The Savannah African Art Museum has announced this year’s theme of “Honoring and Celebrating” and lineup of upcoming workshops. This will be a three-part series centered around honoring & celebrating ancestors, family traditions, trailblazers, and the earth. Each workshop will be interactive with hands on activities for all participants. The first installment will focus on “Honoring”, with the first event scheduled for January 14 at their Upbeat Village Terracotta Gallery, 201 East 37th Street, Savannah.

January 14 – Honoring Self - Affirmation Journal Making: To kick off the new year and new series, The Savannah African Art Museum will hold an Affirmation Journal making workshop, where participants will create affirmation journals with African fabric and interior cover pages. Participants will then be able to use the journals to record affirmations, statements that encourage and reinforce positive thinking towards personal goals and desires. The museum will provide a list of affirmations for inspiration, as well as all materials needed for the journals. This event is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. and seats will be limited so RSVPs are required for this event.

February – Honoring Our Roots - Tips & Resources For Tracing Your Roots: Back by popular demand we are collaborating with our neighbor, the Bull Street Library - Kaye Kole Genealogy & Local History Room to facilitate this workshop which will include a brief talk about the importance of knowing your roots, a guide through what resources are available at the library, tips on how to get started, navigate, and organize your research.

March – Honoring Our Women Trailblazers – Women’s History Month: We will spotlight a trailblazer in our midst, Connie Williams, our Docent & Entrepreneur who was appointed Chief in the village of Kpanvo (Northern Region of Tamale Ghana) in 2009 for applying her diverse leadership experience in banking, finance, international business relationships with her commitment to business development and community programs for women and young adults. She will facilitate a workshop working with authentic shea butter from Ghana.

April – Honoring the Earth – Upcycle With a Purpose: Back by popular demand, in honor of Earth Day (April 22nd) we will host a workshop making plastic bed-roll mats for the homeless. The two-fold local & global goal is to help protect the environment by bringing awareness to our daily impact of single-use plastic bags tossed in waterways and landfills, while providing support to the large population of the homeless in our community

All workshops are free and will be held on the second floor of the museum’s Upbeat Village Terracotta Gallery unless otherwise stated. Please note that it is stair access only, no elevator or wheelchair access is available.

“A new year brings both our back by popular demand workshops and fresh new learn and create workshops honoring & celebrating traditions, individuals past & present, freedom, and the earth,’” Education Community Outreach Liaison, Lisa Jackson said. “We are excited about our upcoming workshops and events planned for this year which features the launch of a new exhibit and new collaborations.”

Registration is required via the museum’s website, www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org. To learn more about the museum, upcoming workshops, and the museum’s newest collections, please visit www.savannahafricanartmuseum.org and follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @SavannahAfricanArtMuseum.

Savannah African Art Museum is a nonprofit institution that introduces all audiences to African art and culture. Its mission is to provide engaging experiences that educate and start conversations about the power, diversity, and spirituality of African art.