The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas invites you to Carlos Bain’s Open Studios which will take place at the NAGB on Saturday, January 19th, from 5:00 - 6:00 pm in support of the artists solo show "Second to None."

Carlos will speak about his practice and the inspiration he draws from Junkanoo, pasting and shack life.

Continuing our partnership with The Cinemas, the NAGB will present the Bahamian film “The Black Moses" directed by The Cinemas founder, Travolta Cooper.

“The Black Moses,” the documentary which follows the life, career and legacy of Sir Lynden Pindling, the first Black Prime Minister of The Bahamas. Pindling, is considered by many to be the father of The Bahamas, after leading the island nation to independence in 1973. He served as PM from 1969 to 1992, resigned as leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) in 1997, and died in 2000. The film is narrated by Dennis Haysbert and features interviews and commentary from former Canadian PM Brian Mulroney, Dr Myles Munroe, Jesse Jackson, Sidney Poitier and Thabo Mbeki (for Nelson Mandela), among others.

“The Black Moses” is directed by Bahamian filmmaker Travolta Cooper, and is opening the 2019 season of the NAGB Film Series in honour and celebration of last week’s Majority Rule.

This and all screenings are free and open to the public. We will have popcorn on hand for sale. Come out with your blanket and spend this comfy winter night with us.

On Saturday, December 15th starting at 6 p.m. in Fiona's Theatre, the NAGB will hold an Artists’ Talk and Readings titled "Words and Worth" with nine artists, writers and instigators from the NE9 "The Fruit and The Seed."

There will be words from Yasmin Glinton, Charlotte Henay and Xan Xi and insights on creative practices from April Bey, Jenna Chaplin, Danny Davis, Anina Major, Dave Smith and Tiffany Smith. 

The artists will focus on the role that language, sexuality and gender, histories, the environment and colonialism has had on the shaping of their perspectives, actions and values. 

The event and all programmes in support of the NE9 are free and open to the public. The readings will take place from 6 - 6:30 p.m. followed by the talk and a generous Q&A session with all artists and attendees.

The NAGB is thrilled to present an artist’s talk and Q+A with U.S. artist Robert Longo. Known for his stunning photo-realistic black and white drawings—usually drawn from media and news sources—Longo’s work is both seductive and deceptive. 

Appearing as extraordinarily beautiful drawings, they are in fact biting critiques of the anaesthetizing and seductive effects of capitalism, mediatized wars, and the cult of history in the US. From the Kent State University Massacre in 1970, through Reaganomics and the Gulf War in the 90’s, 9/11 and the Iraq War in the new millennium, and recent events such as the Ferguson Riots, the Charlie Hebdo massacre, or Occupy Wall Street movement, Longo has continued to explore the medium of charcoal drawing, paying homage to the great masters of art history, while depicting our times with brutal honesty.

The talk will be held on Monday, December 10th, starting at 9:30 am and is free and open to the public with a special invitation to practising artists, journalists and students. Come to hear this renowned artist delve into his practice and worldview.

Celebrating Bahamian Film on December 6th

Hosted by Bahamian filmmaker and NAGB film programmer Travolta Cooper, the NAGB Film Series continues with "Bahamian Son.”

"Bahamian Son" is an international, independent feature film based on actual events from the life of writer Reggie Henderson. The story follows Kevin as he sets out to find his father whom he has not seen in more than thirty years. During his journey, Kevin examines his own life and the family he has built for himself, as well as his childhood growing up in the projects of North Minneapolis. When Kevin does track down his father, he travels to the Bahamas to meet him. What happens in the Bahamas opens Kevin's eyes to a world and a history he never knew existed, it is also another test of Kevin's beliefs regarding family, loyalty, and what it means to be a son, a father, and a man.

This and all screenings are free and open to the public. We will have popcorn on hand for sale. Come out and spend this wonderful fall evening with us.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture under Hon. Minister Lanisha Rolle invites the general public to the official launch of National Cultural Heritage Month from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The NAGB will have extended hours from 5pm with the main event with performances and readings starting at 6 pm. There will be several food trucks on premise including Vell Monkey Foot and Qubtic Qitchen offering delicious and healthy options. Refreshments will also be on sale.

