Saturday, March 29
Sunday, March 30
Please note: Admission tickets do not include separate tickets for the patron and preview party, lecture series, and luncheon.

Schedule of Events
Silent Auction
Monday, March 24–Monday, March 31
The Art in Bloom silent auction showcases a variety of original works of art from established artists and emerging talents. This year’s featured artist is Saskia Ozols.
Bid Now
Saskia Ozols, Preparing for a Party (Making Arrangements). Oil on birch panel, 24 x 24 inches. Value: $5,200.
Patron and Preview Party
Wednesday, March 26, 6–9 pm, at the New Orleans Museum of Art
Kick off Art in Bloom with cocktails, cuisine, and live music. Be the first to see spectacular floral displays from garden clubs, designers, and other creative talents at the Patron and Preview Party.
Online ticket sales have closed. Tickets for the Patron and Preview Party are available at the door.

Lecture Series
Thursday, March 27, 10:30 am, in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
This year’s speakers are influential figures in interior and floral design. Mieke ten Have is an interior stylist, design writer, and creative consultant. Ten Have’s extensive editorial background includes contributions to Vogue, Elle and Architectural Digest. The dynamic mother-daughter duo Susan Crater and Eliza Crater Harris of Sister Parish Design lead the renowned American heritage textile and wallcovering brand.
SOLD OUT
Special thanks to Permele Robinson for her leadership and support of the Art in Bloom lecture series.

Luncheon and Fashion Show Sponsored by SOSUSU
Thursday, March 27, 12:30 pm, in the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in New Orleans City Park
The annual luncheon and fashion show sponsored by SOSUSU will feature designer La Fuori.
SOLD OUT

Thank You to Our Current Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor

Bouquet
Peggy and Timber Floyd
Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation
Iris
Red River Bank
Lynne and Rick McMillan
J. Edgar Monroe Foundation
Miggy and Jay Monroe
Orchid
Jones Walker
LCMC Health
New Orleans and Co.
Elizabeth Boh
Marion Bright
Caroline and Murray Calhoun
Ella Flower
Susan and Jimmy Gundlach
Elly and Merritt Lane
Sally and Jay Lapeyre
Ann Saunder Maynard
Pixie and Jimmy Reiss
Permele and Garner Robinson
Lynn and Charlie Smith
Sarah and Doug Stokes
Sarah and George Young
Media Sponsors
The Times-Picayune | nola.com
WWL-TV
Magnolia

E. Tiffany Adler
Courtney and Ted Le Clercq

Debb Almeida and David G. Perlis
Allison Crutcher McAshan

Ben Bagert, The Bagert Law Firm
Charlotte and John Alden Meade

John and Gail Bertuzzi
Keith Porteous Meade

Black Bay Energy Capital
Patti and Robert Lapeyre

Susan and Timothy Bright
Peggy and Jack Laborde

Lucy Burnett and Gregory Holt
Palm Orleans

Lynne Burkart
Anne and Edmund Redd

Leah Nunn Englehardt
Melissa and Alfred Rufty

Sarah and Greg Feirn
Shlenker Family Foundation

Sarah and Richard Freeman
Liz and Poco Sloss

Dathel and John Georges
Susu and Andrew Stall

Dr. Stephen Hales and Mrs. Nancy Hales
Douglas Dockery Thomas

Carol and John Hall
Kathleen and Ben Waring

Mrs. Susan Johnson

Gardenia

AOS Interior Environments
Laura Lane McNeal

Meg and Will Baldwin
Denise and Paul Morse

Patricia Brinson
Sally Omeallie

Rachel and Michael Bernhard
Dee and Nat Phillips

Dorothy Clyne
Annie and Nat Phillips

Glenda Cotner
Natalie and Robert Phillips

Pam and Bill Doyle
Melanee and Steve Usdin

Warren and Laurie Doyle
Tina Shannon

Shaun and Foster Duncan
Mr. and Mrs. Pierre G. Villere

Sweet and Ben Dupuy
Katherine Westerhold

Kathleen Edmundson
Kathleen and Terry White

Gwathmey and Fritz Gomila
Caroline and Michael Wolfe

Julie and David Gooch
Karen Kraak Wood

Kit and Gus Fritichie
Helen and Tim Young

Katherine Hovas

Hibiscus

Lee Adler and Robert Marks
Mr. and Mrs. David W. Kearney

Robyn Allyn
Susu and Mike Kearney

Gail and Nick Asprodites
Alice Key

Ellen and Mac Ball
Ann and John Koerner

Margaret and Ken Beer
Wilfred Kullman

Linda and Alan Brackett
C.C. and Bill Langenstein

Elinor S. Bright
Fifi and Sean Laughlin

Patricia Brinson
Olivia Manning

Mr. and Mrs. Christian T. Brown
Cammie and Charles Mayer

Mary and Miles Clements
Stacey and Quinton Miner

Elizabeth Cordes
Lock and Lori Ochsner

Katie and Frank Darden
Holly and Reed Poole

Leonard Davis and Sharon Jacobs
Susanne and David Purvis

Mamie and Ricky Favor
Virginia Freeman Rowan

Laura and Welles Fitzpatrick
Amanda Rushing

Bethany Friedman
Katherine and Robbie Saer

Katie and Will Fuller
Mette and Ken Schafer

Dr. and Mrs. Harold Fuselier
Anna and Wes Schaefer

Julie and Ted George
Karen S. Shales

Lynn and Lura Harrison
Hon. Raymond and Tish Steib

Lisa and Max Hart
Suzanne Thomas

Jeannie and Jubi Hillery
Hon. Sarah Vance and R. Patrick Vance

Jane Scott and Philip Hodges
Taylor and Martin Pospisil

Marilee and Andrew Hovet
D. Brent and Lele Wood

Tully and Paul Jordan
Elizabeth and Andrew Wooten

Hughes Walmsley & Company, Inc.

Camellia

Penny L. Baumer
Lise Kuhn

Mary Beth Benjamin
Julia Lennox

Patricia M. Brinson
Regina Castelin Molony

Ashley S. Bright
Angele Parlange

Vivan Cahn
Suzanne Perlis

Dr. Jane Clayton
Olivia Pritchard

Katy Casbarian
Margaret Zainey Roux

Nancy E. David
Susan Carlin Scheinuk

Jeanne and Martin deLaureal
Mary Spencer Craddock Scurry (Pence)

