Spotlight Sundays: Holiday Marketplace and Collage-Fest
2023-12-17 12:00 - 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | James Moore Theater
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Lower Level – Marketplace, Lillie Education Center; Collage activity, California Room

Usher in the winter holidays and join us for a festive marketplace to shop for artwork produced by Into The Brightness artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth, and the NIAD Art Center. Artists will showcase and sell a large offering of original artwork, making it a wonderful opportunity to find unique and meaningful gifts for your loved ones this holiday season. Artist vendors include Isaiah Jackson, Jean McElvane, Dorian Reid, Karen Ridge, Yukari Sakura, Isaac Haney-Owens, and more.

We also invite you to get hands-on with a delightful winter collage activity that uses recycled materials. This program has free admission, and all ages and skill levels are welcome.

If you’d like to see our Special Exhibitions while you’re at OMCA, you can purchase advance tickets below.

GET TICKETS

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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MORE

Karen Ridge, artist at Creative Growth

Jane Mc Elvane, artist at NIAD

Isaiah Jackson, artist at Creative Growth

Dorian Reed, artist at NIAD

First Sundays
2024-01-07 10:00 - 16:00
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

First Sundays

Every first Sunday of the month, General Admission to OMCA’s Galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences is free and tickets to Special Exhibitions in our Great Hall are offered at a discounted price of $6.

In between exploring the galleries, pick up some locally-made goods from our shop, or relax outside in our updated garden.

Visitors are encouraged to reserve tickets online in advance to secure your preferred entry time and reduce your wait. Tickets are available at the admissions desk on a first-come, first-served basis.

GET GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS

GET SPECIAL EXHIBITION TICKETS

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Highlights

OMCA Architecture Walk and Talk
2024-01-07 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-02-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Town Fare Cafe, 1000 Oak, Oakland, California, 94607
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Walk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture and learn about the history, design, and evolution of this award-winning structure with guides who are passionate about OMCA and Oakland.

No reservations or tickets are required. Walk and Talk begins near the Mid Level ticketing desk and lasts approximately one hour.

If you’d like to visit OMCA’s Galleries or Special Exhibitions, please purchase a ticket online in advance or at the ticketing desk on the day of your visit.

GET TICKETS

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Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration
2024-01-24 16:00 - 19:00
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Come brighten up your week at the OMCA Garden, transformed with radiant light structures that pay homage to the aesthetic themes of Into the Brightness.

This pool of light and joy will be accompanied with a backdrop of music, toasty hot drinks, and a free sweet treat for the first 25 tickets purchased for Special Exhibition, Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD.

Access to the light-filled Garden is free of charge while cost for the special exhibition is $25.

The Garden will be lit and galleries open 5pm- 8pm January 24 – January 27 and 5pm – 7pm January 28.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration
2024-01-25 16:00 - 19:00
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Come brighten up your week at the OMCA Garden, transformed with radiant light structures that pay homage to the aesthetic themes of Into the Brightness.

This pool of light and joy will be accompanied with a backdrop of music, toasty hot drinks, and a free sweet treat for the first 25 tickets purchased for Special Exhibition, Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD.

Access to the light-filled Garden is free of charge while cost for the special exhibition is $25 and also includes access to our core galleries of California Art, History, and Natural Sciences.

The Garden will be lit and galleries open 5pm- 8pm January 24 – January 27 and 5pm – 7pm January 28.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration
2024-01-26 16:00 - 19:00
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Come brighten up your week at the OMCA Garden, transformed with radiant light structures that pay homage to the aesthetic themes of Into the Brightness.

This pool of light and joy will be accompanied with a backdrop of music, toasty hot drinks by Town Fare Cafe, and a free sweet treat for the first 25 tickets purchased for Special Exhibition, Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD.

Access to the light-filled Garden is free of charge while cost for the special exhibition is $25.

The Garden will be lit and galleries open 5pm- 8pm January 24 – January 27 and 5pm – 7pm January 28.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration
2024-01-27 11:00
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Into the Brightness is going out with a bang of light! As this unique special exhibition filled with color, complexity, and joy comes to a close, its brightness spills into the OMCA Garden.

OMCA invites you, starting Wednesday, January 24, until the close of Into the Brightness Sunday, January 28, to Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration.

Come brighten up your week with a tour of the OMCA Garden, transformed with radiant light structures that pay homage to the aesthetic themes of Into the Brightness.

This pool of light and joy will be accompanied with a backdrop of music, toasty hot drinks and a free sweet treat for the first 25 tickets purchased for Special Exhibition, Into the Brightness: Artist from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD.

Access to the light- filled Garden is free of charge while cost for the special exhibition is $25.

The Garden will be lit and galleries open 5pm- 8pm January 24 – January 27 and 5pm – 7pm January 28.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration
2024-01-27 16:00 - 19:00
Your browser does not support the video tag.

Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Come brighten up your week at the OMCA Garden, transformed with radiant light structures that pay homage to the aesthetic themes of Into the Brightness.

This pool of light and joy will be accompanied with a backdrop of music, toasty hot drinks by Town Fare Cafe, and a free sweet treat for the first 25 tickets purchased for Special Exhibition, Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD.

Access to the light-filled Garden is free of charge while cost for the special exhibition is $25.

The Garden will be lit and galleries open 5pm- 8pm January 24 – January 27 and 5pm – 7pm January 28.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Into the Brightness Garden Lights Celebration
2024-01-28 16:00 - 18:00
Your browser does not support the video tag.

Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Come brighten up your week at the OMCA Garden, transformed with radiant light structures that pay homage to the aesthetic themes of Into the Brightness.

This pool of light and joy will be accompanied with a backdrop of music, toasty hot drinks by Town Fare Cafe, and a free sweet treat for the first 25 tickets purchased for Special Exhibition, Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD.

Access to the light-filled Garden is free of charge while cost for the special exhibition is $25.

The Garden will be lit and galleries open 5pm – 8pm January 24 – January 27 and 5pm – 7pm January 28.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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OMCA Architecture Walk and Talk
2024-03-03 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-04-07 12:00 - 13:00 | OMCA campus

Exhibit A: A Townhall on Anti-Blackness in Oakland
2024-03-14 16:30 - 18:30 | James Moore Theater
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) partners with Edutainment for Equity and the City of Oakland Department of Race and Equity to host Exhibit A: A Townhall on Anti-Blackness in Oakland, an interactive data experience on anti-Blackness in the city of Oakland.

Exhibit A employs the power of statistics and data visualization, and casts the city of Oakland into the future to give a glimpse of what continued anti-Black models can bring and what futures are possible if such anti-Black structures are resisted.

Exhibit A builds off of the legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois’ prolific statistical work by using interactive data visualizations created by Oakland based artists to illustrate trajectories impacted by both pro and anti-Black futures. Exhibit A is supported by participating policy makers and city workers from critical sectors including leaders from the Department of Race and Equity and is an expression of Oakland’s community.

Between digital interfaces, augmented reality experiences, and interactive workshops designed to spark conversation and critical engagement, this experience is one meant to be amplified.

Participants are enlisted to engage their own friends through social media by sharing images of the art and their response to it, and offering visions and forecasts for the future of Oakland.

The community dialogue will be moderated by journalist and host of Hard Knock Radio DJ Davey D and educator, community leader, and Exhibit A co-producer, Hodari Davis. Interspersed between dialogue will be musical stylings and performances by CEO and founder of Edutainment for Equity and Exhibit A co-producer, Candice Wicks-Davis (also known as Mama Candice), and several Oakland favorites.

Reserve tickets

Member tickets

ABOUT EXHIBIT A

Exhibit A employs the power of statistics and data visualization, and casts the city of Oakland into the future to give a glimpse of what continued anti-Black models can bring and what futures are possible if such anti-Black structures are resisted.

This project is meant to be jumping off point for deeper conversations about the nature and direction of Oakland in general and in Black life in Oakland specifically. The project produced by Hodari Davis and hosted by Edutainment for Equality is happening in partnership with the City of Oakland Department of Race and Equity, the City of Oakland Department of Arts and Culture and is situated within a larger network of several Oakland based Organizations. Exhibit A, though firmly rooted in the Oakland community and dedicated to issues of anti-blackness facing communities here in the Bay Area, is also intended to develop and expand beyond and impact the broader political mythos that institutional racism does not exist in the United States.

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Friday Nights at OMCA Special Members Lounge
2024-04-05 16:00 - 19:00 | OMCA Garden, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, California, 94607, United States
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Calling all Members! Join us for a special members’ lounge on the 3rd Level Terrace, overlooking our Garden. Mingle with fellow OMCA enthusiasts while enjoying light refreshments. Plus, we’ll be raffling off some awesome OMCA merch!

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid

Friday, April 5 | 5-9 pm

Reconnect with family, friends, and community during our launch party for the new season of Friday Nights at OMCA. This exciting weekly event includes live music, hands-on activities, Off the Grid (OTG) food trucks, and late-night access to our galleries and special exhibitions. Member tickets are free!

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Friday Nights | Live Music by Dos Four, hands on nature print making, bubbles with The Bubble Lady and sets by DJ Lady Ryan
2024-04-05 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Kick off the first Friday Nights at OMCA of the season with the whole fam! Enjoy a rhythmic night full of feel-good music for all ages! Dos Four pulls from a blend of Caribbean and Afro-Latin sounds like Salsa, Cumbia, Salsa Choque, Latino House and more that will be sure to get you moving. Dance and play to the music along with The Bubble Lady, Rebecca Nile, and contribute to the good vibes with the multiple bubble stations arranged around the Garden and fill the sky with delight! Continue the rhythmic energy with a set from beloved DJ Lady Ryan and then be sure to take the chance to create a nature print with OMCA facilitators so you can walk away with a memento made with local flowers and leaves.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5—7:30 pm Nature Print Making | The Garden

5:15—6:15 pm The Bubble Lady- Rebecca Nile | The Garden

6—7:30 pm Dos Four | The Garden Stage

6:45—8:45 pm DJ Lady Ryan | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

Lead singer and songwriter Leyder Chapman was born in Holguín, Eastern Cuba and raised in Havana. Chapman’s talent for performing started at a young age and wrote his first song, “Yo Te Amo Verdad,” at the age of fourteen. After arriving in Oakland, he founded SAOCO, a band specializing in the fusion of Cuban rhythms with popular Reggaeton. It was at this time that Chapman’s name as a musical artist, Dos Four, was formed. Along with several successful collaborations over the years, Dos Four has been growing strong ever since.

