CMOM celebrates Black History month, with kid book author meet-and-greets, and Valentine's Day, with special crafty fun.

Harlem Renaissance: A Celebration of Black Brilliance
The Harlem Renaissance, a golden age in African American culture, was rich in artistic activity. Literature, music, stage performance, and art erupted from the 1910s to the mid-1930s. Artists proclaimed pride in Black life and identity, shared the truths of inequality, and shared their ideas for the changing modern world. Throughout February, CMOM invites you to participate in art and design workshops and activities that re-introduce us all to the many artists and art forms that came out of this era.
Tuesday – Sunday, January 31 – February 26

Operation Valentine’s Day Prep
Show your appreciation for family and friends and prep for Valentine’s Day! Create 3-dimensional masterpieces that capture your magic and love for your people all week and on a heart-filled day.
Tuesday – Tuesday, February 7 – 14

(Mid-Winter Recess) YOU GOTTA MEET…: A Celebration of Black Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators
CMOM invites you for a weeklong festival of excellence, creativity, and storytelling. Every day meet authors and illustrators of brand-new upcoming children’s books. Hear their stories and create art inspired by their illustrations. Find inspiration from favorite children’s books by Black authors and illustrators as you explore different ways of telling stories. Put on your own play, design dioramas, and even build your own books.
Saturday – Sunday, February 18 –19

Watercolor Glaze Illustrations
Find inspiration in the art of Aaron Douglas. Use watercolor glazing techniques to create illustrations of bold silhouettes that echo the late artist’s interest in modernism, Art Deco, and African art.
Tuesday–Sunday, January 31 – February 5 | 10am – 4:45pm | All ages | Inside Art

Cloche Hats
During the Harlem Renaissance, the cloche hat was the iconic hat of the Jazz Age. Meaning “bell” in French, the cloche gained popularity around 1925, dominating hat styles well into the 1930s. Inspired by Art Deco geometric shapes and using self-adhesive jewels, create a cloche hat perfect for your noggin.
Tuesday–Friday, January 31 - February 3 | 10am – 4:45pm | All ages | Makerspace
Saturday & Sunday, February 5 - 6 | 11am, 12, 2, 3, 4pm | Ages 5 & older | Sign-up* | Makerspace

Louis Armstrong Instrument Making
Considered one of the most influential musicians in jazz history, Louis Armstrong helped develop the medium to new heights with his beautiful tone and high-note climaxes! Inspired by the artist’s musical genius, use mixed media materials to create a trumpet and pretend to play sophisticated harmonies that echo Armstrong’s expressive melodies.
Tuesday – Friday, January 31 - February 3 | 3 – 4 pm | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, February 5 - 6 | 11 am – 12:30 pm & 2 – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks

Movers & Shakers: Do the Charleston
Move your bodies to the rhythms of the beat, foot stamps, and handclaps as we do the Charleston! The Charleston is a dance form that combines European steps, African movements, and jazz music, with influences from Trinidad, Nigeria, and Ghana dances.
Tuesday – Sunday, January 31 - February 5 | 10:30 – 11 am | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks
Saturday & Sunday, February 25 & 26 | 10:30 – 11 am | All ages | PlayWorks

Little Bookworms: What Will I Be? By Jayla Joseph
The Harlem Renaissance brought along a new and creative energy for literature. Rejecting traditional writing standards, discovering and utilizing a unique style to signify one’s cultural identity, African Americans began to express themselves like never before. Stop by for a reading of ?, a positive & powerful picture book showing Black boys planning for their futures by Jayla Joseph.
Tuesday – Sunday, January 31 - February 5 | 4 pm | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks

The People’s Printmaking Shop
In honor of Elizabeth Catlett’s artistic activism, tiny artists will be using printmaking techniques to create a poster that highlights the undeniable strength of women and African Americans.
Wednesday - Sunday, February 15 – 19 | 10 am – 4:45 pm | All ages | Inside Art

Chez Zelda: Glittering Doll Gowns
Inspired by the pioneering design work of Zelda Wynn Valdes use beads, fabric shapes, and other mixed media materials to create elaborate gowns that echo Valdes’ technical precision and particular flair for women’s tailoring.
Wednesday – Friday, February 15 - 17 | 10 am – 4:45 pm | All ages | Makerspace
Saturday—Sunday, February 18 - 19 | 11 am & 12 pm | Ages 5 & older | Sign-up* | Makerspace