Toni Feinman
Peggy Duffle Simmons

Anne A. Fitz-Hugh
Dr. Sissy Sartor

Karen Gundlach
Mary Frances Smart

Anne Haack
Melissa Sutherlin

Dana Hansel
Anne Strachan

Mrs. Frank B. Hayne
Jean Taylor

Ruth Ann Jones
Jenny Vorhoff

Susan Hayne
Gail Wall

Malise and Clay Kearney
Linda Westfeldt

Katherine Koerner

Azalea

Carla Adams
Diane Labouisse

Cyrel Antonatos
Julie LeCorgne

Barbara Arras
Catherine Makk

Faye T. Ballard
Betty Maizlish

Judith Barnes-Cochran PhD
Marlowe Maylin and Sanjay Dravid

Deana Blackburn
Mary Scott and Ryan McKinnon

Adair Brown
Shelby and John Mills

Guy Cannata
Benjamin Stickney Morrison

Julie Chauvin
Janel Mumme

Hugh and Sheila Collins
Sharon Mowry

Sarah Cossich
Jill Knight Nalty

Meredith Claiborne
Ms. Rebecca Cooper and Nathaniel Novak

Kimberly Clarke Armatis
Kate Orlesh

Denise Delay
Andi Masden Oustalet

Katherine Duncan
Alice Parkerson

Melissa Dovie
Jennifer M. Parkerson

Gabrielle Ferrara
Laurel Patterson and Bruce John

Lessley Fitzpatrick
Marely Peraza

Amy Farnsworth
Sarah Petitto

Amanda Fleury
Valerie Posner

Edward C. Bohin and Rene J. L. Fransen
Amy Rougelot

Stephanie Leigh Goliwas
Jennifer Rowland

Mirell and Augie Gallo
Mimi And Claude Schlesinger

Elizabeth and Charles Goodyear
Darcy Devine Scoggin, LCSW

Gwendolyn Gravolet
Joseph Shrum M.D. and Tony Maenza

Esther and Jerry Greiner
Kathryn and Benton Smallpage

Carolyn Hayne
Katy Smith

Laine B. Harper
Ann Soniat

Mary Hawkshead Weiland
Amis des Fleurs

Tina Hebert
Cathy Thomason

Jane Heidingsfelder
D. Ashbrooke Tullis

Logan Howcott
Lynne Uhalt Interiors

Ann Irwin
Kris Gabik Vitrano

Elizabeth Jacob
Glenna K. Washburn and Grant Rutila

Joan and Steven Jacob
Cynthia A. Webb

Karyn Kearney
Madeline Webb

Lilla Kearney
Mary Hawkshead Weiland

Millie Kohn
Kate and John Werner

Mary Lucy and David Lane
Marcella Willis

Saundra Lane
Rosalind WIlson

Charles Lavis, Jr
Leah Wood

Helen and Charles LeBourgeois
Carleton Young

Cynthia L LeBreton

Art in Bloom Committee
Event Chairs | Charlotte Meade and Keith Porteous Meade

Meg Baldwin
Susu Kearney

Susan Bright
Katherine Koerner

Meredith Claiborne
Brett Lapeyre

Elizabeth Cordes
Dorothy Mann

Richard Cranford
E. Lee Meade

Katie Darden
Shelby Mills

Jeanne De Laureal
Roland Montealegre

Leah Englehardt
Annie Phillips

Amy Farnsworth
Natalie Phillips

Lauren Fitzpatrick
Anne Redd

Catherine Hales
Anna Schaefer

Carolyn Hayne
Katie Mallios Smith

Katie Hovas
Susu Stall

Caroline Kearney
Missy Sutherlin

Karyn Kearney
Elizabeth Wooten

Lilla Kearney
Helen Young

Sponsorship Levels
Online ticket sales have closed. Contact aib@noma.org or 504.658.4121 with sponsorship or ticket inquiries.
Bouquet | $10,000

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
Sponsorship listing and logo placement in paid advertising
Sixteen (16) Patron & Preview Party Tickets
Six (6) Gold Section lecture seats (limited capacity)
Six (6) seats for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Iris | $5,000

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
Sponsorship listing and logo placement in paid advertising
Ten (10) Patron & PreviewParty Tickets
Four (4) Gold Section lecture seats (limited capacity)
Four (4) seats for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Orchid | $2,500

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
Sponsorship listing and logo placement in paid advertising
Eight (8) Patron & Preview Party Tickets
Two (2) Gold Section lecture seats (limited capacity)
Two (2) seats for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Magnolia | $1,000

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
Four (4) Patron & Preview Party Tickets
Two (2) Gold Section lecture seats (limited capacity)
Two (2) seats for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Gardenia | $650

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
Two (2) Patron & Preview Party Tickets
Two (2) Silver Section lecture seats (limited capacity)
Two (2) seats for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Hibiscus | $500

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
Two (2) Patron & Preview Party Tickets
One (1) Silver Section lecture seat (limited capacity)
One (1) seat for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Camellia | $350

Art in Bloom will acknowledge your generosity with a listing on event promotion: including printed invitations and programs and a link to your corporate event webpage on the NOMA website that is promoted to our email subscribers, Instagram followers, and Facebook followers
One (1) Patron & Preview Party ticket
One (1) lecture seat (limited capacity)
One (1) seat for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

Azalea for Two | $350

Two (2) Patron & Preview Party tickets

Azalea for One | $175

One (1) Patron & Preview Party ticket

Lecture Series Only | $100

One (1) lecture seat (limited capacity)

SOLD OUT
Luncheon Only | $125

One (1) seat for the luncheon and fashion show (limited capacity)

SOLD OUT

Film Screening and Q&A with Artist Hervé Youmbi (Off-Site)
2025-03-31 18:00 | Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans, 1519 Jackson Avenue, New Orleans, LA, 70130, United States
Please note this program takes place at Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans at 1519 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans.
In conjunction with the exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations, Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans presents a screening of the experimental documentary Visages de masques, directed by Hervé Youmbi.
Following the film, Youmbi will share more about the project in a conversation with Amanda M. Maples, NOMA’s Françoise Billion Richardson Curator of African Art.
Free but registration is required.
Register Now
About the Film
This experimental documentary film highlights Cameroonian visual artist Hervé Youmbi’s conceptual artistic project Visages de masques. The film expresses his unique creative fusion of documentary and art film genres. Visages de masques delves into the creation of hybrid masks designed to enrich and expand the canon of ritual societies in West Cameroon and beyond. The film highlights the characters, the challenges, and the rich collaborations that make it possible to produce formally ambiguous masks that move fluidly between the global contemporary art scene and African ritual ceremonial contexts. It interrogates the impact of colonization on the production of ritual life and masking in Africa today, and stands in opposition to the clichés and categorizations that confine the reception of signs and meanings from Africa. As originator of the Visages de masques project, Hervé Youmbi, directs this film that focuses on the multiple relationships that collaborations entail, and profiles rich accounts from experts in the visual arts sector about the layers of meaning, critique, and innovation embedded in Youmbi’s unique vision.

Gallery Talk with Curator Brian Piper
2025-04-02 12:30 - 13:00, 2025-05-07 12:30 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Every week, NOMA hosts gallery talks in the museum and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden led by curators, artists, and other special guests. These lively, participatory conversations provide a moment to take a close look at one work—or a selection of works—currently on view.
This week, join Brian Piper, Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, Prints, and Drawings, for a gallery talk on the exhibition Delicate Sights: Photography and Glass. This talk will be offered at 12:30 and 6:00 pm.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the appropriate location.

Member Preview: New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations
2025-04-03 17:30 - 20:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
NOMA members are the first to experience New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations.
Join us on Thursday, April 3, for a member preview of the exhibition, which spotlights the work of four contemporary artists working in cities across West Africa: Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah, David Sanou, and Hervé Youmbi.
The first presentation of its kind, New African Masquerades offers a rare look into contemporary West African masquerade by contextualizing the works of individual artists within a range of social, economic, and religious practices and examining their networks of viewership and exchange.
Learn More About the Exhibition
Not Yet 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

New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations is made possible by support from National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.

NOMA at Night: Opening Celebration for New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations with C'est Funk and DJ Ojay
2025-04-04 18:00 - 21:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Get creative and explore the museum after hours during NOMA at Night.
For this edition of NOMA at Night, we’re celebrating the new exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations with an evening featuring live music; gallery talks with the curator; specialty cocktails, mocktails, and a happy hour menu at Café NOMA inspired by the exhibition; all-ages art making inspired by the masquerades on view, and more. Plus, the exhibition catalogue is available at the NOMA Museum Shop, which is open all night.
$15 for members
$30 general admission
Free admission for ages 19 and under
Buy Tickets

Program Details
Sets from C’est Funk and DJ Ojay
Throughout the evening in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
Dance the night away to celebrate the opening of New African Masquerades.
Tours by Curators, Artists, and Collaborators
6:30 and 7:30 pm in English, 7:00 pm in French in the first-floor Ella West Freeman Galleries
Take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the exhibition directly from the artists, curators, and other experts.
Artmaking Activity: Ribbon Wands
6–9 pm
All ages are invited to participate in hands-on artmaking inspired by the works on view. Explore the exhibition and then make your own creation.
Specialty Cocktail from Café NOMA
6–9 pm in Café NOMA
Enjoy a Mango Masquerade and a special happy hour menu available from Café NOMA all night long.

