Cradle Will Rock | Cinema Under Pressure
2026-07-13 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Our Monday night film series, Cinema Under Pressure, explores the struggle over what audiences are permitted to see, pairing each screening with a discussion featuring guest experts.
Tim Robbins’ 1999 film Cradle Will Rock tells the true story of one of the most infamous acts of cultural censorship in American history: the final days of the Federal Theatre Project, when Orson Welles and John Houseman staged a controversial production of Marc Blitzstein’s proletarian musical The Cradle Will Rock, leading to a landmark moment in the history of American theater. Robbins frames this story within a sweeping panorama of art, money, and power in Depression-era America, where politicians, patrons, and propagandists all fought to direct artistic creativity toward their own ends.
Following the screening, writer-director Tim Robbins joins us in conversation. An Academy Award winner, an activist, and a founder of the Actors’ Gang, Robbins has spent his career outspoken on questions of artistic and political freedom, and has weathered public backlash for his own views. He joins us to discuss the film, the history behind it, and its enduring relevance.
This is a free program. RSVPs do not guarantee admission to the A-Frame Theater. Limited seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

Tuesday Men's Club
2026-07-14 19:00 - 20:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Tuesday Men’s Club is a gathering for men to sit in meditation, have an honest conversation, and enjoy each other’s company. Men of all ages (our group ranges from 27 to 82) gather after work every other Tuesday. Some nights we talk about integrity, grief, or what it means to show up. Other nights it’s managing screen time, coaching Little League, parenting teenagers, staying in shape, or dealing with tennis elbows.
The format is simple: we introduce ourselves, we meditate, we talk, and then we eat ice cream.
We meet the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of each month at 7pm at the Wende Museum. No experience with meditation or group work is required. Drop-ins are welcome.
More at tuesdaymensclub.com

Wellness Wednesday
2026-07-15 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-07-22 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-07-29 09:00 - 10:00, 2026-08-05 09:00 - 10:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Join us for our weekly mindfulness meditation. Whether you are new to meditation or already have experience we welcome you to this community sit in the beautiful A-Frame Theater of the Wende Museum Community Center
You do not have to join all sessions but can join as your schedule allows. Each session is followed by complimentary garden refreshments and an optional movement class.
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is being fully present to your life instead of being on autopilot. Our mind tends to rehash the past and to rehearse the future. There is nothing wrong with that except that it does it too much and it keeps us from being with what is actually happening right in this moment. We can feel like life is passing us by and we miss a lot of good moments with family and friends, in nature and just throughout the day. When we are present we become better listeners and observers and will make better choices, big and small. People who regularly practice mindfulness meditation report overall stress levels going down and being able to deal with whatever comes their way in a better, healthier way. They also feel more connected and more joyful.
We practice this through mindfulness meditation where we train the mind to stay with an anchor, like the sensations of the breath. Eventually the mind will calm down and so will the body. We learn tools to be with a busy mind, challenging emotions, and even physical pain. We can access peace, calm and joy that arises independently of what’s going on in our lives at this time.
Teacher Bio:
Christiane Wolf is an internationally known mindfulness and Insight (Vipassana) meditation teacher. Originally from Berlin, Germany, she is a longtime proud resident of Culver City where her three children attended (or still attend) CCMS and CCHS.
Christiane was trained as an OB/GYN in Germany but pivoted to not only practicing mindfulness meditation but then teaching it, mainly through InsightLA.
She was trained and mentored by Trudy Goodman, Jack Kornfield, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Gil Fronsdal and others.
Christiane is the author of Outsmart Your Pain – Mindfulness and Self-Compassion to Help You Leave Chronic Pain Behind and the coauthor of A Clinician’s Guide to Teaching Mindfulness, a classic training manual for mindfulness teachers.
Check www.christianewolf.com for more info.
An ADA-accessible entrance to the Wende Museum Community Center is available through the gate from the parking lot at 10858 Culver Blvd. Limited floor space is first come, first serve. Please arrive early as RSVP does not guarantee admission to this free program.

