Register your child for an inspiring musical experience at Kuumba Academy! Youth will have the unique opportunity to learn from local professional artists as they explore the world of horns, strings, and percussion. Through hands-on sessions and interactive demonstrations, students will discover the joy of music, creativity, and self-expression.

Featured musicians:

Dottie "YediYah" Youmans - Voice and Guitar
Jeremy Thomas - Trumpet and Keyboard
Corey Henry - Trombone
Titos Sompa - Master Percussionist 
Cheryl Woods - Bass
Cameron Woods - Drumset

No experience needed—just bring your curiosity and passion for sound!

Space is limited, please register to ensure your child's participation.

This event is made possible by the Musicians Union.

“Raw Fruit..... A truly divine piece of work...” – D. Marshall

Raw Fruit a collection of stories that reveal the essence of ancestral values which have been woven into the cultural fabric of Black folks’ lives. This work examines legacy, identity, socialization, unity, and friction inside the Black family dynamic. Raw Fruit is a celebration of New Orleans culture juxtaposed to the complexities of the African American experience in the south. From crawfish boils to secondlines, living room altars to junior daughters, and bread pudding to pecan pralines, these experiences, rituals and ancestral contributions have created a web of lineage connecting our present experiences with customs rooted in the past.

Raw Fruit is a multidisciplinary evening length work directed by Kesha McKey, featuring dancers: Catherine Caldwell, Ceylon Seiber, Chanice Holmes, and Jasmin Fancii. Original music and soundscape by free feral and Amara Skinner and poetry by Sunni Patterson; choreography by Kesha McKey in collaboration with dancers; film by Milan Daemgen and lighting design by John Alexander.

Join us early — at 7:00pm — on March 13 & 14 for an immersive pre-show experience and stay after the performance on Friday, March 14 for a post-show Q&A.

Tickets are $28 in advance (March 6 -13) with discount code FRUITSALE and $35 at the door.

Raw Fruit was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. General Operating support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Raw Fruit developed with support from the Urban Bush Women Choreographic Center Initiative funded by the Ford Foundation and the Urban Bush Women Choreographic Center Initiative 2.0 funded by the Mellon Foundation. Raw Fruit is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Junebug Productions in partnership with Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance and NPN/VAN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information, visit www.npnweb.org.

“Raw Fruit..... A truly divine piece of work...” – D. Marshall

Raw Fruit a collection of stories that reveal the essence of ancestral values which have been woven into the cultural fabric of Black folks’ lives. This work examines legacy, identity, socialization, unity, and friction inside the Black family dynamic. Raw Fruit is a celebration of New Orleans culture juxtaposed to the complexities of the African American experience in the south. From crawfish boils to secondlines, living room altars to junior daughters, and bread pudding to pecan pralines, these experiences, rituals and ancestral contributions have created a web of lineage connecting our present experiences with customs rooted in the past.

Raw Fruit is a multidisciplinary evening length work directed by Kesha McKey, featuring dancers: Catherine Caldwell, Ceylon Seiber, Chanice Holmes, and Jasmin Fancii. Original music and soundscape by free feral and Amara Skinner and poetry by Sunni Patterson; choreography by Kesha McKey in collaboration with dancers; film by Milan Daemgen and lighting design by John Alexander.

Join us early — at 7:00pm — on March 13 & 14 for an immersive pre-show experience and stay after the performance on Friday, March 14 for a post-show Q&A.

Tickets are $28 in advance (March 6 -13) with discount code FRUITSALE and $35 at the door.

Raw Fruit was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. General Operating support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. Raw Fruit developed with support from the Urban Bush Women Choreographic Center Initiative funded by the Ford Foundation and the Urban Bush Women Choreographic Center Initiative 2.0 funded by the Mellon Foundation. Raw Fruit is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by Junebug Productions in partnership with Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance and NPN/VAN. The Creation & Development Fund is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts (a federal agency). For more information, visit www.npnweb.org.

Celebrate Culture, Community & Commerce at Africarnival Marketplace!