About the Exhibition
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations spotlights the work of four contemporary artists working in cities across West Africa: Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah, David Sanou, and Hervé Youmbi.
The first presentation of its kind, New African Masquerades offers a rare look into contemporary West African masquerade by contextualizing the works of individual artists within a range of social, economic, and religious practices and examining their networks of viewership and exchange.
Learn More
Thank You to Our Supporters
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations is made possible by support from National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.
NOMA at Night is supported in part by grant funds from Ruby K. Worner Charitable Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation; and the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council.

Gallery Talk with Curator Amanda M. Maples
2025-04-09 12:30 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Every week, NOMA hosts gallery talks in the museum and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden led by curators, artists, and other special guests. These lively, participatory conversations provide a moment to take a close look at one work—or a selection of works—currently on view.
This week, join Amanda M. Maples, Françoise Billion Richardson Curator of African Art, for a gallery talk on works in the exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the appropriate location.

Cross-Cultural Conversations: Creative Assembly and ARCAthens
2025-04-09 17:00 - 19:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
Join us in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts for an enlightening evening of cross-cultural dialogue with ARCAthens resident artists Angelo Plessas and Steffi Stouri and two of NOMA’s Creative Assembly Cohort members, Carl Harrison Jr. and LaVonna Varnado-Brown. These artists with diverse backgrounds will share their experiences, perspectives, and creative processes.
Through an open exchange, attendees will gain insight into how art serves as a universal language, transcending geographical boundaries, and fostering connections among people from varied cultural backgrounds. In conversation with NOMA’s Creative Assembly Cohort members, the visiting artists will explore themes of identity, representation, and the power of artistic expression.
This program is included with with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation.

ABOUT ARCATHENS
Based in New York City, ARCAthens was created in 2017 to provide opportunities and support to visual artists, curators, and scholars through its artist residency programs. The inaugural NOLA/NYC Research Fellowship gives Greek artists and curators the opportunity to focus on cultural exchange and community engagement in two American cities: New Orleans and New York City. Visit ARCAthens to learn more about the organization and their programs.
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About the Speakers
Angelo Plessas lives and works between Athens and Kymi, Greece. He explores the intersection of spirituality and the networked world, investigating how ancient, folk, and cybernetic histories intertwine. By weaving together elements from the spiritual and the online realms, Plessas creates spaces that challenge the notion of binaries—material versus virtual, human versus machine, past versus future—proposing instead a fluid reality where all these dimensions converge. His work spans performances, artist residencies, artist’s books, interactive websites, quilted sculptures, neon installations, and educational projects. His work has been exhibited in Documenta 14, the 8th Thessaloniki Biennale, the Onassis Foundation, the 8th Biennale of Gherdëina, the Serralves Foundation, and the 13th Gwangju Biennale in S. Korea. Other projects have also been exhibited in The Museum of Contemporary, Chicago; the Jeu de Paume, Paris; the DESTE Foundation, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens. He is the founder of the independent space P.E.T. Projects in Athens. He won the DESTE Foundation Prize in 2015.
Steffi Stouri is an independent curator and researcher based in Athens, specializing in feminist epistemologies, archival practices, and sonic art. With an academic background in Heritage and Museum Studies (MA, University of Amsterdam) and History and Philosophy of Science (BSc, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens), her work explores the intersections of gender, identity, and memory. Her curatorial projects often engage with embodied experiences and fragmented histories, aiming to challenge dominant narratives through collaborative practices and innovative exhibitions. Notable projects include Otherlands (2024) a site specific exhibition and sonic performance in the archaeological site of Heraion, Unboxing Callas (2023–2024), an archival and group exhibition exploring the legacy of Maria Callas in dialogue with the Greek National Opera’s archive, and From Cartography to Cookbooks (2021), a digital exhibition examining Dutch colonialism through cartography and culinary history. She has also curated sound-focused projects like Chase (2018), a sound installation exploring sonic performance and the body, and Symbiotic Degradation (2020), a hybrid exhibition addressing environmental degradation and its artistic representations. Her practice is deeply informed by a commitment to reparative curating, cultural exchange, and community engagement. Through the NOLA/NYC Research Fellowship, she seeks to expand her exploration of sonic art, while connecting the cultural histories and musical legacies of New York and New Orleans to her ongoing curatorial work.
Carl Harrison Jr. is a New Orleans–based filmmaker, artist, and urban farmer dedicated to preserving cultural heritage and promoting environmental sustainability. As the founder of the St. Roch Apiary and Food Forest, Harrison creates spaces for community engagement, combining urban farming with beekeeping to support local ecosystems and inspire others to reconnect with nature. His short film, The Buzz of St. Roch, won an Audience Award at the 2024 New Orleans Film Festival and highlights the beauty and resilience of his neighborhood. Currently, Harrison is touring The Buzz of St. Roch. His exhibition Echoes of the Hive was on view last year at the Tulane School of Public Health. Harrison also directed The Black Schoolhouse, a documentary exploring the intersection of art, activism, and education within New Orleans’ Black community.
LaVonna Varnado-Brown has worked as an installation artist, artist advocate, teaching artist, and tutor in and around New Orleans and with Beginning with Children, a Brooklyn–based college and career preparatory program). Varnado-Brown creates mixed-media visual art engaging with Afrofuturism, history, the divine feminine, and floral motifs. Varnado-Brown explores Afrofuturism as a cultural aesthetic to navigate the intersection of art and history and inspire action in the now by creating space for joy. Varnado-Brown finds inspiration in the community through facilitating workshops that create intentional space to engage in creative grounding practices that raise our spatial awareness and kinesthetic responses to one another and our environment.

Book Club: The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession
2025-04-10 12:00 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
NOMA’s book club meets monthly to discuss fiction and non-fiction books related to art in the museum’s collection and exhibitions.
It is an informal group open to anyone on a month-to-month basis. You do not have to attend every meeting or read every book to participate. In addition to monthly book discussions, the book club meets periodically for curatorial programs related to the book selections.
Books are selected in advance and planned according to the museum’s exhibition schedule. Participants are expected to procure their own copy of the titles. Selections are also available at the NOMA Museum Shop, where museum members receive a 10% discount.
Register Now
Meetings are held in person or via Zoom. All meetings begin at 12 pm. For more information or questions, please email programs@noma.org.

About the Book
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession
by Michael Finkel
Stéphane Bréitwieser is the most prolific art thief of all time.
He pulled off more than 200 heists, often in crowded museums in broad daylight.
His girlfriend served as his accomplice.
His collection was worth an estimated $2 billion.
He never sold a piece, displaying his stolen art in his attic bedroom.
He felt like a king.
Until everything came to a shocking end.
In this spellbinding portrait of obsession and flawed genius, Michael Finkel gives us one of the most remarkable true-crime narratives of our times, a riveting story of art, theft, love, and an insatiable hunger to possess beauty at any cost.

NOMA Egg Hunt and Family Festival Presented by Hancock Whitney
2025-04-12 10:00 - 12:30 | Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans , LA, 70124
The NOMA Egg Hunt and Family Festival Presented by Hancock Whitney is a fun, outdoor event for families featuring arts & crafts, games, face painting, food, drinks, sweets, music, and more! The festival is set within the picturesque Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, one of the most popular destinations in New Orleans for families and visitors. For many families, the Egg Hunt may be their first introduction to NOMA and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden.
Event Chairs | Anne Angelico and Lacey Monteleone
NOMA Volunteer Committee Chair | Taylor Pospisil
Egg Hunts for Ages 4 & Under and Ages 5 & Up Start at 10:45 am
Your support during the NOMA Egg Hunt and Family Festival provides critical resources to educational initiatives, programs, and exhibitions at NOMA.
For sponsorship inquiries and questions about the NOMA Egg Hunt and Family Festival, please email egghunt@noma.org or call 504.658.4121.

