The Art of Remembrance
February 2026
As part of Hi-ARTS Civic Engagement initiatives, The Art of Remembrance is a participatory program rooted in memory, lineage, and artistic practice. Audiences are invited to honor artistic, political, and lineage ancestors, chosen family, and community elders through an evolving altar or ofrenda that serves as a site of grounding, reflection, and intention.
Originally developed through conversations around Días de los Muertos, The Art of Remembrance has evolved into a broader framework for honoring legacy across cultures and histories. While rooted in this tradition, the program is not limited to a singular cultural expression of memory. Instead, it creates space for participants to bring their own ancestral practices, rituals, and ways of honoring into dialogue with one another. Each iteration is shaped by the current climate, the artists involved, and the community present, keeping the program responsive and alive.
A Cultural Exchange between 651 ARTS and Hi-ARTS
This Black History Month activation is presented as a partnership between 651 ARTS and Hi-ARTS, uniting their respective deep, longstanding commitments to supporting Black Artists and cultivating spaces for artistic leadership, experimentation, and community-rooted creation. This collaboration operates as a cultural exchange – sharing knowledge, histories, and practices across institutions, disciplines, and generations.
During Black History Month, The Art of Remembrance is activated through performances and gatherings that embody remembrance through sound, storytelling, and presence. Each event serves as an offering – honoring Black Artists whose work continues to shape the cultural landscape.
During Black History Month, The Art of Remembrance is activated through performances and gatherings that embody remembrance through sound, storytelling, and presence. Each event serves as an offering – honoring Black Artists whose work continues to shape the cultural landscape. The following events take place at L10 Arts and Cultural Center, in partnership with 651 ARTS.
Black History Month Activations
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February 11, 7:30pm
A solo David Murray performance, honoring his longtime friend and collaborator Amiri Baraka. Through improvisation and memory, Murray connects past and present – allowing the music to carry the urgency.
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February 12, 7:30pm
Blacks’ Myths, the music and research project led by bassist Luke Stewart with drummer Warren Trae Crudup, exploring the myth-story and historical presence of Blackness on Earth and beyond. This special performance includes Marshall Allen, the 101-year-old saxophonist and longtime leader of the Sun Ra Arkestra, whose contributions have shaped the language of Afrofuturist sound for generations.
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February 28, 11:30am
A family-friendly Storytime activation and cypher with Detroit Poet Laureate, jessica Care moore, build your own crown in a hands-on craft activity, take photos, and take home a copy of Your Crown Shines. Read along with jessica as she shares her newest children’s book, Your Crown Shines- a poetic picture book about the appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court. Children will also get to explore their cypher skills onstage!
Partnership
About 651 ARTS
Since its founding in 1988, 651 ARTS has become a trusted convener of contemporary African Diasporic artistic expression, a champion and nurturer for emerging artists and their work and a vital cultural resource for its surrounding community. As it moves forward, part of 651 ARTS’ mission is to preserve the legacy of Black culture in Brooklyn, celebrate the eclecticism of Black performance, and to pioneer new visions of African Diaspora artists. This year – the transition year – is integral for the institution as it continues to lay the framework that will further help to reinforce 651 ARTS’ role as a leader of African Diasporic culture while also establishing it an incubator for artistic innovation in the 21st century.
651ARTS.org • @651ARTS