Fowler Museum

Grupo Folklórico de UCLA honors the Hispanic Heritage Month with an evening of song and dance. Established in 1966, Grupo Folklórico celebrates Mexican heritage, creates positive Latino/a/x role models, promotes cultural awareness across campus, and encourages Los Angeles youth to embrace their roots and enroll in institutions of higher learning. Fowler Out Loud is an evening concert series that invites UCLA students from various disciplines to perform at the museum.

#Arts #Music

The Fowler Museum invites you to the launch of Remain in Light: Visions of Homeland and Diaspora, edited by Gassia Armenian. This powerful collection brings together photography and poetry that illuminate the contemporary Armenian experience both in the homeland and in Los Angeles, where one of the largest Armenian communities in the world resides. The book showcases the perspectives of three Los Angeles-based, diaspora-born Armenian photographers—Sossi Madzounian, Ara Mgrdichian, and Ara Oshagan—whose work captures the evolving social fabric of Armenian life, from survival and memory in the homeland to the immigrant experience in the diaspora. Their photographs are paired with evocative poetry by Tina Demirdjian, Arminé Iknadossian, Arthur Kayzakian, Shahé Mankerian, and Raffi Joe Wartanian. This artistic collaboration reflects on Armenian migrations to California, from the late 1800s through waves following the 1915 genocide, Soviet-era displacement, and more recent movement from the Middle East and Iran. Each generation has worked to preserve and reinterpret cultural traditions, language, and identity across new geographies. Join us for an afternoon of poetry reading and Armenian music, including a premier of a musical interlude of Armenian melodies performed by Garo Hussenjian on his hand pan. Books will be available for purchase and signing for $45. Light refreshments to follow.

#Cultural #IdentityBased

In partnership with the LA Times Food Bowl, the Fowler Museum and UCLA Presented by Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Square, join LA Times Food Bowl, the Fowler Museum, and UCLA Rothman Family Institute for Food Studies for a film screening and moderated conversation with Chefs Curtis Stone and Vicky Cheng with moderation by Laurie Ochoa, General Manager of Food at the LA Times.

#Cultural #Multicultural

This compelling documentary highlights the untold stories of eight Iranian Americans in the San Francisco Bay Area, weaving together personal narratives from both Iran and the United States. Co-directed by Persis Karim, the film offers a poetic and multifaceted perspective that challenges the predominance of negative media portrayals of Iran. The documentary delves into the experiences of the Bay Area Iranian diaspora, exploring how their lives and work have been shaped by this unique region, while also showcasing their profound contributions to its cultural and social fabric. Featuring rare archival footage, the film presents a layered narrative that brings new depth to our understanding of this community, especially at a time when Iran is regularly in the news again. Following the screening, a moderated Q&A session will be held with co-director Persis Karim and Kevan Harris, vice chair and associate professor of sociology at UCLA and lead researcher for the UCLA Iranian Diaspora Dashboard. A reception will follow.

#Arts #MovieFilm

Join us for a walk-through of Construction, Occupation led by co-curator Alex Ungprateeb Flynn. He will highlight key works in the exhibition and discuss how art intersects with power, infrastructure, and the politics of spatial justice—inviting reflection on the role of collective action and artistic intervention in shaping the city and public life.

#Arts #Art

This annual fundraiser offers a curated selection of textiles, jewelry, baskets, clothing, home décor, and more from around the world. Proceeds from the sale support the Fowler’s textile acquisitions, exhibitions, and publications. Fowler Textile Council Members receive early access starting at 10:30 am.

#Arts #Art

What stories do coins carry beyond their economic value? In this online program, Ex-Change co-curator Carlee S. Forbes is joined by Professor Andrew Apter of UCLA Departments of History and Anthropology for a conversation about the role of coins, tokens, and counters in African cultural and ritual systems. Drawing on the Fowler’s African collections and Apter’s scholarship on Yoruba ritual economies, the discussion will explore coins as conduits of memory, belief, and power. These objects transcend monetary function as they participate in spiritual, aesthetic, and historical narratives. Together, Forbes and Apter will consider how these small, everyday forms reflect vast networks of exchange, colonial histories, and symbolic meanings across time.

#Arts #Art

Join us for a special Fowler Out Loud performance by UCLA third-year singer-songwriter Ella Gibson, whose soulful indie folk-pop sound and emotionally resonant lyrics have made her a standout voice on campus. A music industry major, Gibson draws inspiration from artists like Phoebe Bridgers, Lizzy McAlpine, and Taylor Swift, blending introspective storytelling with acoustic-driven melodies. Gibson recently won Best Overall Act and the Bruin Choice Award at Spring Sing 2025 for her original song Patch; she continues to gain recognition for her heartfelt performances and raw, expressive songwriting. At the Fowler, she’ll share acoustic versions of her original music, inviting listeners into her creative journey of growth, uncertainty, and self-discovery. Fowler Out Loud is an evening concert series that invites UCLA students from various disciplines to perform at the museum.