TICKETS
The NOMA Egg Hunt and Family Festival is a rain-or-shine event. Tickets are non-refundable.
Advance sales have ended. Tickets are available for $25 at the door.
Please note that kids ages 2 and under receive free admission, but still require a ticket. Refreshments, excluding alcoholic beverages, are included in the ticket price.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Entertainment
10:00–12:30 pm | DJ Audio Jocks
10:45–11:15 am | Egg hunt for ages 4 and under
10:45–11:15 am | Egg hunt for ages 5 and up
Pine Grove Activities (Front Garden)
10:00 am–12:30 pm | DJ Audio Jocks
10:00 am–12:30 pm | Juggler and magician
10:00 am–12:30 pm | Artmaking
10:00 am–12:30 pm | Face painting
10:00 am–12:30 pm | Photography by Polo Silk
Oak Grove (Back Of Garden)
10:45–11:15 am | Egg hunt for ages 4 and under
10:45–11:15 am | Egg hunt for ages 5 and up
10:45 am–12:30 pm | Face painting
11:00 am–12:30 pm | Hula hoop station
11:00 am–12:30 pm | Temporary tattoo salon

Thank You to Our Current Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor

Lead Sponsors

Burkart Family
Catherine Burns Tremaine
Fun and Games
Cammie and Charles Mayer
Bunnies and Baskets
Gas and Supply
NOLA Pixie Dust
Shlenker Family Foundation
Southern Air New Orleans

Sweets & Treats

Peter Wilson Family Fund
Boogie and Bounce
Anne and Andrew Angelico
Elizabeth A. Boh
Lake Vista Pediatrics
Lacey and Gibbens Monteleone
Eleanor Onstott
Special Thanks
Elmers Chocolate
Orleans Coffee
Raising Cane’s
NOLA Pixie Dust

Event Committee
D’Ann Perez
Lauren Ridings
Missy Tabary
Alysha Colfry
Rosalind Wilson
Faire Barnes
Charlotte Thomas
Alycia Swayze
Melissa Cossich Myers
Lauren Rosendahl

Bookbinding Workshop with LaVonna Varnado-Brown and Jennella Young
2025-04-16 17:00 - 19:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Join Creative Assembly member LaVonna Varnado-Brown and Brooklyn based artist Jennella Young for a creative experience with bookbinding. Explore how women have stitched together culture and community across time and space.
This program for adults ages 18 and up threads together concepts of bookbinding, using needle and raffia, taking inspiration from works currently on view in New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations.
This program is free, but advance registration is required.
Register Now

LaVonna Varnado-Brown has worked as an installation artist, artist advocate, teaching artist, and tutor in and around New Orleans and with Beginning with Children, a Brooklyn–based college and career preparatory program). Varnado-Brown creates mixed-media visual art engaging with Afrofuturism, history, the divine feminine, and floral motifs. Varnado-Brown explores Afrofuturism as a cultural aesthetic to navigate the intersection of art and history and inspire action in the now by creating space for joy. Varnado-Brown finds inspiration in the community through facilitating workshops that create intentional space to engage in creative grounding practices that raise our spatial awareness and kinesthetic responses to one another and our environment.
Jennella Young is a Brooklyn-based painter and mixed-media artist. Her work elevates the voices and lost stories of women of color and draws from magical realism’s tradition of complex, beautifully operatic tellings of the history of the Atlantic Slave Trade and colonization. Her practice includes an emphasis on portraiture—primarily of Black and Brown women from archival photos—and incorporates watercolor, acrylic, ink, pastel, bookmaking, and journaling. Young holds a BA in Psychology from Lehigh University, an MA in Counseling Psychology from New York University, and has completed advanced graduate coursework in art history and library and information science at Pratt Institute. Over the years, she has merged her academic background with a vibrant creative practice, enriched by continued study at the School of Visual Arts, Educational Alliance Art School, Center for Book Arts, and Scuola Internazionale di Grafica Venezia. Young has developed city-wide initiatives that expand access to arts, mentorship, and youth programming across New York City. She is a 2024 Create Change Fellow with The Laundromat Project and has collaborated with institutions including the Apollo Theater Oral History Project, Weeksville Heritage Center, the Guggenheim Museum, and the New York Historical Society.

Sacred Mothers Collage Workshop with Creative Assembly Artist LaVonna Varnado-Brown
2025-04-23 17:00 - 19:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
In this program organized by Creative Assembly Cohort member LaVonna Varnado-Brown, join for for a gallery walk with curators Lisa Rotondo-McCord and Amanda M. Maples highlighting works on view at the intersection of Afrodiaspora and the Divine Feminine—followed by a collage-making workshop facilitated by Varnado-Brown and and a showcase of her work on the second floor of the museum.
From the artist: To take seriously each other’s vulnerability, fragility, and precarity with clear socio-emotional boundaries according to each one’s needs. To see one another with big, world absorbing eyes. To both honor and allow space for each one to show up as they are. To enact community with an intersectional lens and practice interdependency to empower each one to another. That is Afrofuturist kinship. That can open the path to enter the sacred mother space.
This program is free, but advance registration is required.
Register Now

LaVonna Varnado-Brown has worked as an installation artist, artist advocate, teaching artist, and tutor in and around New Orleans and with Beginning with Children, a Brooklyn–based college and career preparatory program). Varnado-Brown creates mixed-media visual art engaging with Afrofuturism, history, the divine feminine, and floral motifs. Varnado-Brown explores Afrofuturism as a cultural aesthetic to navigate the intersection of art and history and inspire action in the now by creating space for joy. Varnado-Brown finds inspiration in the community through facilitating workshops that create intentional space to engage in creative grounding practices that raise our spatial awareness and kinesthetic responses to one another and our environment.

Musical Encounters: Amina Scott
2025-04-23 18:00 - 18:30 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
On select Wednesdays, NOMA presents a new series of gallery talks featuring conversations with musicians about their creative processes, followed by a short, intimate performance inspired by a work on view at the museum.
This week, join Amina Scott at 6 pm.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the appropriate location.
Save the date for future Musical Encounters on June 25 and July 16.

From the Artist
Amina Scott, born and raised in Oakland, CA, is an upright and electric bassist, composer, and arranger. Her interest in music began at an early age when her grandmother began giving her piano lessons. From then, her love and passion for music has yet to cease, playing electric bass when she was 12 years old and was soon playing gigs with local bands in Oakland. She relocated to New Orleans in 2012 where she quickly became a part of the vibrant music scene. In 2017, Scott joined the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra led by Adonis Rose. Now based in New Orleans, Scott leads her own band and she has performed and toured with various artists including Nicholas Payton, Steve Turre, Joanne Brackeen, Don Vappie, Herlin Riley, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, and more. She currently tours with a quartet, spearheaded by Dee Dee Bridgewater, called WE EXIST!, as well as with the DDB Big Band where she serves as an arranger and as the bassist. Scott continues to forge her own path as a trailblazing artist, Ranging from many musical influences, she is able to express her journey into Black womanhood and capture the trials and tribulations of her career thus far. While staying true to the musical lineage as well as herself, Scott is able to captivate audiences around the world with her music and her story. Her debut album Where The Wild Seed Grows is out now on all platforms.

Member Preview: Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed
2025-04-29 17:30 - 20:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
NOMA members are the first to experience Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed.
Join us on Tuesday, April 29, for a member preview of the exhibition, which pairs vibrant monochromatic photographs of the color of water made under the surface with dramatic black-and-white landscape photographs made along the banks of the Mississippi and its tributaries—from Louisiana and across the country.
Learn More About the Exhibition
Not Yet 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

Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed is organized by the New Orleans Museum of Art and is sponsored by Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation thanks to Ardian’s support. Additional support is provided by the Del and Ginger Hall Photography Fund, the A. Charlotte Mann and Joshua Mann Pailet Endowment, George and Milly Denegre, Harvey and Marie Orth, and James and Cherye Pierce.