The event is FREE and open to the public.

Official presentation and book signing of the latest photo book of Eleuthera by photographer Alessandro Sarno. The program includes Live Rake And Scrape music, Wine, and Poetry reading.

Alessandro Sarno was born and raised in Italy. He published three coffee table books, Blue And Beyond, and Catch Da Cat, to portray life in The Bahamas, and Junkanoo-The Spirit of a People to tell the story of Junkanoo, the most important cultural event in The Bahamas. Alessandro’s work has been featured in many group shows in The Bahamas and the United States, including most recently, Kroma Gallery’s Goombay—An Homage to Coconut Grove—a Junkanoo-themed exhibition in Miami. His first solo exhibition was presented at the Ladder Gallery in Nassau in 2015. 

He finds inspiration traveling around the Islands of The Bahamas; his photography focuses on the vernacular, on the indigenous expressions of people he encounters, on landscapes, wildlife. He is drawn to the interstices of Bahamian life: worship services, concerts, funerals, civic activities and all the little details which emerge in between. Alessandro’s eye tends to see the present as if it were already the past, in such a way he pursues the timeless feel of his images. Alessandro’s photos also often have a painterly, dreamlike quality, the roots of which harken back to time spent drawing and making pictures from a very young age.

Alessandro is a lone traveler and considers photography his travel companion, hence his artistic name, “The Lonesome Photographer”, which also draws inspiration from the classic and lyrical road-less-traveled book, Lonesome Traveler, by novelist and poet, Jack Kerouac.

Hosted by Bahamian filmmaker and NAGB film programmer Travolta Cooper, the NAGB Film Series continues with an exciting doubleheader with two Bahamian films "Free Swim" and "Contact Zone.

We start the evening with Gustavius Renwick's short film "Contact Zone" which takes place in an art gallery in New York City and details the seduction and attraction between visitor and curator.

The main feature "Free Swim," an award-winning documentary film by Jennifer Galvin is about the paradox of coastal people not knowing how to swim. Taking place on the island of Eleuthera, we follow a group of kids as they overcome their fears, gain confidence and reconnect with their environment by learning to swim in open waters. With fresh memories of a friend drowning and the conflicts of growing tourism, for the children, it is not just about floating but gaining new skills for their future.

This and all screenings are free and open to the public. We will have popcorn on hand for sale. Come out and spend this wonderful fall evening with us.

The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas invites you to Jonathan Bethel’s Open Studios which will take place at the NAGB on Saturday, November 10th, from 5:00 p.m. Jonathan will speak about his practice of painting and his exploration of the environment.

"More Bahamian women have been assuming leadership positions in the past few years, going beyond traditional expectations and limitations. It must be acknowledged that there are still many barriers facing women leaders today, and this raises questions for us as women leaders and the women they represent.

What does it mean, in The Bahamas of 2018, to lead?
What are the differences between leadership, management, and representation? When do we need each?
What are the tools for effective leadership, especially in the face of challenges?
How can we bridge the gender gap in Parliament?
How can we balance work with self-care?
What do we need from our women leaders, and what do they need from us, in order to build the world we want?
How can we support each other more as women?

* * * * * * * 
Women's Wednesdays was founded by Equality Bahamas as a response to community members' requests for a space to access resources, experts, and practitioners, share knowledge, and engage in conversation with one another. Officially started in May 2017, Women's Wednesdays highlights Bahamian women and our experiences in The Bahamas, specific to our identities including gender, race, sexuality, age, and ability. Held once per month at minimum, the events draw women together to have conversations that bring our individual lives into focus while connecting to family, community, and national narratives.

#WW242 intentionally centers and prioritizes women and girls, and is open to the public through in-person events, livestreams, and social media activity. With the support of the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas, we create a safe space for knowledge-building, idea-sharing, critical dialogue, and movement-building.

Inspired by Equality Bahamas' Women's Wednesdays, there is now a similar initiative in Guyana, and other countries in the Caribbean are expected to follow."