This Mardi Gras Day, join us under the bridge at Orleans & Claiborne for the Africarnival Marketplace, an unforgettable celebration of Black culture, community, and commerce in the heart of New Orleans.

Presented in partnership by Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Ujamaa Economic Development Corporation, and Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, this vibrant marketplace brings together some of the city’s most talented Black entrepreneurs, artists, and makers for a one-of-a-kind experience rooted in tradition, creativity, and joy.

📅 WHEN: Mardi Gras Day
📍 WHERE: Under the bridge at Orleans & Claiborne

For us, Mardi Gras at Claiborne & Orleans is more than just a spot on the parade route — it’s a sacred space of joy, resistance, and unity. Africarnival Marketplace honors that legacy by uplifting Black-owned businesses, artists, and culture-bearers in a space where past, present, and future collide.

Gather your krewe, come ready to spend some coins, and let’s keep our community thriving!

Join us at Building Community Power: Criminal Justice and help us envision a justice system that works for everyone — especially those most impacted by it.⁠

Presented in partnership with Bar None, this event will dive into powerful conversations on policy reform and grassroots organizing, focusing on people, families, and communities yearning for healing. If you've felt the weight of injustice or seen its effects, this is your space to transform that energy into action!⁠

Let's build power, demand justice, and create a future where all of us can thrive. ✊🏿 ⁠

Celebrate Black love in all its forms at Adinkra Lounge’s Lovers Lounge this Valentine’s Day! In a world that constantly seeks to dehumanize, divide, and diminish us, Black love remains one of the most powerful and unapologetic acts of resistance.

Black love is a reminder that we are enough, that we are powerful, and that our existence is beautiful. Lovers Lounge is about taking the time to honor all the ways Black love shows up in our lives — romantic love, love for our people, and love for ourselves.

So whether you’re single and ready to mingle or already cuffed up, we’ve got the perfect night lined up for you. Pull up with your crew, meet someone new, or just kick back with your boo and enjoy good music, fun games, and specialty cocktails that’ll keep the energy high all night.

Spots are limited, so don’t wait to get your tickets — join us at Lovers Lounge and let’s make this Valentine’s Day one to remember!

Get ready for an unforgettable night celebrating Black love like you've never experienced before! Join us for Never Too Much, a Black Love Day concert and Luther Vandross tribute, where sultry burlesque performances, stunning drag queens, and soulful musicians will keep you feeling the Black love all night long.

And this isn’t just any concert — it’s a full cultural experience! Enjoy a delicious Luther Vandross-themed dinner, get something cute for your boo at our Black Love marketplace, and learn about the incredible work Alliance of Cultural Equity is doing in our community!

Whether you’re coming for the performances, the food, or the marketplace, Never Too Much is the Black Love Day event you don’t want to miss! Get your tickets now before they sell out:

Hosted by: 
Safiya Shaddai and Simone Immanuel

Featuring performances by:
Blair Dottin-Haley
Mark-Anthony Thomas
Greer Goff-Mendy
Yoncé Alexander
Mz Juno
Bobbi Rae
Wood ft Hiya Heights
DJ SohlidGold

Co-presented by: 
Ashé Cultural Arts Center and Alliance for Cultural Equity

GET TICKETS

General Admission — $30: Your ticket includes access to the buffet — feast on a delicious dinner while you enjoy the performances.

VIP Admission — $50: For the ultimate experience, grab a VIP ticket and enjoy reserved seating plus dinner service right to your table.

Join us for an unforgettable evening of creativity and community at Adinkra Lounge’s Open Mic Night. Whether you want to hit the stage or just kick back and enjoy the show, our Open Mic Night is always a good time!

Everyone is welcome to share their gifts, from the seasoned performers to the first-timers.

Free and open to the public. Doors open at 7:00 PM, and the mic opens at 7:30 PM. Performers can sign up on the spot.

Join us for the opening of the 2025 National Conference of Artists Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Art Exhibition.