Gallery Talk with Artist Nicolas Floc’h
2025-04-30 12:30 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Every week, NOMA hosts gallery talks in the museum and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden led by curators, artists, and other special guests. These lively, participatory conversations provide a moment to take a close look at one work—or a selection of works—currently on view.
This week, join artist Nicolas Floc’h for a conversation about the exhibition Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the appropriate location.
Later this day, join curator Brian Piper and Floc’h for a program in the second-floor Frederick R. Weisman Galleries.

Tour with Curator Brian Piper
2025-04-30 17:30 - 18:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Every week, NOMA hosts gallery talks in the museum and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden led by curators, artists, and other special guests. These lively, participatory conversations provide a moment to take a close look at one work—or a selection of works—currently on view.
This week, join Brian Piper, Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, Prints, and Drawings, for a tour of the exhibition Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the appropriate location.
Following the tour, join Piper and artist Nicolas Floc’h for a conversation in the second-floor Frederick R. Weisman Galleries.

Conversation with Artist Nicholas Floc’h and Curator Brian Piper
2025-04-30 18:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
To celebrate the opening of Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed, enjoy a conversation between artist Nicholas Floc’h and Brian Piper, NOMA’s Freeman Family Curator of Photographs, Prints, and Drawings, followed by a Q&A with the audience.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.
Seating for the talk is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Check in at the admissions desk in the Great Hall and then head to the second-floor Frederick R. Weisman Galleries for the program.

About the Exhibition
French photographer and visual artist Nicolas Floc’h’s Fleuves-Océan project traces the movement of water across our planet, exploring its flow through varied habitats and representing the ways we are all connected by water cycles and systems. This exhibition pairs vibrant monochromatic photographs of the color of water made under the surface with dramatic black-and-white landscape photographs made along the banks of the Mississippi and its tributaries—from Louisiana and across the country.
Learn More

The Role of Warrior Women in the Republic of Benin, Haiti, and New Orleans with Creative Assembly Artist Caleb Dowden and Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother Dr. Dowti Desir
2025-05-07 17:30 - 19:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
This is a multi-part program organized by Creative Assembly resident artist Caleb Dowden beginning with a lecture by Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother Dr. Dowti Desir, who will discuss the intersections of spirituality and cultural traditions in Haiti, the Benin Republic, and New Orleans.
Guests will engage in a light body movement rooted in the warrior dance practice of the Agoojee, an all-female army of the Dahomey Kingdom, formerly the Benin Republic, which symbolizes strength and resilience.
Closing with a conversation with Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother Dr. Dowti Desir, moderated by Creative Assembly artist Caleb Dowden.
Discussion of the vital roles women of African descent have carried in the spiritual and cultural traditions of New Orleans, reinforcing the interconnectedness of these rich histories and highlighting the ongoing influence of the leadership of women in contemporary society.
This event is part of the series “Nana Benz: Reimagining the Black Feminist Future,” which seeks to deepen the understanding of Black women’s contributions and the cultural legacies they continue to uphold.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative.
About Creative Assembly Artist Caleb Dowden
Caleb Dowden is a choreographer and researcher from New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2021, she graduated from the State University of New York at Purchase with her BFA in dance. As a 2021 recipient of a Fulbright Independent research award from the U.S. Department of State and a Fulbright Hay’s fellowship with SUNY Purchase , Caleb’s choreographic work and research has been supported locally and internationally by the French Alliance of New Orleans, Le Centre ( Benin Republic), Borna Soglo gallery ( Benin Republic), University of New Orleans, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, International Dance Festival of New Orleans, The New Ohio Theatre , and the Maggie Allesee National Center for Choreography at Florida State University. As the Director of Dow-Dance Company, Caleb Dowden produces choreographic work at the intersection of African history and culture with a unique vision of (re)connecting the African Diaspora with the African continent.
About Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother Dr. Dòwòti Désir
Her Royal Majesty Queen Mother Dr. Dòwòti Désir, Sêmévo 1st of the Royal Palace of the African Diaspora, has been a prominent figure since her enthronement in 2022 as Queen Mother of the African Diaspora in the Benin Republic. Born in Haiti, she is the first Haitian to hold this title on the African continent and is recognized for her dedication to African spirituality, repatriation, and dual citizenship for members of the African Diaspora. An accomplished scholar with degrees from Barnard College, Bard College, and The New Seminary, her work includes founding the Imperial Corps Agoodjié, advocating for children’s rights, and engaging in various international initiatives. Dr. Désir has participated in notable events such as the Festival of the Diaspora in Colombia and has collaborated with organizations to foster connections between Africa and its Diaspora. As an educator at Dutchess Community College, she empowers youth through the Imperial Corps Agoodjié and its Youth Warriors program. Her commitment to reconnecting the African Diaspora with their ancestral roots and addressing critical issues has made her a recognized thought leader on a global scale.

Virtual Seminar: Beyond the “Mask” with the Arts Council of the African Studies Association
2025-05-14 12:00
Join us on Wednesday, May 14, at 12 pm for a thought-provoking webinar discussion—“Beyond the ‘Mask’: Towards a New Paradigm of Collecting and Displaying African Art in US Museums”—that examines how museums can reshape their approaches to collecting and displaying African art through ethical transparency, inclusive narratives, and critical practices.
Inspired by the New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations exhibition (April 4–August 10, 2025) at the New Orleans Museum of Art, this panel explores case studies that honor artist agency, cultural authenticity, and global accountability by centering the voices of African artists and their communities. Beyond celebration, this dialogue challenges us to rethink, reimagine, and drive actionable change toward a more just and accountable future for African art curation.
This virtual event, presented in partnership between the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Arts Council of the African Studies Association, is free with registration.
Registration via the link below is required to receive webinar credentials before the event. Registration closes one hour before the event.
Register Here

About the Exhibition
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations spotlights the work of four contemporary artists working in cities across West Africa: Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah, David Sanou, and Hervé Youmbi.
The first presentation of its kind, New African Masquerades offers a rare look into contemporary West African masquerade by contextualizing the works of individual artists within a range of social, economic, and religious practices and examining their networks of viewership and exchange.
Learn More

Gallery Talk: New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations
2025-05-14 12:30 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Every week, NOMA hosts gallery talks in the museum and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden led by curators, artists, and other special guests. These lively, participatory conversations provide a moment to take a close look at one work—or a selection of works—currently on view.
This week, join for a gallery talk on works in the exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations.
Included with museum admission, which is free for Louisiana residents every Wednesday courtesy of The Helis Foundation’s Art for All initiative. When you arrive at NOMA, check in at the admissions desk for directions to the appropriate location.

Book Club: New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations
2025-05-15 12:00 - 13:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
NOMA’s book club meets monthly to discuss fiction and non-fiction books related to art in the museum’s collection and exhibitions.
It is an informal group open to anyone on a month-to-month basis. You do not have to attend every meeting or read every book to participate. In addition to monthly book discussions, the book club meets periodically for curatorial programs related to the book selections.
Books are selected in advance and planned according to the museum’s exhibition schedule. Participants are expected to procure their own copy of the titles. Selections are also available at the NOMA Museum Shop, where museum members receive a 10% discount.
Register Now
Meetings are held in person or via Zoom. All meetings begin at 12 pm. For more information or questions, please email programs@noma.org.