Lady Ryan is a Bay Area favorite – inspiring a sense of safety, joy, and belonging as a spiritual conductor and dedicate/d professional. Her passion for music can be heard throughout the Bay Area and beyond, whether she’s energizing the crowd at Warriors games, hosting one of her celebrated Soulovely or Sweetspot parties, or gracing the airwaves of 91.7 KALW in San Francisco. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the Bay Area music scene in 2023 alone, Lady Ryan was voted best DJ in the Bay Area by Bay Area Reporter Magazine and honored by the CIty of Oakland for her leadership in LGBTQ music and arts communities. Lady Ryan has shared the stage with legendary artists such as Diana Ross, George Clinton, Erykah Badu, Journey, Indigo Girls, and Anderson Paak. With a deep range and knowledge of multiple music genres, coupled with the right touch of nostalgia, her ability to conduct high vibrations makes Lady Ryan a sure shot for any dance floor.

The Bubble Lady, Rebecca Nile, lives in Northern California and has been providing quality bubble thrills throughout the Bay Area and beyond, for more than 25 years. A trained Shakespearean actress and professional clown, as well as holding a degree in chemical engineering, Rebecca brings years of experience and theatrical skills to each and every performance. She delights in playing with her audience, bringing genuine enthusiasm and joy. Rebecca has a special knack for helping the shy and children with exceptional needs participate.

Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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First Sundays | April 7
2024-04-07 10:00 - 16:00

Friday Nights | Live Music by CABANIJAZZ PROJECT, interactive dance experience with Shadja and set with DJ Benet
2024-04-12 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Friday Nights at OMCA keeps going strong with another Friday of music and community! This week get swept away in the innovative and exuberant sounds of the CABANIJAZZ PROJECT. Led by Grammy award winning composer Javier Cabanillas, this Latin fusion band blends together Jazz and Afro-Caribbean music traditions into a unique and infectious sound that is taking the Bay Area music scene by storm. Get further inspired with the dance movements of Shadji Simone Correia whose unique style of performance movement draws audiences in to react and to create a collaborative experience between art, audience, and performer. The night will be further fortified with a feel-good set from DJ Benet.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5:30—6 pm Shadji Simone Correia Dance Performance | Gallery of California Art

6–7:30 pm CABANIJAZZ PROJECT | Garden Stage

6:45—8:45 pm DJ Benet | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

About Cabani Jazz Project:

San Francisco-based Latin band, CABANIJAZZ PROJECT, led by GRAMMY® Award-Winning Composer and Conga Player, Javier Cabanillas, emerged from the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, to triumphantly grace the red carpet in Los Angeles, claiming a GRAMMY® Win with the Pacific Mambo Orchestra. Fusing rich Jazz harmonies with Afro-Caribbean dance rhythms, the seven-piece ensemble crafts a unique sonic experience. Cabanillas, now a Bay Area resident, directs the band’s original compositions, earning a 4-Star rating in DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE. Their music, featured on NPR, PBS, and United Airlines, captivates audiences at top Jazz & Salsa Festivals. With roots spanning funk, pop, and folkloric genres, each member contributes their distinct voice without losing collective identity. Drawing crowds in the San Francisco Bay Area, CABANIJAZZ PROJECT continually amplifies its fanbase with each electrifying performance.

About Shadji Simone Correia:

Shadja Correia (she/her) is a contemporary professional dancer who prioritizes self-expression and self-reflection through her movement. She welcomes an atmosphere of indulgent curiosity through the exploration of movement. Shadja earned her BFA in Dance from Rutgers University.

About DJ Benet:

DJ Benet is a multifaceted talent, seamlessly blending the roles of a DJ, audio engineer, producer, director, and artist. With a diverse musical palette, he captivates audiences with his eclectic mix of genres. Renowned for his collaborative spirit, DJ Benet has collaborated with esteemed artists such as Mani Draper, Kevin Allen, Brookfield Duece, Caleborate, Passwordz, and Nef the Pharaoh, contributing his unique touch to their works. Additionally, he is a member of the band “The Whoadees.” With a passion for pushing boundaries and a commitment to excellence, DJ Benet continues to captivate audiences across the Bay.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

San Francisco-based Latin band, CABANIJAZZ PROJECT, led by GRAMMY® Award-Winning Composer and Conga Player, Javier Cabanillas, emerged from the streets of Tijuana, Mexico, to triumphantly grace the red carpet in Los Angeles, claiming a GRAMMY® Win with the Pacific Mambo Orchestra. Fusing rich Jazz harmonies with Afro-Caribbean dance rhythms, the seven-piece ensemble crafts a unique sonic experience. Cabanillas, now a Bay Area resident, directs the band’s original compositions, earning a 4-Star rating in DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE. Their music, featured on NPR, PBS, and United Airlines, captivates audiences at top Jazz & Salsa Festivals. With roots spanning funk, pop, and folkloric genres, each member contributes their distinct voice without losing collective identity. Drawing crowds in the San Francisco Bay Area, CABANIJAZZ PROJECT continually amplifies its fanbase with each electrifying performance.

DJ Benet is a multifaceted talent, seamlessly blending the roles of a DJ, audio engineer, producer, director, and artist. With a diverse musical palette, he captivates audiences with his eclectic mix of genres. Renowned for his collaborative spirit, DJ Benet has collaborated with esteemed artists such as Mani Draper, Kevin Allen, Brookfield Duece, Caleborate, Passwordz, and Nef the Pharaoh, contributing his unique touch to their works. Additionally, he is a member of the band “The Whoadees.” With a passion for pushing boundaries and a commitment to excellence, DJ Benet continues to captivate audiences across the Bay.