This year's theme, "A Time to Break Silence: African Roots/American Fruits," will focus on the deep connections between African heritage and American culture, showcasing their enduring impact. This event will feature a blend of art exhibitions, musical performances, and insightful discussions designed to engage and inspire.

Join the movement to co-create a community-designed policy that addresses Black New Orleanians’ needs for equity and liberation!

Building Community Power is a collaborative policy design series that confronts our community’s major concerns with radical imagination and this month, we’re focusing our visioning on climate justice!

Collaborate with passionate advocates, experts, and fellow changemakers to imagine a world where communities thrive in harmony with the environment, equipped with the tools they need to combat climate change and advance sustainability.

From 10am to 12pm, we’re joined by Taproot Earth to kick things off with the Katrina20 Local Committee meeting. The Katrina 20 Local Committee is a community-led collective tasked with commemorating the 20 years of survival, resistance, culture, joy and community power displayed in the aftermath of Katrina and subsequent climate disasters.

Then, from 12pm to 2pm, we’ll dive deep into discussions on the future of climate and environmental justice right here in New Orleans. We’ll have lunch, share stories, and brainstorm solutions.

Join us as we plant seeds for a greener tomorrow. 🌱

The Ashé Rooftop Festival will take place on Saturday, October 12, 2024. Y'all know how we got down last year! This year, we're bringing the experience of the African Diaspora under the sky to a neighborhood near you– and across culturally-curated rooftop spaces in New Orleans.

Join us in across Mid-City, the Warehouse District, to the French Quarter/Tremé at our Main Rooftop (300 N. Broad Street) in partnership with Broad Community Connections, our Wellness Rooftop (900 Camp St. 3rd Floor) at The Shop @ The CAC, and Social Justice Rooftop (501 Basin Street) at Basin Street Station!

The whole family is invited to experience themed rooftops of wellness, kid’s corner, social justice, poetry, and performances from your musical favorites. Iconic DJs, mouthwatering foods, signature cocktails, thought-provoking conversations, interactive installations, and much more!

What: Ashé Rooftop Festival

Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024

Location: Main Rooftop (300 N. Broad Street) in partnership with Broad Community Connections (11am - 10pm)

Wellness Rooftop (900 Camp St. 3rd Floor) at The Shop @ The CAC (9am - 5pm)

Social Justice Rooftop (501 Basin Street) at Basin Street Station (11am - 5pm)

The Ashé Rooftop Festival & Gala is an inaugural event and weekend-long celebration culturally-curated across beautiful rooftop spaces in New Orleans.

The Ashé Rooftop Gala will take place on Friday, October 11, 2024. Ashé Cultural Arts Center is excited to host The Ashé Rooftop Gala at 300 N. Broad Street, in partnership with Broad Community Connections!

Join us in your AFROCHIC attire and experience the African Diaspora under the sky in a neighborhood near you with a headlining performance by Kindred the Family Soul, hosted by Shay O’Connor, and sounds by DJ Rakimbeau! Don’t miss an opening performance by Erica Falls and closing by Kings of Brass. Patron party sounds by T-Ray the Violinist.

What: Ashé Rooftop Gala

Date: Friday, October 11 , 2024

Time: 7pm - 10pm (General Admission) | 6pm (Sponsors/Patron Party)

Location: Broad Community Connections (300 N. Broad Street)

The Ashé Rooftop Festival & Gala is an inaugural event and weekend-long celebration culturally-curated across beautiful rooftop spaces in New Orleans.

When a leaking petrochemical tank at Marathon Petroleum’s refinery in Louisiana’s Cancer Alley caught fire on August 25, 2023, a thick plume of toxic smoke spread for days and miles over neighbouring communities. Authorities claimed that nearby residents were unaffected, but as reports of severe health impacts emerged, some of those residents asked Forensic Architecture (FA) to investigate. This film shares the findings of FA's year-long collaboration with the Guardian.

Join us this Saturday, September 28 at the Ashé Powerhouse Theater for Reel Talk: Chemical Fire at Marathon Refinery, as part of our #LosingLouisiana series.