Bessie Smith: Your Voice, Your Instrument
Known as the “Empress of the Blues,” Bessie Smith was a bold and talented musician whose voice could capture any audience. Learn to use your voice as a natural instrument to sound out the words to Smith's greatest hits.
Wednesday—Friday, February 15 - 17 | 10:30 – 11 am | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks

Movers & Shakers: Dance the Lindy Hop
Dance with a partner and to the music for a good ol’ time! With footwork borrowed from the Charleston and tap, the Lindy Hop is a cultural phenomenon that broke through race barriers.
Saturday—Sunday, February 18 & 19 | 10:30 – 11 am | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks
Thursday & Friday, February 23 & 24 | 10:30 – 11 am | All ages | PlayWorks

Little Bookworms: I, Too, Sing America by Langston Hughes
A magical storytelling session showcases the beautifully illustrated board book edition of Hughes’ powerful declaration of resilience and hope to young readers.
Wednesday—Sunday, February 15 – 19 | 4pm | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks

Life in Harlem: 3D Community Mural
Inspired by the art of painter Jacob Lawrence, explore his visual documentation of life in Harlem and the civil rights movement. Collaborate with us on a 3-dimensional mural that depicts the diverse CMOM community.
Tuesday – Thursday, February 21 – 23 | 10 am – 4:45 pm | All ages | Inside Art

Augusta Savage Inspired Sculpted Portraits
Explore the art of Augusta Savage, a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance and a catalyst for change in her community. Learn about her life as an artist and arts educator. Explore her dynamic sculptures to create a three-dimensional self-portrait that reflects her desire for a more inclusive and mindful society.
Friday – Sunday, February 24 – 26 | 10 am – 4:45pm | All ages | Inside Art

Inspired by Zelda Valdes: Paper Doll Glittering Gowns
Inspired by the pioneering design work of Zelda Wynn Valdes use beads, fabric shapes, and other mixed media materials to create elaborate gowns that echo Valdes’ technical precision and particular flair for women’s tailoring.
Tuesday – Thursday, February 21 – 23 | 11 am, 12, 2, 3, 4 pm | Ages 5 & older | Sign-up* | Makerspace

The Dapper Gentleman: Pocket Square
To gain attention and respect in business and politics, men would wear elegant and crisp three-piece suits during the Harlem Renaissance. To elevate the appeal of their suits, they would place pocket squares in tones of white, yellow, and red were added! Join us as we design pocket squares that overlap and collapse in a variety of ways!
Friday – Sunday, February 24 – 26 | 11 am, 12, 2, 3, 4 pm | Ages 5 & older | Sign-up* | Makerspace

Movers & Shakers: Do the Shimmy
Originating from the Nigerian dance the “Shika," and initially called the "Shake and Quiver” in 1900, the Shimmy involves fast-paced hip and shoulder shaking. Join us as we shimmy those sillies out and encourage those around us to live in the moment, open up, and shimmy along.
Tuesday & Wednesday, February 21 & 22| 10:30 – 11 am | All ages | PlayWorks

Ella Fitzgerald: Microphone Making
Ella Fitzgerald, also known as “The First Lady of Song,” was a popular jazz singer known for her flexible, wide-ranging, accurate and ageless voice. Join us as we create cardboard tube jazz microphones and sing along to sultry ballads, sweet jazz, and imitate the sounds of instruments in an orchestra.
Tuesday – Sunday, February 21 – 26 | 11 am – 12:30 pm & 2 – 3:45 pm | Ages 4 & younger | PlayWorks

Little Bookworms: Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra by Andrea Pinkney
This storytelling session showcases a biographical picture book of Duke Ellington—a prominent twentieth-century African American in the arts—who played a major role in popularizing jazz music in Harlem, and throughout the nation.
Tuesday – Sunday, February 21 – 26 | 4 pm | All ages | PlayWorks

*Due to limited space, this program requires you to sign-up for entry. Sign-up in the lobby one hour before the event.