The Movement Playground with Cantilever Collective
2026-07-16 17:30 - 19:00, 2026-08-06 17:30 - 19:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Step into the spontaneous spirit of The Movement Playground, a dance workshop series from Cantilever Collective. Each session is improvised, ephemeral, and open to all—no dance experience required. With live-mixed soundscapes, playful prompts, and space to move freely, these workshops invite you to explore connection, curiosity, and joy through your own body’s language.
One day’s “play” will never be the same as the next. Come as you are. Move how you feel.
An ADA-accessible entrance to the Wende Museum Community Center is available through the garden gate from the parking lot. It will open approximately 30 minutes before the program begins.
RSVPs for this free program do not guarantee admission to the A-Frame Theater. Doors will open and seating will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Limited seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Please note that doors will close promptly at the program’s start time and late entry will not be permitted.

Community Flow Yoga with Kate O’ Neal
2026-07-17 10:30 - 11:30, 2026-07-24 10:30 - 11:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Participants must bring their own yoga mat, and are encouraged to also bring a towel to pad their knees and yoga blocks if desired.
Join our new weekly yoga session; all experience levels welcome! Yoga is a practice that builds strength, flexibility, and focus while calming the mind and restoring balance to the body. Through mindful movement and breathwork, it supports physical health, reduces stress, and cultivates a deeper sense of well-being that carries into daily life. Each class offers a chance to reset, recharge, and reconnect.
Kate is a certified yoga instructor with teaching experience at Cliffs of Id, Iconic Fitness, Red Diamond Yoga, Downtown Women’s Center, and Stoneview Nature Center. Her classes combine gentle warm-ups, smooth flow sequences of strength-building poses, and restorative cool-downs, creating an accessible practice that leaves students grounded, energized, and renewed.
As this event takes place during museum open hours, guests may check in at the front of the museum. The garden side gate will open 15 minutes before the start time and is available for ADA access and alternative check-in. Theater doors open 15 minutes before the start time. Seating is first come, first served. An RSVP does not guarantee admission once capacity is reached. No late entry.

#Standing4BlackGirls Music and Poetry Festival
2026-07-18 15:00 - 20:30 | CA
The #Standing4BlackGirls Music and Poetry concert festival will feature original multi-genre music and spoken word performances by Black female-identifying and queer artists. Headlined by internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist Malina Moye, the event will raise awareness about disproportionate gender-based violence experienced by Black women and girls in L.A. County and beyond, while providing powerful testimony to the lived experiences and creativity of local and national Black women artists, musicians, and BIPOC community allies. This event is sponsored by the Women’s Leadership Project, a Black feminist mentoring, advocacy and civic engagement organization based in Los Angeles, in partnership with Black Skeptics Los Angeles, with generous funding made possible by the Culver City Cultural Affairs Commission and Sony Music. Featured musicians include Mystical Joyride, Naomi Wilson, Berklee College of Music, Maurock Music Academy and AMPA Hamilton HS youth.
Doors open at 3pm. This all ages event is free and open to the public.