Shadja Correia (she/her) is a contemporary professional dancer who prioritizes self-expression and self-reflection through her movement. She welcomes an atmosphere of indulgent curiosity through the exploration of movement. Shadja earned her BFA in Dance from Rutgers University.

Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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Spring Teacher Night at Friday Nights at OMCA
2024-04-19 15:30 - 18:00
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

We celebrate you, teachers! Join us for OMCA’s spring Teacher Night, when you can hang out and enjoy the Museum— on us.

Check out the posters and graphic prints that highlight political and social justice issues in Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya, and then screen print your own tote bag during a special drop-in workshop for teachers. Head to the OMCA Garden to hang out and enjoy the rhythms and music of Punjab, India with Non Stop Bhangra, one of the best dance parties in the Bay Area. Enjoy late-night gallery access and Off the Grid food trucks.

Bring your team, or make some new friends at neighboring schools. This event is free for teachers and chaperones, no RSVP required. Check in at the Teacher Night table to receive free gallery admission for all teachers and chaperones, plus Off the Grid and bar tickets for the first 100 arrivals.

Program Schedule:

4:30—7 pm Teacher Night check-in | Oak Street Plaza

5—6:30 pm Drop-In Workshop: Tote Bags Screen Printing | Oak Street Plaza

5—8:30 pm Live music and dance with Non Stop Bhangra | The Garden Stage

5— 8 pm Off the Grid Food Trucks | 10th Street

5— 9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibition Access

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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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event.

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Friday Nights | Non Stop Bhangra Community Dance Party, Spring Teacher Night and DJ set by Black
2024-04-19 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Get into the rhythm this Friday Night at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra known as the best dance party in the Bay Area. A celebration of the rhythms and music from Punjab, India, Non Stop Bhangra comes back to Friday Nights at OMCA bringing high energy, vibrancy, and color. Featuring dance lessons, performances, DJs, live drummers and more, it’s a joyful release for the whole family and all the teachers being celebrated at our Spring Teacher Night! The night will be set with the skillful DJ spinnings of Black sure to keep the good times flowing.

View our Spring Teacher Night page for information about Spring Teacher programs and activities.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions

5—8:30 pm Non Stop Bhangra | The Garden Stage

6:45—8:45 pm DJ Black | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

Voted “best dance party” in San Francisco, Non Stop Bhangra is a unique experience that celebrates the beautiful and vibrant spirit of Bhangra, a traditional Punjabi folk music and dance. Celebrating 20 years of productions in 2024, it is one of the major platforms in North America for Punjabi music and a staple in the SF Bay Area arts culture. Highlighting the ancestral roots of the Punjabi dance while pushing boundaries with contemporary influences, Non Stop Bhangra is a genre-busting elixir of North Indian Bhangra music and dance, mixed with reggae, hip-hop, and electronica. Featuring dance lessons and dance performances with Dholrhythms Dance Company, an ever evolving and eclectic mix of DJs, live drummers, and guest musicians, it’s a treat for the eyes and ears and a one-of-a-kind experience only found in the Bay Area.

Black has always loved music and while growing up in Houston, she started collecting records. When she moved to the Bay Area in 1991, Black brought her records and a dream of doing music. She recalls seeing Chris C. and Pam the Funkstress perform, and knew then that she wanted to be a female DJ. Black learned her craft 30 years ago from Sexy DJ at The Catch One in Los Angeles. Nadeeah helped her hone her skills and taught her how to get gigs. She has played alongside DJs including MAW, Fuse, Digit, J Boogie, Rusty Lazer, and Trackademicks. She has opened for many artists including Medusa, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Patty Duke, Tony Toni Tone, Yo Yo, Bahamadia, Meshell Ndegeocello, Ledisi, Alanis Morissette, Big Freedia, Hot Tub, The Lovemakers, Brandy, Goapele, Nneka and more.

Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

Return to Events

Friday Nights | Live Music by MacArthur Maze, Sketchboard Live Drawing Sessions, and set by DJ Ron Reeser
2024-04-26 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Friday Nights at OMCA brings back a Thursday After Hours special, Sketchboard Live Drawing! This Friday OMCA invites visitors to bring their sketch pads and appetites and get creative in the Museum’s Gallery of California Art with live drawing sessions.

OMCA welcomes 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. A costumed model representing the diversity of the Bay Area will be posing in the Gallery of California Art for times ranging from 2 to 20 minutes. Since drawing will take place in the gallery, please be mindful of the space and bring only the following media from home: sketchbooks (max size 9×12 inches) and pre-sharpened enclosed graphite or charcoal pencils.

Sketching in the gallery is first come, first served and is included with the price of general Museum Gallery access and free for Museum Members. Between drawing sessions the excellent mixings of Bay Area favorite, DJ Ron Reeser as well as a special performance by MacArthur Maze happening on the main Garden Stage will be sure to get you moving.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5:30—6:15 pm Sketchboard Live Drawing | Gallery of California Art

6—7 pm MacArthur Maze | The Garden Stage

6:45—7:30 pm Sketchboard Live Drawing | Gallery of California Art

6:45—8:45 pm DJ Ron Reeser | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

Independent hip-hop ensemble and crew, MacArthur Maze, combine only the most organic Bay Area ingredients to create a powerhouse. Spearheaded by their tenured turntablist/producer, DJ D Sharp, Mac Maze is comprised of five emcees (Blvck Achilles, Champ Green, D.Bledsoe, Ian Kelly, & Roux Shankle), and four producers (DJ D Sharp, S. Kaminski, DJ Basta, & NOBL). Given the game and entrepreneurial spirit made famous in the Bay, MacArthur Maze has the makings of something uniquely special and necessary. While reality is the basis for their overarching themes, love and community are ever present in their messaging and visuals. All members contributing their respective specialized talents at the highest levels creates a maze you’d be reluctant to want to find your way out of.