Stay for the talk back featuring: Imani Jacqueline Brown (Forensic Architecture), May Hampton (Boundless Community Action), Joy Banner (The Descendants Project), and Oliver Laughland (The Guardian).

About:

Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s facility in Garyville, Louisiana, is one of the largest refineries in the western hemisphere. On 24 August 2023, a tank containing naphtha––a volatile hydrocarbon chemical mixture––began leaking and later ignited, resulting in the second largest chemical spill in thirty years, according to the EPA. For two days, a chemical fire at the facility waxed and waned, and a thick, black chemical plume stretched across the sky. Even as residents suffered severe health impacts, including several hospitalisations, state and corporate officials consistently claimed that there were no impacts beyond Marathon’s property line.

Suspecting a cover-up, residents asked Forensic Architecture (FA) to investigate. This film shares the findings of our year-long collaboration with the Guardian, presenting a fluid dynamics simulation of the chemical plume and unheard testimonies from residents of fenceline communities in St. John the Baptist Parish, situated with a 3D model of the site. FA will also premiere a narrative platform designed to track and compare evidence of the incident’s development, accounts from residents, and the state’s response over time.

The Marathon Garyville Refinery is located at the heart of Cancer Alley, where over two hundred of the nation’s most polluting petrochemical facilities occupy the fallow footprints of formerly slave-powered sugarcane plantations. The latest incident at the Marathon facility can be understood not as an isolated incident, but rather as an acute eruption of a chronic condition of environmental racism that has plagued the region for three hundred years.

In 2021, FA was commissioned by Rise St. James and the Descendants Project to investigate the construction of industrial facilities atop unmarked Black cemeteries throughout the River Parishes. This investigation into the 2023 Marathon fire continues FA’s commitment to supporting the multigenerational struggle of Cancer Alley’s fenceline communities.

On #SistahsThursday, join Simone Immanuel for Fierce Fit! This unique dance workout is a mixture of African, ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop dance styles. Fierce Fit will leave you feeling exhilarated and liberated. This is a safe place for beginners, experts, and everyone in between.⁠
⁠
#SistahsMakingAchange is free and open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday, 6pm-8pm, at Ashé.⁠

Sistahs Making a Change and I Deserve It have joined forces to address the impact of climate change on health and wellness in Louisiana every Tuesday until October 3rd!⁠
⁠
Fred Johnston joins Sistahs on Tuesday, August 27 to discuss the effect climate change has on food security and nutrition.

On #SistahsThursday, join Simone Immanuel for Fierce Fit! This unique dance workout is a mixture of African, ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop dance styles. Fierce Fit will leave you feeling exhilarated and liberated. This is a safe place for beginners, experts, and everyone in between.⁠
⁠
#SistahsMakingAchange is free and open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday, 6pm-8pm, at Ashé.⁠

After Katrina, the city's public school system underwent major changes, including the widespread adoption of charter schools. This has led to challenges around accessibility and quality of education for many students, particularly those from Black communities. 

Join our Education design session to envision a New Orleans where all children have access to a high-quality public education. This month’s Building Community Power session is co-led by Black Education for New Orleans!

After Katrina, the city's public school system underwent major changes, including the widespread adoption of charter schools. This has led to challenges around accessibility and quality of education for many students, particularly those from Black communities. 

Join our Education design session to envision a New Orleans where all children have access to a high-quality public education. This month’s Building Community Power session is co-led by Black Education for New Orleans!

In New Orleans, Black residents have higher rates of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and poor mental health due to historic disinvestment. This has led to a 15- to 25-year deficit in life expectancy between Black communities and the city’s wealthier, whiter neighborhoods.

Join our Health Equity design session to envision and design a healthy, equitable New Orleans.

In New Orleans, Black residents have higher rates of chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and poor mental health due to historic disinvestment. This has led to a 15- to 25-year deficit in life expectancy between Black communities and the city’s wealthier, whiter neighborhoods.

Join our Health Equity design session to envision a healthy, equitable New Orleans.