About the Book
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations
Edited by Amanda M. Maples, Jordan A. Fenton, and Lisa Homann
An exploration of contemporary African masquerade that reveals its cultural contexts, artistic innovations, and intersection with museum collection practices
By placing masquerade at the forefront of contemporary African art, this volume shows how masquerade is a dynamic and urban phenomenon shaped by shifting global concerns. Essays examine the lack of institutional recognition offered to present-day masquerade artists and the methods used to curate masquerade art at the museum level. An international group of scholars and artists explore the motivations and creative decisions of masquerade artists, highlighting their stories and providing a nuanced understanding of masquerade as a contemporary expression of human experience.
This lavishly illustrated study includes more than 150 images, artist’s biographies, in-depth analyses of masquerade ensembles in relation to themes of collaboration, economics, and meaning, and a discussion of the methodologies for ethically commissioning and acquiring masquerade art.

Music in the Garden feat. T Marie & Bayou Juju and Haruka Kikuchi & Friends
2025-05-18 14:00 - 16:00 | Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans , LA, 70124
NOMA presents Music in the Garden, a seasonal outdoor music series.
Encounter the sounds of local New Orleans musicians while strolling through the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden on select Sunday afternoons throughout the year. Performances will take place alongside sculptures across the garden.
T Marie & Bayou Juju will perform from 2-3 pm in the Pine Grove. Haruka Kikuchi & Friends will perform from 3-4 pm in the Ampitheater.
From the Artists
T Marie & Bayou Juju
T Marie & Bayou Juju play traditional and original Louisiana music. In addition to honoring traditional Cajun, Creole, Zydeco, Swamp Pop, Country, Blues, and New Orleans songs, the band also contributes to the next generation of South Louisiana sound with their own original tunes, performed in both Louisiana French and English. The band started through gatherings at fires, suppers, porches, and levees, and you’ll feel this vibrant community of friendship echo through all of their music. These days you can catch them at dive bars, dancehalls, and festivals, sharing that same good juju and joy. They play regularly in New Orleans, and the band has toured in California, Colorado, North Carolina, France, and Spain. So grab your dancing shoes—or shrimp boots—and get ready to dive into some authentic Cajun magic below sea level!

Marie-Isabelle
Marie-Isabelle Pautz is a second generation culture bearer. She grew up across the street from her grandparents, who immersed her in Louisiana French and folkways. Her grandfather played fiddle at house dances, her grandmother was the queen bee of the neighborhood bartering system, and her mother joined the movement to protect Louisiana French. When an injury prevented her from dancing to the music she grew up with, Marie-Isabelle started performing on stage. In addition to performing traditionals from South Louisiana, she also writes her own original songs and poetry. Marie-Isabelle’s writings in Louisiana French have been published by The University of Louisiana at Lafayette as well as Ancrages in Canada, and she is a member of the Recording Academy. Marie-Isabelle hopes that everyone who hears her music is transported to the feel of a community dancing in step – with floorboards creaking under the feet of our ancestors, elders, and the next generation.
In addition to performing, Marie-Isabelle has devoted much of her time to Restorative Justice, Food Justice and Housing Justice programs. Her social change work includes: EarthShare Gardens co-founder, Lafayette Hurricane Survivors Coalition founder, Center for Restorative Approaches co-founder, and Culture Campout co-founder. She has designed, managed, and facilitated programs for Center for Restorative Approaches, Travelers Aid Society, and UNITY for the homeless, as well as a number of other schools and organizations. She is a Restorative Justice Practitioner and Cultural Worker in New Orleans at an urban homestead and accessible housing community that she founded called Jukebox Farm.

Haruka Kikuchi
Trombonist Haruka Kikuchi, a.k.a. “Queen of Tailgate” because she continues the tailgate style Trombone which is tradition of New Orleans Jazz.
She was born in Japan and always had a knack and a love for music, listening to as much of it as she could at a young age as well as picking up instruments like piano and violin. It wasn’t until she heard an old recording of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band that she decided to pick up a Trombone, a decision that would predicate her later move to New Orleans, where the birthplace of Jazz.
Since she came to New Orleans in 2014, she has been playing with Shotgun Jazz Band, Shake’Em Up Jazz Band, Preservation Hall All Stars, Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, Kermit Ruffins and many more local musicians both within and outside the country, festivals like North Sea Jazz Festival, Umbria Jazz Festival, Edinburgh Jazz Festival etc. Also she was a nominated member for 61st Grammy Awards, Best Regional Roots Music Album with Cha Wa’s album “SpyBoy”.

In April 2020, a new compilation Album from her project【Japan: New Orleans Collection Series】came out and is now available online & through Louisiana Music Factory.

Producer's Choice: The Talented Mr. Ripley and Conversation with Jude Law and Producer Meryl Poster
2025-05-21 18:00 - 21:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
Films build community through shared experiences.
NOMA presents a series of films—selected by award-winning producer and filmmaker Meryl Poster—followed by insightful special guests. Don’t miss your chance to revisit or discover modern classics on the big screen and gain behind-the-scenes insight into the film industry from leading figures.
Discussions will draw connections to art more broadly and celebrate cinema as an essential art form.
NOMA will screen The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) for this program, followed by a conversation with actor Jude Law and Poster. Doors open at 5:30 pm, and the film screening starts at 6:00 pm.
Tickets are $10 for NOMA members and $15 for general admission.
Sold Out
View all events in the Producer’s Choice Film Series
Ticket Waitlist Policy
If tickets are sold out for a screening, there will be a first come, first served policy to fill any unoccupied seats:

At 5:30 pm, the waitlist will open at the Front Desk.
At 6:15 pm, we will count the number of vacant seats and begin to fill them with waitlisted individuals, who will be invited to purchase a ticket and be seated.
NOTE: There are no additional tickets available at the door. Waitlisted individuals will only be able to claim seats left open by no-show attendants. We cannot guarantee that individuals on the waitlist will be able to sit together.
The museum is open until 7:00 pm on Wednesday evenings. While waiting, waitlisted individuals are welcome to view NOMA exhibitions.

About the Film
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, 2h 19m)
A social-climbing psychopath insinuates himself into a wealthy man’s life. Chilling.
About Meryl Poster
Meryl Poster is an award-winning producer and filmmaker. Starting as the second ever female trainee in the William Morris Agency mailroom, she has since led and developed a slate of groundbreaking, critically acclaimed films, including the Oscar-winning Chicago, Chocolat, Cider House Rules, Cop Land, Beautiful Girls, Bounce, Kate and Leopold, and An Unfinished Life.

Salon Supper Club Presented by First Horizon Bank
2025-05-22 18:00 - 21:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
This year, the New Orleans Museum of Art introduces a new food- and art-focused series of events inspired by works on view: the Salon Supper Club Presented by First Horizon Bank.
During this lively cocktail event with progressive food stations throughout the museum, guests will explore featured exhibitions and installations at the museum while celebrating the ability of art to connect us with friends, family, and new acquaintances.
Salon Supper Club Presented by First Horizon Bank
Celebrating the Exhibition Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed
Event Chairs | Mary Beth Benjamin, Katherine Duncan, Ileana Feoli
NOMA Volunteer Committee Chair | Taylor Pospisil
Your support of the Salon Supper Club events provides critical resources to exhibitions, educational initiatives, and programming at NOMA.
For sponsorship inquiries and questions about the Salon Supper Club, please email salonsupperclub@noma.org or call 504.658.4121.

