Art lovers gathered to celebrate the growth and endurance of education programs at the Studio Museum in Harlem at the institution’s annual Spring luncheon on May 10. 

Attendees at the event included Vanessa Williams, Lynn Whitfield, Tonya Lewis Lee, Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, Eboni K. Williams, The Apollo President and CEO, and Michelle Ebanks. The Mandarin Oriental’s palatial ballroom was packed with patrons, donors, artists, cultural leaders, curators, and staff of the Studio Museum in Harlem. Artists Ebony L. Haynes and Lorna Simpson, who designed ESSENCE’s celebrated Rihanna cover, were in attendance as well. 

Guests leaped from their seats to greet one another when the program paused, hugging and kissing between bites of miso-flavored cod. 

Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem addressed the room with a smile, noting that while rain and wind raged outside, guests brought Spring to the ballroom with their festive looks.

Golden introduced honoree Marva Smalls to the sea of jewel-toned and floral print-wearing attendees next. Smalls is the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the Nickelodeon Group. She actioned a number of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that have benefited the creative community, including the Studio Museum in Harlem, for years, demonstrating consistent commitment to facilitating change. 

 “On this occasion dedicated to our work in education, we honor Marva for an extraordinary career of creating opportunities for young people, empowering children and youth, and forging collaborations that improve people’s lives through the media,” said Golden. 

“Always ready to move beyond what others think is possible, Marva’s career serves as a benchmark across industries for what’s possible in this world,” she added.

Amunet Jones, one of the participants in the museum’s Expanding The Walls program, gave the room examples of that possibility when she stepped up to the podium. 

The teenager shared her experience learning with the institution, which offered her “Interactive and hands-on experience with equipment” and relationships with other young artists. She expressed gratitude for the chance “to be in an environment that employs our passion.”  

She described how the program instilled in her an appreciation for black and white photography that reminded her of “old Hollywood.”

Ingraining an understanding of how history intersects with art is a core tenant of the program. It educates using Harlem’s vibrant history as an entry point to exploring the power of art. 

Jones shared her artistic goals with the room.

“I want to learn how to make beautiful photos that people can relate to,” she said. 

The Expanding The Walls program was founded by Golden when she joined the museum twenty-four years ago. It is a free photography-based arts program that takes place over eight months. Learners enrolled in a high school or GED program are eligible to apply to participate. It is designed to “share experiences and perspectives on community, identity, history, and culture” with the students enrolled. The program removes barriers to participation by providing transportation fare to the students developing their talents. It celebrates the accomplishments of the students by presenting them with a $1000 stipend and a Canon EOS Rebel DSLR camera when they complete the program. These resources help them explore their creativity. 

Expanding The Walls is just one of the education programs the Studio Museum in Harlem offers. They provide programs for younger children and adult learners and seminars aimed at promoting professional development. 

The museum, founded in 1968 to correct the exclusion of Black people from the art world, is undergoing extensive renovations. This will result in new galleries, additional indoor and outdoor public space, and plenty of room to expand their educational offerings. They are continuing to exhibit work while the renovations are taking place. 

Smalls reinforced her commitment to “maintaining and elevating an institution that represents the very best in art” by supporting the Studio Museum in Harlem at the luncheon. 

She announced a $50,000 gift to help bolster the institution’s efforts to educate the public through creating access to art. 

“I am enriched by your presence, and I’m going to keep doing everything I can to support the Studio and its mission of spearheading the dynamic exchange of ideas about our society,” she said. 

Learn more about the educational programs at the Studio Museum in Harlem here.