Sketchboard is a BIPOC figure drawing collective, curating eclectic, diverse, and affordable events in the Bay Area over the last 10 years. Their 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 Sketchboard’s community.

Immerse in the pulsating rhythms of the global electronic music scene with Ron Reeser. His signature Tech House sound consistently infiltrates DJ sets across the globe. An American DJ and producer, Ron Reeser, originally hailing from the vibrant backdrop of the San Francisco Bay Area, boasts an dynamic discography that spans esteemed labels such as Sony, Ultra Music, Sirup, and Pyro Records. Notably, his remix catalog features an array of renowned artists, including ColdPlay, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Doja Cat, Chainsmokers, Kaskade, Galantis, Chromeo, and more.

Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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Healing Garden: Reflecting on Our Collective Grief
2024-04-27 11:30 - 12:30
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

In conjunction with UC Berkeley’s The Othering and Belonging Institute’s 2024 conference, OMCA is pleased to partner with OBI to offer a reflective gathering on collective grief.

All are welcome to join us for this peaceful experience in our beautiful garden. Wellness practitioner, Josie Santiago and earth ritual artist, Veronica Ramirez will lead us in the sacred ritual of mandala creation to cultivate a space of healing. With an open heart, we will come together in this safe space to reflect on our loss, global grief, or simply soak in the connectedness of community. Grief is a universal experience and when we connect with others, it can be healing. We hope you will join us.

This event is free and open to the public regardless of participation in The Othering and Belonging Conference

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Facilitators

Veronica Ramirez

Veronica Ramirez is first generation to Chilean/Mapuche ancestry, born on Ramaytush Territory (Redwood City, CA). Co-founder of PLACE (People Linking Art, Community & Ecology) on Ohlone Territory (Oakland, CA), an educational center and maker space since 2011, Veronica’s experience spans various domains, including organizational development, educational programming, placemaking projects, community partnerships, and neighbor relations. In 2021, she joined SNAG Mag/The Nest (Seventh Native American Generation) as a co-director, helping to facilitate this youth-inspired initiative that shares inspiring Native/Indigenous stories through rich articles and featured artists. As a founding member of Golden Gate Cohousing since 2012, she contributes to the co-living project dedicated to diversity and affordable housing for change makers, a project of Shared Living Resource Center where she serves as a board member. Veronica’s curious nature inspires her toward her deep love of the natural world, human connection, and the transformative healing that comes from the co-creative spirit we each possess.

Josie Santiago

Josie Santiago is a seasoned somatic practitioner, facilitator, and wellness coach with over a decade of experience in cultivating healthy relational practices within diverse communities. She is the owner of Akili Well, an organization based in Oakland, Ca dedicated to fostering leadership, learning, and overall well-being. As an interdisciplinary practitioner, she uses her experience in holistic healing modalities to encourage self-awareness, self-care, and collective transformation. When she is not leading well-being circles, Josie facilitates experiential workshops and retreats aimed at helping individuals find ease and joy in their lives. Her commitment to creating spaces for growth and exploration underscores her passion for empowering others to thrive mentally, emotionally, and physically.

Highlights

Friday Nights at OMCA | Live Music with Alphabet Rockers, Drag Storytime with Per Sia, Wire Sculpture Making, Gallery Chats, and DJ set with Siyah
2024-05-03 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Pump up the joy this first Friday at Friday Nights at OMCA! Join us as the intergenerational hip hop group, Alphabet Rockers, explores elements of hip hop and leads audiences to shared moments of joyful expression, uplifting affirmations, and celebratory movement. Drag Storytime keeps the empowering energy flowing as drag artist Per Sia brings Tyler Feder’s preschool picture book, Bodies are Cool, to life with an exuberant read-aloud alongside bright and friendly illustrations to captivate all.

Feel further inspired by the change makers highlighted in our collection with a hands-on wire sculpture activity inspired by Ruth Asawa’s Untitled, 1974 piece on display in Oak Street Plaza, and the insightful Gallery Chats being held in our Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya. And as the night unfolds, the seasoned DJ music stylings of Siyah are sure to keep the good vibrations flowing high.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5:15—5:30 pm Drag Storytime with Per Sia | The Garden

5:30—7:30 pm Wire Sculpture Making | The Garden

6—8 pm Gallery Chats | The Great Hall

6:30—7:20 pm The Alphabet Rockers | The Garden Stage

6:45—8:45 pm Siyah | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

Per Sia comes with a pedigree from weekly performances at the late, iconic Esta Noche. Her trajectory has gone on to include art curation, stand-up, television, and maybe a quinceañera or two, in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and México. Per Sia is currently a regular performer in the nationally acclaimed “Drag Story Hour” as well as an educator in residence at an after school arts program in the San Francisco Unified School District profiled on KQED Arts, National Public Radio, and CNN.