Wrapping up support for the Creative Time Summit, on November 3rd, we will host a one-of-a-kind experience, inviting the public to join us on a Photo Walk and History Talk around the Over-the-Hill communities, with a guided tour by Christopher Davis, lead historian at the Pompey Museum. This vibrant and complex neighbourhood has been classified both as the “Nation’s Navel” and the Historic Centre, while also referred to by some as the “inner city” and the tour will focus on issues of gentrification and sustainability.

Joining us will be artists and academics Angelika Wallace-Whitfield, Melissa Alcena, Jodi Minnis, Dr Ian Bethell-Bennett and Eric Rose, each of them bringing their expertise and unique vision to the tour, along with the knowledgeable and impassioned NAGB staff.

Bring your water bottles, cameras, sketch pads, recording and mobile devices and remember to wear comfortable shoes. We set off from the gallery at 10 a.m. sharp and invite everyone to have lunch afterwards at the Pepper Pot Grill located on King Street.

We look forward to welcoming you at these events. All events are FREE and open to the public. Click here to register for the conference!

NAGB is proud to partner with Bahamian filmmaker Travolta Cooper and “The Cinemas” for the upcoming season for the NAGB Film Series. Cooper is a filmmaker with documentaries, a digital series, and an upcoming feature narrative film all at work; he is also the producer of the show “The Cinemas,” which is dedicated to the rise of Caribbean Cinema and under which banner he will be curating film with the NAGB.

Get Out is in some ways the spiritual descendant of the Ira Levin novels like Rosemary's Baby and The Stepford Wives. Only now instead of gender being at the forefront, race is. It tells the story of Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) young black ma who goes to meet the parent of his white girlfriend (Allison Williams) for the weekend.

A weekend that becomes an almost Twilight Zone version of "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner". Get Out is the directorial debut of Jordan Peele. Not much in Mr. Peele's TV or film history quite prepared us for the masterful direction of Get Out. And while he did not win the Oscar for best Director, he did win the Academy Award for best original screenplay. 

The NAGB is happy to be a screening site for the 2018 Creative Time Summit, which opens November 1st in Miami. Over 80 speakers will engage with themes including immigration and borders, climate realities, notions of intersectional justice, gentrification, tourism as an enabler for neocolonialism, and the roles art and activism can play in all these pressing issues.

To kick off our weekend of support join us on Thursday, November 1st, for extended gallery viewing hours with libations from 5 p.m. - 7 p.m. showcasing the brand new chapter of Lavar Munroe’s exhibition titled “Return: The Magic Flight” with never before seen work, and Jonathan Bethel’s Project Space Exhibition “Elemental”. .

All events are FREE and open to the public. Click here to register for the conference!

Hosted by Bahamian filmmaker and NAGB film programmer Travolta Cooper, the NAGB Film Series returns with "Rosemary's Baby" (1968), the groundbreaking psychological horror that changed the genre. Join us on Thursday, October 18th, 2018 at 7 PM for a hair-raising night of incredible film... if you dare.

The groundbreaking film made 50 years ago, directed and written by Roman Polanski, features Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer, Maurice Evans, Ralph Bellamy and other icons of Hollywood. The film chronicles the story of a pregnant woman who suspects that an evil cult wants to take her baby for use in their rituals.

The screening is free and open to the public. We will have popcorn on hand for sale. Come out and spend this wonderful cool evening with us.

On Tuesday, October 16th starting at 6pm BaSHRA will host the second of its 4-part masterclass series with Part 2: Navigating Relationship Hurdles.

In this second session, we will focus on emotional and psychological issues that arise due to poor communication habits, strategies to navigate difficult conversations, and tips to reconnect and reengage past the pain of conflict.

Our goals in this interactive series is to stimulate thought provoking dialogue, foster community growth and engagement, and promote awareness of diverse issues impacting the reality of achieving healthy #relationshipgoals. It is our intent to create a user experience that allows interaction in an open, non-threatening environment on the “core” issues that matter. Attendees can expect to walk away with actionable takeaways that leave them better than they came. There will be 60 minutes of speaker-directed activity, including an open floor discussion.

This series, will be facilitated by Marissa S. Nelson, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Certified Sex Therapist (CST), and Relationship Expert and moderated by Denise Major.