The annual New Orleans MAAFA Commemoration is a community remembrance event, a moment to reckon with the horrors of the Transatlantic and Domestic Slave Trades, and a release from the chains of its legacy. MAAFA is a Kiswahili word meaning “horrific tragedy” and refers to the period known as The Middle Passage. This year’s event presented by Ashé Cultural Arts Center is on Saturday, July 6, 2023 at 7:00am, beginning at Congo Square (701 N Rampart St.)

This year’s theme is Radiant Rhythms–a celebration of the divine power of African drums. For centuries, the stories of Africa have been forged in rhythm by musical griots who pay tribute to the unwavering resolve, indomitable strength, and indelible history of our culture by touching hand, stick, or bone to an African drum.

MAAFA identifies historically-significant locations of New Orleans’ own history as a major slave market, such as Esplanade Avenue and The Tomb of the Unknown Slave in Tremé. In closing, we say the names of those enslaved and free, victims of tragic events, senseless violence, as well as all those who were, so that we might be.

All white attire is preferred. The local community and visitors are invited to attend this commemoration event of healing, testimony, and celebration of our ancestors, existence, and survival.

Pop out and pop up with Ashé this Friday & Saturday for our Pop Up for the Culture Day Party! From 12-6pm at Ashé Cultural Arts Center, shop with Black-owned businesses, get something to eat, and party with our featured artists: 

Friday, July 5

• Sozi

• ClemonsAndCo

• Piper Stringz

• B. Winnie

• Rapbaum

• 2Bagg

Saturday, July 6

• DJ Ojay

Our 2024 MAAFA exhibition, Radiant Rhythms, is a celebration of the divine power of African drums. For centuries, the stories of Africa have been forged in rhythm by musical griots who pay tribute to the unwavering resolve, strength, and history of our culture by touching hand, stick, or bone to an African drum. From Djembe to Bara, Tama to Krin, Sabar to Bougarabou, the sounds of these sacred instruments take us on a journey of remembrance through time, tradition, struggle and triumph.

Each beat of an African drum tells a story, echoing the voices of ancestors who taught us how to use them to communicate, celebrate, mourn, and inspire. Drums announce births, deaths, marriages, religious rites and rituals, and social and political events. They herald our coming to and our going from the land of the living, and every significant moment in between. Throughout history, as Africa experienced tragedy after tragedy at the hands of colonizers, the drums remained a steadfast connection to our sacred source.

Join us on Friday, June 28 from 6pm-9pm at Ashé Cultural Arts Center and explore the power, rhythm, and story of the drum.

Curated by Frederick “Wood” Delahoussaye; drums provided by Southern University at New Orleans Museum of Art, Bill Summers, Luther Gray, and Frederick “Wood” Delahoussaye. Images by Gason Ayisyin, quilts by Louise Mouton-Johnson and Cely Pedescleaux.

Join Sara Green on Thursdays for Rueda de Casino!

Sistahs will learn the basics of a traditional Cuban partner dance known as Rueda de Casino. With dynamic coordinated moves danced in a large circle, Rueda de Casino will have you moving and grooving to the beat. You can learn more about the mission of Dile Que NOLA on their website https://www.dilequenola.org/.

Join Nana Anoa Nantambu on Tuesdays for Intro to Mindfulness!

This course is for those who wish to begin a mindfulness meditation practice, for those who wish to reestablish a practice, as well as for those already with a practice and wish to strengthen it. The primary focus of the course is practice. The sessions will cover the basic foundations of mindfulness, including these topics: what is mindfulness and an introduction to meditation, mindfulness of the body, mindfulness of emotions, mindfulness of thoughts and limiting beliefs, cultivating a kind and loving heart, and moving forward to bring your practice into the world.

Decades of discrimination, neglect, and natural disasters have created a devastating affordable housing crisis in New Orleans that is displacing long-time residents and tearing apart communities.

Join our Housing Rights design session to envision a New Orleans where everyone has access to safe, stable, and affordable homes.