Alphabet Rockers make music that sparks change. Kaitlin McGaw (she/her) and Tommy Soulati Shepherd (he/him/they), are visionary artists and leaders who create a culture of belonging for all of us.

They are GRAMMY-winners, 4-time GRAMMY nominees, nationally renowned children’s book authors, influential media creatives, keynote speakers, and resident artists of esteemed programs such as Othering & Belonging Institute, Destiny Arts Center, and Hiiwav Black Music Incubator. Their music and leadership is built from their combined pedigree of applied research and creative practice (Kaitlin McGaw is a Harvard University graduate in African American Studies; Tommy Shepherd is a Pacific Conservatory of Theatre graduate).

Off the Grid Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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Book Release and Conversation with Filmmaker, Artist, and Author, Adrian Burrell
2024-05-04 12:00 - 13:30 | James Moore Theater
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Third-generation Bay Area filmmaker, artist, and author, Adrian L. Burrell will present select works from his first monograph, Sugarcane & Lighting (Minor Matters, 2023) and his latest short film, The Saints Step in Kongo Time.

The book and film, along with two recent solo exhibitions in 2023 in San Jose and San Francisco, respectively, are all part of an ongoing research project visualizing Burrell’s family’s experiences with plantocracy and sugar production after the Louisiana Purchase. Images span Senegal to Jim Crow Louisiana to modern-day Oakland through archival and contemporary photographs, dispelling long-held tropes of the realizations of the American Dream.

Burrell is motivated by possibilities of healing the past, as well as realizing what may be envisioned in the present and future.

A conversation with OMCA’s Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs, Makeda Best, will follow the presentation. Burrell’s book will be available for purchase and signing.

This event is free and open to the public with advanced registration

GET TICKETS

About Adrian Burrell

Adrian Burrell (b. 1990, Oakland, California) is a third-generation Oakland artist utilizing photography, film, installation and experimental media. His work examines issues of race, class, and intergenerational dynamics, inviting moments where collective storytelling can be a site for remembering.

Burrell has lived and worked on four continents. He is a US Marine Corps veteran, and a graduate of San Francisco Art Institute (BFA, film) and Stanford University (MFA, Department of Art & Art History). At Stanford he lectured, served as the Black Graduate Student Community Outreach Chair, and was a visiting artist with Stanford’s Institute for Diversity in the Arts.

He is also a resident at SF FILM, was a YBCA Creative Cohort fellow (2021-22), and was selected for the renowned Black Rock Residency in Dakar, Senegal, in 2022.

His first solo exhibition was on view at the ICA San Jose, California, from September 16, 2022–February 26, 2023; his second solo exhibition, also in the Bay Area, was on view at the Minnesota Street Project in San Francisco from October to December, 2023. His work has recently been featured at the Format Festival in Darby, United Kingdom, and at Fotofest in Houston. Burrell’s work has been featured through The New Yorker, BlackStar Film Festival, and PopUp Magazine (2022); Photoville, New York and the Pingyao International Photography Festival, China (2020); and at SXSW (2013), among others. In 2021, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art acquired “It’s After the End of the World, Don’t You Know That Yet?” This collective self-portrait examines normalized violence inflicted on Black lives.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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First Sundays | May 5
2024-05-05 10:00 - 16:00

OMCA Architecture Walk and Talk
2024-05-05 13:00 - 14:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Walk through OMCA’s landmark building and gardens with members of the Council on Architecture, and learn about the history, design, and evolution of this award-winning structure with guides who are passionate about OMCA and Oakland.

No reservations or tickets are required. Walk and Talk begins near the Mid Level ticketing desk and lasts approximately one hour.

If you’d like to visit OMCA’s Galleries or Special Exhibitions, please purchase a ticket online in advance or at the ticketing desk on the day of your visit.

GET Museum Admission TICKETS

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Friday Nights at OMCA | Live Music by Fantastic Negrito & Friends
2024-05-10 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Friday Night’s at OMCA presents an electrifying evening with Oakland’s own Fantastic Negrito & Friends as he takes the stage alongside some of his favorite musicians in the Bay Area. Join us for an immersive performance that plays with the boundaries between funk, rock, soul, and blues to produce a unique and captivating experience. More boundaries are broken as Let’s Lab with KD the Poet! makes the mundane fantastic as he centers everyday life in his blend of soulful lyricism and tempered production. The night will be further filled with the groovy blend of rap, soul, R&B, and Afrobeats emanating from Bay Area DJ Mani Draper, all excellent energy to intercut with engaging discussion facilitated by the Gallery Chats taking place in our Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5:30—6:30 pm Let’s Lab with KD the Poet! | Core Gallery

6—8 pm Gallery Chats | The Great Hall

6:30 —7:30 pm Fantastic Negrito & Friends | The Garden Stage

6:45—8:45 pm Mani Draper | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

Born Xavier Amin Dphrepaulezz, by now much has been made of Negrito’s own unique story—his early years growing up in an orthodox Muslim household, the doomed major label deal that turned him off of the music industry altogether, the near-fatal car cash that permanently damaged his guitar playing hand—as well as the remarkable redemption arc that began in 2015, when he won the first ever NPR Tiny Desk Contest. In the years that followed, Negrito would go on to take home three consecutive GRAMMY Awards for Best Contemporary Blues Album, tour with everyone from Sturgill Simpson to Chris Cornell, collaborate in the studio with the likes of Sting and E-40, launch his own Storefront Records label, perform at Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Newport Folk, Bryon Bay Blues, and nearly every other major festival on the map, and found the Revolution Plantation, an urban farm aimed at youth education and empowerment.

