First Saturday: Toward Joy
Celebrate Black artists with roots from Bed-Stuy to Bayou Country who have shaped art, music, film, and other cultural expressions that define what it means to be American. This First Saturday also celebrates Toward Joy: New Frameworks for American Art, a transformative reinstallation of the American Art galleries. Black feminist and BIPOC perspectives act as through lines in this vast presentation that asks how American art might be experienced at this moment.
This program is free; registration is required and includes Museum general admission. Tickets will be released on a rolling basis starting January 17 for Members and January 21 for the public. Sign up for the Brooklyn Museum newsletter to be notified of the next release. The lineup is subject to change; revisit this page for the latest details.
For accessibility accommodations, including ASL interpretation, email access@brooklynmuseum.org.
Music: Avangelia
Soul singer, songwriter, and producer Avangelia plays a selection of songs from her 2024 album, Angel in the Wind.
Curator Tour: Toward Joy
Join curator Stephanie Sparling Williams on a tour through the frameworks of Toward Joy, a kaleidoscopic display offering paradigm-shifting interactions with millennia of art.
Hands-On Art: Quilt Making
Inspired by the quilts of Gee’s Bend and those in Toward Joy, contribute to a collage quilt, and design and take home your own square.
Brooklyn Pop-Up Market
Shop one-of-a-kind, handmade items highlighting Black artists and vendors from across Brooklyn, featuring artwork, jewelry, fashion, and home and apothecary goods.
Pop-Up Member Lounge
Swing by our Pop-Up Member Lounge, exclusively for Brooklyn Museum Members. Whether you want to kick up your feet, take a beat, escape the crowds, or connect with someone new, this space is the perfect pit stop. Don’t miss out—become a Member today!
Conversation: Kith Black History Month Artist Series Roundtable
Hear from the members of this year’s Kith Black History Month Artist Series as they share their creative journeys and inspirations, and the meaningful stories behind the five-year anniversary of this program.
Music: Joy Guidry
Bassoonist, composer, and performance artist Joy Guidry performs a solo set experimenting with forms of Black American music as an homage to her Southern upbringing.
Music: Resistance Revival Chorus
The Resistance Revival Chorus carries us through the night with choral protest songs.
Music: DJ Mamoudou N’Diaye
Mamoudou N’Diaye unites the sounds of multiple diasporas through an inclusive and exclusive selection of mash-ups and tunes.
Teen Talks
Join teen Museum Apprentices as they host 10-minute pop-up talks in the Decorative Arts and Design Galleries.
Film: Exhibiting Forgiveness
Experience American artist Titus Kaphar’s directorial debut, Exhibiting Forgiveness. The semi-autobiographical film stars André Holland as an admired painter who is asked to forgive and reconcile with his estranged father. Stay after the screening for a talkback with the director and Holland. This film is rated R. Viewer discretion is advised.
Book Club: BLK MKT Vintage
Join Jannah Handy and Kiyanna Stewart, editors of the book BLK MKT Vintage, in conversation with Aya Brown and Shefon Taylor as they talk about their mission to curate vintage objects that celebrate Black stories.
Music: CLASSICNEWWAVE
CLASSICNEWWAVE closes out the night with a genre-spanning set fusing old-school grooves with Southern bounce.
For more than 25 years, we’ve hosted First Saturdays at the Brooklyn Museum. These monthly evenings of free programming welcome visitors from central Brooklyn and beyond.
First Saturdays is held February–June, August, and October, 5–11 pm.
Advance registration is required. Admission is subject to our capacity at the time of your arrival. To ensure the safety of our visitors and to comply with city fire codes, please enter through the front of the Museum starting at 5 pm. Doors close at 9:30 pm.
The lineup is subject to change. Masks are optional except for programs in the Auditorium, at which masks will be provided upon arrival. Coat check is available in a limited capacity on a first-come, first-served basis.
Have a performance, film, or activity you’d like to present? Submit a proposal or get in touch with us at public.programs@brooklynmuseum.org.
First Saturdays are supported by the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, the Charles H. Revson Foundation, and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Made possible by the Wallace Foundation Community Programs Fund, established by the Wallace Foundation.
February First Saturday is presented by
