Stay up late with the DMA as we celebrate the closing weekend of Afro-Atlantic Histories. Explore the themes of the exhibition through music and dance performances, spoken word poetry, talks, films, tours, art activities, and more! This is one of your last chances to see the show in the U.S.!
A special exhibition ticket is required to see Afro-Atlantic Histories.
DMA Members enjoy free admission to Late Nights along with special perks, including a members-only bar and tours.
DMA Member Bar
5:00–10:00 p.m., Hamon Atrium
Use your DMA Member wristband to gain access to an exclusive area just for members. Wine, domestic beer, and cocktails are available for purchase at discounted prices for DMA Members only.
Scavenger hunt
5:00–11:00 p.m.
Pick up a scavenger hunt self-guide at the Guest Services Desk or Horchow Auditorium to explore the Museum's permanent collection through the lens of an Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition theme: Rites and Rhythms.
Sketching in the Galleries
5:30–10:30 p.m., Arts of Africa, Level 3
While exploring the exhibition Backs in Fashion: Mangbetu Women's Egbe, take inspiration from the patterns on the back apron garments created by upper-class Mangbetu women and design your own patterned egbe.
Open Studio: Collaging Identity
5:30–10:30 p.m., Tower Studio, Level 4
Create a work of art that represents and celebrates your identity inspired by Romare Bearden's collage The Black American in Search of His Identity, featured in Afro-Atlantic Histories.
Activities available while supplies last.
Quilting Sisters of Color
6:00–9:00 p.m., Founders Room
Visit with the Quilting Sisters of Color and see their amazing handmade quilts while learning about traditional methods used to create these iconic pieces that serve both as functional objects and as symbolic multigenerational storytelling tools.
Tour: Afro-Atlantic Histories
6:00 p.m., Meet at the entrance of Afro-Atlantic Histories
Hop on a tour of the Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition led by a DMA docent. Exhibition ticket required to join the tour. DMA Members join for free.
Performance: Albion Josiah
6:30–7:00 p.m., Hamon Atrium
Start your evening with Dallas-based vocal artist Albion Josiah as he takes the audience on a powerful journey through the history of American music as seen through the lens of the African Diaspora. Josiah will share historical insights and moving performances of iconic American genres including gospel, jazz, R&B, and more
Gallery Talk with Jammie Holmes
7:00 p.m., Meet at the entrance of Afro-Atlantic Histories
Join Dallas-based artist Jammie Holmes as he shares insights and inspiration behind his painting Black Sparrow. Coming off his first solo exhibition at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, Holmes is the only Texas-based artist in the international traveling exhibition. Exhibition ticket required to join the tour. DMA Members join for free.
Watch & Learn: Salsa with Studio 22
7:00–7:30 p.m., Level 4 Landing
Feel the rhythm and enjoy a salsa performance by Studio 22. Originating in the early 1900s, salsa is a blend of Cuban and African influences.
Talk: Aaron Douglas in Texas: 1936 Texas Centennial
7:15–8:15 p.m., Horchow Auditorium
Join Dallas curator and Black artist advocate Phillip Collins on a journey to save the history of the Hall of Negro Life and the historic commission of four murals by Harlem Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas. Of the two surviving panels, Into Bondage is currently on view in the Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition in a rare opportunity to see the original work back in Dallas. Collins has recently installed a replica of the two existing panels in the African American Museum of Dallas's Giddings Solarium, on the very site where the artworks were originally installed nearly 100 years ago.
Rites & Rhythms of Capoeira
7:30 p.m., Hamon Atrium
Join members of Ondas Community for an interactive demonstration of Capoeira, a martial art, and Maculelê, a folkloric dance, both originating in Africa and incorporating indigenous percussion and music into strong, fluid movement.
Watch & Learn: Dance Lessons with Studio 22
8:00–9:00 p.m., Founders Room
1, 2, 3, step! Learn the basics of salsa with a dance lesson provided by instructors from Studio 22 Dallas.
Performance: Sherrie Zantea
8:00–8:15 p.m., Level 3 Landing
Experience the power of spoken-word poetry when Dallas-based poet Sherrie Zantea shares her new poem inspired by the Afro-Atlantic Histories exhibition. Don't miss this world premiere!
Tour: Afro-Atlantic Histories with Dr. Roberto Conduru
8:30 p.m., Meet at the entrance of Afro-Atlantic Histories
Join Dr. Roberto Conduru, Professor of Art History at Southern Methodist University, for a gallery talk offering highlights of the Latin American artwork in the exhibition. Dr. Conduru's research addresses modern and contemporary art and architecture in Brazil, with an emphasis on Afro-Brazilian art. Exhibition ticket required to join the tour. DMA Members join for free.
Open Mic Performance with Goodebumps Slam Team
9:00–10:00 p.m., Tower Gallery
Join artist Nova Atkins and local poets from the Goodebumps Slam Team for a showcase of their amazing talent as they perform selections of work centered around themes of identity and community.
Film: Celia: The Queen
9:30 p.m., Horchow Auditorium
Celia: The Queen is a documentary about the life and legacy of Celia Cruz, the Afro-Cuban performer who brought salsa rhythm to the whole world. As an Afro-Latina woman, Cruz was raised in the diasporic religion of Santeria, which fuses West African folklore traditions and music orally preserved by enslaved people in the Caribbean. From Cruz’s youth onward, her music embodied the rich, centuries-old customs of Santeria and other African beliefs combined with the Spanish language. (1h 25m; not rated)
Dallas Black Dance Theatre Encore!
10:00 p.m., Hamon Atrium
Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Encore! will perform a portion of Echoes of Diaspora: A Ballet Inspired by “Afro-Atlantic Histories,” an original dance performance commissioned by Arts & Letters Live and curated by visionary Artistic Director Nycole Ray. Echoes of Diaspora is an immersive and poignant journey through time, culture, and the enduring spirit of the African Diaspora. Audiences are invited to embark on an emotional odyssey portraying the resilience and strength of a people forging their identity amidst adversity and tracing their own profound narratives.