ThursDates at OMCA with Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing ft. Burlesque and Drag & Mahjong Game Night
ThursDates at OMCA | Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing ft. Burlesque and Drag Performances, Mahjong with The Mahjong Project, Music Set by DJ Lady Ryan, and Gallery Chats
March 5 from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Adults 18+
Relax into the easy, after-hours pulse of ThursDates at OMCA as the Museum forms an intimate hub of creativity, culture, and connection. This Thursday, Town Fare becomes a gathering point with signature cocktails and mahjong with The Mahjong Project. As you play, DJ Lady Ryan provides the perfect soundscape for mingling. All the while, Sketchboard Co. hosts uninstructed live figure drawing in the Gallery of California Art with a twist that’s sure to inspire. Models Nella and Q punctuate the drawing sessions with burlesque and drag performances, infusing the Museum with movement, expression, and a celebratory sense of Bay Area creativity.
We welcome all skill levels, including those who have never drawn before and want to try drawing. Art supplies and clipboards will be available for use, and your artwork will be yours to take home or exchange with others. Nude or partially clothed models representing the diversity of the Bay Area will be posing in the galleries for times ranging from 2 to 20 minutes. Since drawing will take place in the galleries, please be mindful of space and bring only the following media from home: sketchbooks (max size 9×12 inches) and pre-sharpened enclosed graphite, charcoal, or conté pencils.
Every ThursDates at OMCA, you can engage more deeply with the Museum’s galleries through Gallery Chats from 5:30–7:30 pm. Unlike traditional tours, these conversations invite you to ask questions, share perspectives, and engage with OMCA facilitators who blend content expertise with lived experience. Gallery Chats take place in all of our galleries—including our Special Exhibitions—and are included with Museum and Special Exhibition admission.
Program Schedule:
5:30–6:15 pm Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing ft. Nella & Q | Gallery of California Art
5:30–7:30 pm Gallery Chats | All Galleries
5:30–7:30 pm The Mahjong Project | Town Fare
5:30–7:30 pm DJ Lady Ryan | Town Fare
6:35–7:30 pm Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing ft. Nella & Q | Gallery of California Art
About ThursDates
Every Thursday, January through March, step into OMCA’s warm after-hours glow. Experience a rotating mix of intimate performances, live figure drawing sessions, game nights, and more—designed just for adults. Or sip a signature cocktail and grab a light bite in Town Fare by Michele McQueen, all to a soundtrack of local Oakland artists and DJs.
Whether you’re exploring the Museum with a date, catching up with friends, or are coming solo and looking to meet someone new, you’ll find connection, inspiration, and creative surprises, week after week.
Accessibility
Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Wheelchairs, sensory inclusive devices, and additional amenities are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email [email protected] at least three weeks before the event.
Performer BIOS
Sketchboard is a BIPOC figure drawing collective, curating eclectic, diverse, and affordable events in the Bay Area over the last 10 years. Our mission is to feature the bodies of people at the intersection of multiple identities, offer living wages to our art models, and create an inclusive environment for the artists in our community.
Nicole is a writer and audio producer based in Oakland. While cleaning out her parents’ garage, she rediscovered the mahjong table they’d brought over with them when they immigrated to the US. She started working on The Mahjong Project in 2019—part instructional guide, part oral history project—to document her family’s house rules for playing and map its style into the broader history and diaspora of the game itself. Today, Nicole shares and plays the game with others as a means to preserve her Chinese-New Zealand family history and cultural legacy.
DJ Lady Ryan is a Bay Area favorite—inspiring a sense of safety, joy, and belonging through her deep musical intuition and presence as a dedicated professional. Whether she’s serving as the official DJ for the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries, hosting one of her celebrated Soulovely or Sweetspot community events, or gracing the airwaves of 91.7 KALW in San Francisco, DJ Lady Ryan inspires movement. She was voted the Best DJ in the Bay Area in 2023 by the Bay Area Reporter Magazine and was honored by the City of Oakland for her leadership in the LGBTQ music and arts community. Lady Ryan has also shared the stage with legendary artists such as Diana Ross, George Clinton, and Erykah Badu!
Sponsor
Major support for ThursDates at OMCA is provided by The Oakland Museum Women’s Board.