#Arts #Music

This program is co-presented by the Fowler Museum at UCLA, the CMRS Center for Early Global Studies through the “Race in the Global Past through Native Lenses” research initiative, and the Consulate General of Peru in Los Angeles. Exploring Indigenous knowledge and material heritage, Living Threads will feature three master weavers from the community of San Miguel de Cajamarca in Peru. The program will highlight the ancestral textile traditions of the northern Andes, emphasizing the essential role of women in preserving, transmitting, and evolving cultural heritage through the art of weaving. Join us for an afternoon of conversation, live weaving demonstration, a community weaving workshop, and a trunk show. Program Schedule 2:00–2:15 PM: Welcome and offering Opening remarks by Professor María Luz De La Torre of UCLA, followed by a traditional offering to the land or “pago a la tierra”—a gesture of gratitude to the land, Pachamama, and the weaving tradition. 2:15–2:45 PM: Conversation with master weavers The program will begin with an introduction to the visiting master weavers and their work. In a moderated conversation, the artisans will share the cultural meanings embedded in their textiles, their weaving techniques, and how knowledge is passed down generations. This dialogue will center Indigenous voices, highlighting memory, resistance, and creativity, and emphasizing the Andean world’s transmission of knowledge and its contributions to global artistic practices. 2:45–3:30 PM: Live weaving demonstration Attendees will witness a live demonstration of traditional Andean weaving practices, including the use of backstrap looms, natural dyes, and regional iconography. This session will offer an opportunity to glimpse the technical, symbolic, and historical richness of northern Andean textile art. 3:30–4:30 PM: Community weaving workshop Participants will be invited to engage in a hands-on workshop led by the weavers. This session will introduce basic techniques and foster learning, intergenerational exchange, and meaningful dialogue across cultures. 4:30–6:00 PM: Trunk show A marketplace will close the day, offering the public a chance to purchase textiles directly from the artisans. This trunk show will help support the economic livelihood of the weavers while creating space for deeper connections to the stories woven into each piece. Co-presented by CMRS Center for Early Global Studies through the Race in the Global Past through Native Lenses research initiative, Cancillería Cajamarca, and the Consulate General of Peru in Los Angeles

#Arts #Art

Our annual concert under the stars with Mariachi de Uclatlán—the first mariachi ensemble established at an academic university, led by Grammy-winning musical director Jesús “Chuy” Guzmán, and admired around the world for its passionate musical excellence—will celebrate Día de los Muertos with the music of influential Mexican composers. Fowler Out Loud is an evening concert series that invites UCLA students from various disciplines to perform at the museum.

#Undergraduate #GraduateProfessional #Alumni #Arts #Music

Presented in conjunction with the Fire Kinship exhibition at the Fowler Museum at UCLA, this panel will bring together Indigenous scholars, fire practitioners, and land trust leaders to explore the role of land conservancy in the broader Land Back movement. Focusing on fire as both a cultural practice and an ecological tool, the discussion will examine how Indigenous-led conservancies are reclaiming stewardship through legal frameworks that support the return of land and the revitalization of ancestral care practices. Panelists will share case studies, community-led strategies, and the challenges of putting fire back on the ground in landscapes where cultural burns were once suppressed. Together, we will consider how land trusts and conservancies can be leveraged to return jurisdiction to Indigenous nations, support fire-based stewardship, and foster cultural and ecological renewal.

#Arts #Art

Celebrate Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with artist Maria Elena Cruz and honor the loved ones who have passed away through hands-on artmaking. Create your own mini ofrendas (shrines/offerings) and colorful sugar skull piñatas. Enjoy a curator-led walk-through of our newly installed interpretive kiosks showcasing vibrant devotional practices in Haiti, Guatemala, and Mexico. The program will also include live music by Mariachi Alta California and light refreshments. Program Schedule 1pm–1:30pm: Opening blessing 1:30–2:15pm: Curator-led walk-through of our newly installed interpretive kiosks; Joss Gallery 1:30–4pm: Sugar skull piñatas and mini ofrendas art-making activity with artist and educator Maria Elena Cruz; available for drop-in; courtyard and Deutsch seminar room 3–4pm: Mariachi Alta California performance; amphitheater

#Cultural #Spiritual