Kameron Douglass, known by his stage name KD the Poet, hails from Berkeley, California. His music blends soulful lyricism with laid-back production, offering insightful reflections on the universal experiences of everyday life. With his unique style, KD captures the essence of human emotions and encounters, making him a compelling voice in the hip-hop scene

Armani Jackson, known as Mani Draper, hails from Richmond, CA, and has made significant strides in the music industry. Debuting with “Last Marauder,” his LP released through Empire Distribution in San Francisco, featured notable production collaborations. His single “Reloaded” gained international acclaim, propelling DJ Flow, Mani, and the crew on a successful European tour.

Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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Friday Nights at OMCA | Awesöme Orchestra with Kishi Bashi & K-Pop Dance Lesson with Robin Lee of Groobeu
2024-05-17 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Friday Nights at OMCA | Awesöme Orchestra with Special Guest Kishi Bashi, K-Pop Dance Lesson with Groobeu & Robin Lee, Gallery Chats, and set with DJ Peter Lo

Join OMCA this Friday night as we host Awesöme Orchestra with special guest Kishi Bashi and 100+ musicians for an evening filled with internationally acclaimed guest artists and local composers! Bringing music out of the concert hall and into the wider Bay Area community parks, streets and rock venues, Awesöme Orchestra takes film and video game scores and brings them to life. Both a performance and an invitation, the Awesöme Orchestra invites you to their website for info about how to participate. This Friday Nights at OMCA further invites you into the performance with K-Pop Dance Lessons with Groobeu & Robin Lee as they teach one of NewJeans’ choreography to one of their most popular songs, “Hype Boy!” This will be a supportive space as they walk through each movement, try the choreo many times, and split into smaller groups to give everyone a chance to showcase their new moves!

Gallery Chats held in our Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya will give you even further opportunity to participate as this twist on the traditional museum tour centers community voice and knowledge to bring fresh perspectives on the gallery content. This night of creativity will be held down with a fun and energetic K-Pop set by DJ Peter Lo.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5:30—6:30 pm K-Pop dance lesson with Groobeu & Robin Lee | Amphitheater

6—8 pm Awesöme Orchestra | The Garden Stage

6—8 pm Gallery Chats | The Great Hall 6:45—8:45 pm DJ Peter Lo | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

DJ Peter Lo is a DJ / VJ specializing in K-pop for the San Francisco Bay Area where he regularly performs at local K-pop Club Nights. He is also the host of The Kpopcast – a weekly podcast which interviews K-pop idols, provides song recommendations, and critical discourse on K-pop news.

Off the Grid Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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Spotlight Sundays: Puri Arts & ARU Present: Ritual on the Road
2024-05-19 12:00 - 15:00 | OMCA Garden, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland, California, 94607, United States
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Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

We are excited to welcome Oakland based artist Dohee Lee Puri Arts (DLPA) for their Ritual on the Road series. Join us for a powerful offering in OMCA’s beautiful Garden that will center the healing rituals of Korean indigenous practices from Jeju Island, Korea, where Lee was born and trained. Using visual art and traditional instrumental soundscapes, this interactive performance will be rooted in deep engagement with the Asian Diaspora immigrant refugees community represented by Asian Refugees United (ARU) and in educational collaboration with indigenous partners around loss, harm, and resilience of ancestral and homelands.

This program is free and open to the public (no tickets required).

GET Museum Admission TICKETS

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

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Supporters

Puri Arts & ARU Present: Ritual on the Road is supported by The New England Foundation for the Arts, California Arts Council, The Center for Cultural Power, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, Alliance for California Traditional Arts, Stupski Foundation, and East Bay Community Foundation

Friday Nights at OMCA | Bolo Music Group Presents Live Music by Ruby Ibarra & Ian Santillano
2024-05-24 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

This iteration of Friday Nights at OMCA, the Garden Stage will host not only a colorful blend of hip hop, rock, and jazz, but a movement of Filipino-American musical storytelling that cuts through the norm like a bolo! The Bolo Music Group led by Ruby Ibarra and producer LASI are set to light up the stage and pull audiences into authentic Filipino musical storytelling that engage with Ruby’s identity as both a woman and as a 1.5 generation immigrant that encourages global connection.

Further connection is to be had as OMCA invites back a quickly growing classic, Sketchboard Live Drawing! Bring your sketch pads and your perspective to the Museum’s Gallery of California Art and be inspired with live drawing sessions.

OMCA welcomes 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. A costumed model representing the diversity of the Bay Area will be posing in the Gallery of California Art for times ranging from 2 to 20 minutes. Since drawing will take place in the gallery, please be mindful of the space and bring only the following media from home: sketchbooks (max size 9×12 inches) and pre-sharpened enclosed graphite or charcoal pencils.

Sketching in the gallery is included with the price of general Museum Gallery access and free for Museum Members. In addition, Gallery Chats will be activating our Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya with facilitated community conversations that brings new light to the work with every iteration. All this creative engagement will be framed with the rhythmic stylings of DJ Sake One.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5:30—6:15 pm Sketchboard Live Drawing | Gallery of California Art

6:15—8 pm Bolo Music Group Presents: Ruby Ibarra & Ian Santillano | Garden Stage

6—8 pm Gallery Chats | The Great Hall

6:45—7:30 pm Sketchboard Live Drawing | Gallery of California Art

6:45—8:45 pm DJ Sake One | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

Ruby Ibarra is a rapper, songwriter, and performer from the Bay Area, CA. In 2023, she co-founded Bolo Music Group, a new record label and platform which aims to support and highlight Filipino-American talent. Her latest single, “Switch,” is featured on NBA2K24 video game, and her other new music can also be heard across Seasons 1-3 of the Fox Network’s hit television show, The Cleaning Lady.