Event Tickets
Tickets no longer available for online purchase. Please purchase tickets at the door.
$250 | Tickets
Summer Cocktail Attire

Event Details
Signature Dish from Guest Chef E.J. Lagasse, Chef and Co-Owner of Emeril’s and Vice President of The Emeril Group

E.J. Lagasse fell in love with food at a very young age. As the son of Chef Emeril Lagasse, he spent most of his early years in kitchens and at home where the family table was a central part of daily life. Cooking with his dad at home and exploring new culinary experiences were fundamental to his childhood and instilled an appreciation and respect for seasonality and nature that has led to his dedication to culinary artistry.
At 13, he started working in the kitchen at Meril Restaurant in New Orleans, and throughout high school he continued working for his father at Emeril’s Coastal in Florida. During summer breaks, E.J. had an opportunity to stage at highly acclaimed Café Boulud in New York City where he gained invaluable experience training under Daniel Boulud. He went on to spend nearly two years training at the celebrated Le Bernardin with Eric Ripert. After graduating from culinary school at Johnson & Wales, he spent time refining his skills in some of the world’s most renowned kitchens including Core by Clare Smyth in London and Frantzén in Stockholm.
In 2022, E.J. returned to New Orleans to take the helm as Chef, Co-Owner where he leads the day-to-day restaurant operations. Following an extensive renovation in 2023, the flagship reopened with a refined menu thatpays homage to the restaurant’s rich culinary heritage while incorporating innovative techniques and modern adaptations of Chef Emeril’s classics. Chef E.J. draws inspiration from the bounty of Louisiana’s produce from the area’s most dedicated farmers, fisherman and producers to craft an evolved menu that tells a story through food and nature.
In 2023, E.J. received the prestigious ‘New Talent of the Year’ award from La Liste, the restaurant guide and ranking that designates the world’s best 1,000 restaurants. ln 2024, Emeril’s received AAA’s esteemed FiveDiamond Designation and the restaurant became a member of Relais & Chateaux, joining the list of 80independent restaurants worldwide. Emeril’s also became a new member of Les Grandes Tables du Monde, joining 195 extraordinary restaurants across 23 countries.

Food Stations and a Special Progressive Menu Inspired by the Exhibition from Ralph Brennan Catering and Events at Café NOMA

Live Music from the Grammy-Nominated Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours

Born and raised in a suburb of New Orleans, Cameron became infatuated with the sounds of Cajun music at an early age, which is appropriate being the son of Cajun musician, Michael Dupuy. His father often took him to gigs where Cameron would always be on stage strumming a guitar, banging on spoons, or any thing he could get his hands on. As a result of Hurricane Katrina, Cameron was exposed to Cajun music a little more after evacuating to Lafayette, LA. On the last day of the evacuation, Cameron finally convinced “Mr. Rick”, who let the Dupuys stay at his house for the storm, to let him play the accordion sitting on the shelf. Mr. Rick was not eager, since the accordion was used to record a Grammy winning album by Jimmy Breaux, but he decided to let him play it. He was instantly hooked on the accordion.
Following his return to New Orleans, he received his first guitar for Christmas. It was his constant hearing of Cajun music that made him want to get his father’s accordion repaired that had been broken for the past few years. After spending several years as a guitarist, Cameron Dupuy started playing the Cajun accordion at the age of eleven. A breakout performance at The Liberty Theatre in April of 2010 led to a standing ovation, which earned Cameron and his band “The Cajun Troubadours” an invitation to play at Festival Acadiens et Creoles by Dr. Barry Ancelet.
Cameron, the eight-time Cajun accordion contest winner, has now established himself as a favorite among many Cajun music fans in Louisiana. He has now recorded on three CDs; the most recent being The Mid-City Aces featuring Michael Dupuy and Gina Forsyth and the brand new Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours self titled album.
In November of 2020, the band’s debut self-titled album, Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours was nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Regional Roots Music Album.
And More!

About the Exhibition
French photographer and visual artist Nicolas Floc’h’s Fleuves-Océan project traces the movement of water across our planet, exploring its flow through varied habitats and representing the ways we are all connected by water cycles and systems. This exhibition pairs vibrant monochromatic photographs of the color of water made under the surface with dramatic black-and-white landscape photographs made along the banks of the Mississippi and its tributaries—from Louisiana and across the country.
Nicolas Floc’h, The Color of Water, Water Columns: Mississippi River Delta, from Empire, Louisiana to the Gulf of Mexico, 2022. 288 Pigmented ink prints. Courtesy of the artist and Galerie Maubert, Paris, France.
Learn More

Sponsorship Levels and Benefits
Take advantage of the opportunity to join as a sponsor for all three Salon Supper Club events in 2025 on Thursday, May 22; Thursday, July 17; and Friday, October 3.
$25,000 | Platinum Sponsor

12 tickets to each Salon Supper Club event
Recognition as a sponsor with name or logo in all press materials
Recognition as a sponsor at all NOMA Salon Supper Club events
Invitations to exhibition patron preview openings during 2025–26
Sponsor recognition on printed invitations, evites, and on noma.org
Mention on an Instagram post + story before the event and mention in an Instagram story at the event; 2 mentions on Facebook
Listed in paid advertisements
NOMA Fellows membership
Exhibition catalogues

Become a Platinum Sponsor
$15,000 | Gold Sponsor

10 tickets to each Salon Supper Club event
Recognition as a sponsor with name or logo in all press materials
Recognition as a sponsor at all NOMA Salon Supper Club events
Invitations to exhibition patron preview openings during 2025–26
Sponsor recognition on printed invitations, evites, and on noma.org
Listed in paid advertisements
NOMA Fellows membership
Exhibition catalogues

Become a Gold Sponsor
$8,000 | Silver Sponsor

6 tickets to each Salon Supper Club event
Recognition as a sponsor at all NOMA Salon Supper Club events
Invitations to exhibition patron preview openings during 2025–26
Sponsor recognition on printed invitations, evites, and on noma.org
NOMA Fellows membership
Exhibition catalogues

Become a Silver Sponsor
$5,500 | Benefactor

4 tickets to each Salon Supper Club event
Recognition as a sponsor at all NOMA Salon Supper Club events
Invitations to exhibition patron preview openings during 2025–26
Sponsor recognition on printed invitations, evites, and on noma.org
NOMA Fellows membership

Become a Benefactor
$2,750 | Supporter Couple

2 tickets to each Salon Supper Club event
Recognition as a sponsor at all NOMA Salon Supper Club events
Invitations to exhibition patron preview openings during 2025–26
Sponsor recognition on printed invitations, evites, and on noma.org
NOMA Fellows membership

Become a Supporter
$1,375 | Supporter Single

1 ticket to each Salon Supper Club event
Recognition as a sponsor at all NOMA Salon Supper Club events
Invitations to exhibition patron preview openings during 2025–26
Sponsor recognition on printed invitations, evites, and on noma.org
NOMA Fellows membership

Become a Supporter
For sponsorship inquiries and questions about the Salon Supper Club, please email salonsupperclub@noma.org or call 504.658.4121.

Thank You to Our Current Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor

Gold Sponsors
Anonymous
Walda Besthoff
Silver Sponsors
Elizabeth Boh
Benefactors
Shaun and Foster Duncan
Supporters
Broadmoor, LLC
Red River Bank
Blanca Rosa Maldonado. M.D.
Ann Duffy and John Skinner
Millie and Robert Kohn
Renee and Paul Masinter
Claude and Mimi Schlesinger
Suzanne and Robert Thomas
Lele and Brent Wood
Media Sponsors

Libations
Sazerac Co.
Special Thanks
Urban Earth
Emeril’s
Café NOMA

Event Committee

Michaela and Ryan Acomb
Amy and Todd Johnson

Katie Adams
Kristen and Paul Leonard

Helaine and Ned Benjamin
Kyle Lutkewitte

Teddy Benjamin
Kelsie and Andrew Marcus

Soraya Verjee and Jerel Bryant
Bitsy Metcalf

Caroline and Murray Calhoun
Eleanor and Cameron Miller

Abigail and Jordan DesHotels
Dave Moore

Shaun and Foster Duncan
Catherine and Scott Richardson

Megan and Mason Eustis
Liz French and Will Sadler

Liza and Filippo Feoli
Clare and Carter Sayers

Stephanie and Ludovico Feoli
Nina Sloss

Sarah Elise and McDaniel Freeman
Louise and Jack Smallpage

Courtney Geary
Alison and Steve South

Ellie George
Julia and Andrew Stall

Marilee and Andrew Hovet
Kaler Zetzmann

Coco and Jonathan Howe
Carroll and Emory Zimmer

Libby Jacob

NOMA at Night with the Indian Arts Circle of New Orleans
2025-05-23 18:00 - 21:00 | New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans, LA, 70119
Get creative and explore the museum after hours during NOMA at Night.
For this edition of NOMA at Night, we’ve partnered with the Indian Arts Circle of New Orleans for an evening celebrating the vibrant cuisines, arts, and cultures of India. With live folk and contemporary dance performances from the NOLA Garba Group and Sanjukta; inspired dishes from local Indian food vendors, along with specialty cocktails and a happy hour menu by Café NOMA; a documentary film screening; Mehndi tattooing; and much more, this NOMA at Night will be one to remember.
$15 for members
$30 general admission
Free admission for attendees ages 19 and under
Buy Tickets

