About
Liberated Culture Celebration Outdoor Activities and Performances, Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing, Music Set by DJ OLGA T, and Gallery Chats
OMCA is proud to host a Friday Night rooted in the spirit of reparations and African liberation in collaboration with the Brotherhood of Elders Network’s Bese Saka Initiative, East Bay Community Foundation’s ASCEND: BLO, The San Francisco Foundation, Spearitwurx, and the Sara Webster Fabio Center for Social Justice.
This powerful evening will feature soul-stirring freedom songs from Jenn Johns, Spear of the Nation, 42K Oakland, and the electrifying Young, Gifted & Black Spoken Word Collective. Expect surprise performances, film screenings, and more as you explore a vibrant marketplace showcasing Black-made art, products, and healing-centered activations. This family-friendly event, guided by love, joy, and the unstoppable spirit of liberation, invites all to come together in celebration of our culture, our stories, and our collective power.
While you immerse yourself in the spirit of the evening, Sketchboard Co. invites you to dive into your creativity with uninstructed Live Figure Drawing! It’s a perfect opportunity to create something personal and unique while soaking in the Museum’s atmosphere.
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. 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 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.
Rounding out the experience, DJ OLGA T will take you on a vibrant musical journey blending Latin, Afrobeat, R&B, and Soulful House. With her unique sound and undeniable energy, DJ OLGA T will keep the dance floor alive, creating an unforgettable end to the evening.
Friday Nights at OMCA also offer guests a well-rounded gallery experience with Gallery Chats. Unlike the traditional museum tour, Gallery Chats invites visitors to chat, ask questions, and connect with our OMCA facilitators, who combine content knowledge with lived experience to encourage meaningful dialogue and fresh interpretations of our exhibitions. Join us at OMCA for a meaningful evening of culture, creativity, and celebration.
Limited $10 flat rate parking for Friday Nights is available in the OMCA Garage until 10 pm. Learn more about getting to the museum.
Program Schedule:
5–8 pm Liberated Culture Celebration: Film Screenings | James Moore Theater
5–9 pm Liberated Culture Celebration: Performances and Activities | OMCA Garden
5–9 pm Core Galleries and Special Exhibitions evening hours with Museum ticket
5:30–6:15 pm Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing | Gallery of California Art
5:30–7:30 pm Gallery Chats | All Galleries
6:45–7:30 pm Sketchboard Co. Live Figure Drawing | Gallery of California Art
6:45–8:50 pm DJ OLGA T | 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.