​​Ian Santillano, pronounced “San-Till-Yeah-Know”, is a Filipino-American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer known for his commanding guitar solos and soulful vocals that unveil his deepest emotions, creating a musical refuge where listeners can revel or seek solace. Through his music, Ian liberates his thoughts and feelings, fostering a sense of shared humanity among his audience.

Sketchboard is a BIPOC figure drawing collective, curating eclectic, diverse, and affordable events in the Bay Area over the last 10 years. Their 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 Sketchboard’s community.

Off the Grid Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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Friday Nights at OMCA | Carnival Takeover w/ MasFX and VibeHauss
2024-05-31 16:00 - 20:00 | OMCA campus
Friday Nights at OMCA with Non Stop Bhangra

Friday Nights at OMCA | Carnival Takeover w/ MasFX and VibeHauss and Alameda County Community Food Bank Spring Event

Friday Nights at OMCA kicks off Oakland Carnival weekend with a bang! In celebration of the vibrant cultures of the Bay Area the night starts at the Garden Stage with a Soca Meets Samba Dance Workshop, a fun, all-levels, all-ages dance class highlighting some of the most popular moves from each genre. Immediately after, the MasFX Carnival Dance Experience will perform a portion of their 2024 showcase that leads into a party worthy blend of Soca, Reggaeton, Dancehall, Afrobeats, Baile Funk, Hip-Hop, House and more with a set from VibeHauss DJ’s. The Amphitheater will be activated too and will transport you to Trinidad and Tobago with the smooth vibrations of Socalypso Steel Pan Band.

As we celebrate the vibrant cultural tapestry of the Bay Area, OMCA also welcomes the Alameda County Community Food Bank as it brings its mission to end hunger to Friday Nights with OMCA and Off the Grid! Come meet the Food Bank and get hands on with its breadth of programs and services, including grassroots advocacy, nutrition education, and CalFresh (food stamp) enrollment assistance. Staff and volunteers from across the food bank will be on hand all night sharing about their work—which also includes providing 1 million meals worth of food every week—and the ways to both access their services, volunteer, and other ways to give back.

Lastly, throughout the night Gallery Chats in Special Exhibition, Por el Pueblo: The Legacy and Influence of Malaquías Montoya provides another opportunity to be inspired by the social fortitude that holds our vibrant community together as facilitated community-led conversations allow guests to dive deep into the gallery content.

Program Schedule:

5—9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket

5—8 pm Alameda County Community Food Bank Community Event | Garden

5—6:45 pm Carnival Takeover with MasFX and VibeHauss | The Garden Stage

5:30—6:30 pm Soca Meets Samba Dance Workshop | The Garden Stage

6—8 pm Gallery Chats | The Great Hall

6:45—7:30 pm Socalypso Steel Pan Band | Amphitheater

7:30—8:45 pm Vibe Hauss DJ Set | Amphitheater

About Friday Nights:

Gather with family, friends, and community every Friday at 5 pm for free live music and hands-on activities, Off the Grid food trucks, and late night access to our galleries and special exhibitions, with a Museum ticket.

Bring your own or grab dinner from any one of the 8 Off the Grid food trucks on 10th Street between Oak and Fallon Streets. Beer, wine, mixed and non-alcoholic drinks are available for sale. After grabbing a meal from a wide and weekly changing menu of culinary creations, head to the OMCA Garden where you’ll find picnic tables and blankets to enjoy your local eats. Play lawn and table games, enjoy weekly rotating Museum programming, and create new memories at one of the Town’s most treasured spaces right in the heart of Oakland.

No outside alcohol permitted. Performances are subject to change. Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm.

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 visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.

Performers

For over 35 years, Alameda County Community Food Bank has stood by our unwavering belief that food is a basic human right. We distribute millions of healthy meals every year, and are on the forefront of new approaches to ending hunger and poverty.

MasFX Dance is a passionate, multi-disciplinary performance collective that hosts immersive Carnival experiences to honor the shared lineages of African-American, Caribbean, and Brazilian art and culture in the Bay Area. We showcase contemporary Carnival music and dances to uplift the values, traditions, and legacies of the African Diaspora across the Americas. We foster community wellness through dance classes and workshops designed to make people of all experience levels and backgrounds sweat and smile without fear of judgment. We facilitate collective joy by collaborating with local producers and promoters to host Carnival experiences in the Bay Area and beyond. Carnival is the ultimate embodiment of joy and liberation; our goal is to make it accessible and appealing to all ages and backgrounds.

Some call it ‘vibe’. Some call it ‘energy’. Some call it ‘spirit’. It’s the intrinsic way we move through the world to find where we belong. Where we feel free and full of light. Lighter than air, we float. The syncopation of our movements, energy, and thought. This is VibeHauss. A lifestyle brand with the purpose of bridging the divide between cultures by creating spaces for kindred spirits to connect.

Off the Grid Food Truck Lineup

Sponsors

Friday Nights at OMCA with Off the Grid is sponsored by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and Bank of America.

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