Program Details
Temporary Mehndi Tattooing with Local Artist
6:00-8:00 pm in the NOMA Shop courtyard
Celebrate the ancient art of mehndi (also known as henna) tattoos by receiving a design from a local mehndi artist.
Fresh Indian Cuisine with Atti NOLA and Inaayat NOLA
6:00-8:45 pm in the Front Circle of the New Orleans Museum of Art
Explore Indian cuisine with local pop-ups Atti NOLA and Inaayat NOLA. These vendors will serve their takes on South Indian and Indian-meets-Southern cuisine, respectively, throughout the evening.
Live Dance Performances from NOLA Garba Group and Sanjukta
7:10 PM and 8:30 pm performances by Sanjukta in the Great Hall, 7:45 pm performance with the NOLA Garba Group
Dance along with the NOLA Garba Group in a collaborative Garba performance, a folk dance originating in the state of Gujarat. Also enjoy two performances of a classical Bharatanatyam dance with a unique twist by Sanjukta.
Tour of the Indian Art Gallery with Curator Lisa Rotondo-McCord
6:40 pm in the third-floor Elise Mayer Besthoff Galleries
Join NOMA’s Deputy Director and Curator of Asian Art Lisa Rotondo-McCord for an after-hours guided tour of the Indian Art Gallery. Learn all about our collection of art and objects from across the Indian subcontinent from an expert.
The Elephant Whisperers (2022) Film Screening
7:00 pm and 7:45 pm screenings in the Lapis Center for the Arts
View two exclusive screenings of the 2022 documentary The Elephant Whisperers for NOMA at Night guests.
More Dining and Drinks from Café NOMA
6:00–9:00 pm in the Great Hall
Enjoy a happy hour menu and specialty cocktails from Café NOMA all night long.

About the Indian Arts Circle of New Orleans
The Indian Arts Circle of New Orleans (IACNO) aims to organize concerts by accomplished Indian classical performing artists, enrich the cultural life of New Orleans by introducing yet another element of music among the thriving indigenous jazz and blues tradition, and to increase awareness of the diverse classical heritage of India.
Learn More
About Atti NOLA
“Atti” is a slang word that means a local spot or adda—a place where people gather, eat, and bond over good food and great conversations. It’s more than just a name; it’s a reflection of what we wanted to create—a space where South Indian food lovers and the curious foodies of New Orleans could come together and experience something unique.
See @atti_nola on Instagram for information.
About Inaayat NOLA
Chefs Kanwarpal Singh and Elise Ryon run the Indian-meets-Southern cuisine pop-up Inaayat NOLA, which takes its name from an Urdu word for blessing. Singh is a native of the state of Punjab in India and cooked at some top New Orleans restaurants before starting the pop-up. He and Ryon met while working at Donald Link restaurants.
See @inaayat_nola on Instagram for information.
Thank You to Our Supporters
NOMA at Night is supported in part by grant funds from Ruby K. Worner Charitable Trust through the PNC Charitable Trusts Grant Review Committee; New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation; and the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, in cooperation with the Louisiana State Arts Council.

Producer's Choice: Cinema Paradiso and Conversation with Producer Meryl Poster
2025-05-28 18:30 - 22:00 | NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts
Films build community through shared experiences.
NOMA presents a series of films—selected by award-winning producer and filmmaker Meryl Poster—followed by insightful special guests. Don’t miss your chance to revisit or discover modern classics on the big screen and gain behind-the-scenes insight into the film industry from leading figures.
Discussions will draw connections to art more broadly and celebrate cinema as an essential art form.
NOMA will screen Cinema Paradiso (1989) for this program, starting with a conversation with Poster. Doors open at 6:30 pm, the talk begins at 7:00 pm, and the film screening starts at around 7:45 pm.
Due to pending weather conditions, this program will now take place in NOMA’s Lapis Center for the Arts.
Seating location is on a first-come, first-served basis. Popcorn, bites, beverages, and special cocktails by Café NOMA are available for purchase. No outside food or drinks are permitted.
Tickets are $10 for NOMA members and $15 for general admission.
Note on Ticket Availability
Due to pending weather conditions and indoor capacity limitations, tickets for this program are no longer available for purchase online.
View all events in the Producer’s Choice Film Series

About the Film
Cinema Paradiso (1989, 2h 35m)
A prominent movie director returns to his Sicilian home village for the first time in many years to attend the funeral of the town’s former film projectionist, who served as the filmmaker’s mentor when he was a young boy.
About Meryl Poster
Meryl Poster is an award-winning producer and filmmaker. Starting as the second ever female trainee in the William Morris Agency mailroom, she has since led and developed a slate of groundbreaking, critically acclaimed films, including the Oscar-winning Chicago, Chocolat, Cider House Rules, Cop Land, Beautiful Girls, Bounce, Kate and Leopold, and An Unfinished Life.

Spring Festival: New African Masquerades
2025-05-31 10:00 - 16:00 | Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans , LA, 70124
Celebrate the special exhibition New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations at NOMA’s Spring Festival, a day of activities for all ages.
This year’s Spring Festival will take place on Saturday, May 31st, from 10 am to 4 pm.
$5 for Members
$10 for General Admission
Free admission for people ages 19 and under
Register Now
Please note: the New Orleans Museum of Art will be CLOSED after Spring Festival ends at 4 pm on Saturday, May 31st. There will be no public admission to the museum after 4 pm this day.

Event Details
Live Music from Local Acts Young Guardians of the Flame and ÌFÉ
Listen and dance along to live performances by the Young Guardians of the Flame at 10:30 am and electronic music artist ÌFÉ at 2:45 pm.
Guided Tours of New African Masquerades, Afropolitan, and More
Explore all three floors of the museum with guided tours of our New African Masquerades and Afropolitan exhibits, as well as our permanent African Art collection on the 3rd floor. Enjoy docent-guided tours of the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden throughout the day. Tours are all ages, with youth- and teen- focused tours scheduled throughout the day, as well.
New African Masquerades-inspired Arts and Activities
Enjoy art-making activities and demonstrations inspired by New African Masquerades.
Conservator-Led Workshop on Document and Photo Preservation
Join NOMA’s Conservator of Photographs and Works of Art on Paper, Nayla Maaruf, for an invaluable workshop titled “Preserving Family History: Disaster Prep at Home for Family Photos and Documents.”
Connect with Our Community
Meet and mingle with a variety of community partners, learn about their programs and projects, and get creative.
Enjoy Food and Drinks All Day
Enjoy food from local vendors, including Tanjariné and Café NOMA. Food will be available for purchase throughout the event.

About New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations
New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations spotlights the work of four contemporary artists working in cities across West Africa: Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah, David Sanou, and Hervé Youmbi. Read more.
About ÌFÉ
New Orleans-based African American producer and percussionist ÌFÉ blends elements of Afro-Cuban folklore and Yoruban religious music with the sounds of modern day Jamaican Dancehall, Trap and AfroBeats. The single most important electronic act in Afro-Caribbean music today, ÌFÉ’s long awaited sophomore album 0000+0000 was released to worldwide critical acclaim in November of 2021. His new album is scheduled for release in the Spring of 2025.