Summer Camp at the Stevie | Ocarina Handbuilding Workshop
2026-07-19 10:30 - 13:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Reconnect with your creativity through Summer Camp at the Stevie, a five-part workshop series that invites adults (age 16+) to experience art making through the senses. Set in the Wende Museum’s Stevie Artist Residence garden oasis, each Sunday workshop explores one of the five senses through a different creative practice, from watercolor painting and basket weaving to ceramics, botanical incense making, and traditional food preservation.
Inspired by the spirit of summer camp, the series encourages participants to slow down, notice the world around them, and engage with natural materials in meaningful ways. Together, we’ll observe the colors of the landscape, listen through handmade instruments, weave with plant fibers, create fragrances from botanicals, and preserve seasonal ingredients, discovering how creativity can deepen our relationship to the environment and one another.
Designed for artists and beginners alike, Summer Camp at the Stevie celebrates making by hand as a pathway to mindfulness, curiosity, and community. Whether you attend a single workshop or join us for the full series, you’ll leave with new skills, meaningful connections, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty found in the natural world.
What is the Stevie?
Tucked away on the southwestern side of the Wende Museum’s Community Center, the Stevie is a “tiny house” turned creative outpost. Surrounded by palms and desert landscaping, it serves as both an artist residency space and an intimate venue for programs, gatherings, and experimental events on its expansive outdoor deck. The Stevie was made possible by a transformative contribution from Steve and Jadwiga Markoff.
Workshop Description: SOUND | Ocarina Handbuilding Workshop with Peyton Ellis
Have you ever wanted to make your own instrument? In this workshop, you will be able to customize and handcraft your own personalized ocarina-flute. Participants will use air-dry clay to sculpt and form their instruments into whatever shape they desire while exploring the resonance and airflow of their pieces. While crafting these ocarinas, you will be encouraged to channel your childlike wonder and invite playfulness while practicing the art of sound sculptures. All materials will be provided.
Artist Bio
Peyton Ellis (They/Them) studied music, ceramics, and performance art at California Institute of the Arts and graduated with a BFA in Experimental Pop Music. With 8+ years of experience in music and ceramics, Peyton specializes in wheel throwing, handbuilding, installations, and the physics of sound. Peyton’s interdisciplinary talents in physical and auditory art have supported their practice of experimenting with sound sculptures through performance and recording.

Tea Dances: Groove and Step with Ronnie Martin
2026-07-19 15:00 - 17:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
The Wende Museum’s Tea Dance series invites you to move, mingle, and unwind through the joyful rhythm of social dance. Hosted in the Wende’s Community Center, each session features different dance traditions, ranging from Argentine tango to vintage swing, led by local artists and dance instructors. No experience or partner required.
Tea dances originated in early 20th-century Britain and America as daytime socials, often held in hotels and ballrooms, offering live music, light refreshments, and a welcoming space for community connection. Revived in the queer communities of mid-century America, the tradition evolved into a vibrant celebration of expression and belonging.
In that spirit, our Sunday Tea Dances offer a space to unplug, connect, and move together. These afternoons are for everyone: curious beginners, practiced dancers, and people just looking to enjoy good music and warm company.
Come for the class, stay for the social, and rediscover the art of togetherness.
Free and open to all. Comfortable shoes are encouraged.
About the July 19 Session
This is an all levels dance class that captures certain elements of traditional southern line dance and hip hop choreography simultaneously! The class will involve choreography however, there is still space for individual creativity and unique dance expression. Groove and Step cultivates energy, connection, and JOY!
About the instructor:
Ronnie Martin is a professional dancer/choreographer from New Orleans, Louisiana. He has been a part of two major dance companies, So Real Dance Co. and Texas Southern Dance Co. and has been teaching all levels of hip hop choreography for the past 10 years. Once he relocated to LA he developed a love and passion for fitness which encouraged him to create his own fun and effective way to have the best of both worlds (Dance and Fitness). He has been teaching hip hop cardio classes for 7 years now and line dance classes for 5 years ! He believes that Dance fitness is great way to get active as well decompress. His goal is to constantly create spaces for the advancement of physical and mental health in a creative way!
As this event takes place during museum open hours, guests may check in at the front of the museum. The garden side gate will open 15 minutes before the start time and is available for ADA access and check-in. Theater doors open 15 minutes before the start time. An RSVP does not guarantee admission once capacity is reached. No late entry.

Living with Loss: A Grief Support Circle
2026-07-21 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-07-28 18:30 - 19:30, 2026-08-04 18:30 - 19:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Join a warm and understanding space where you can share, listen, and heal. Led by Dr. Barry Goldstein, this grief support circle is all about connecting with others who get what you’re going through. Come as you are, no judgments—just open hearts and support to navigate the ups and downs of loss side by side. Everyone is welcome!

Saved by a Story–Intergenerational Writing Group
2026-07-22 16:00 - 18:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Participants ages 14 and up welcomed. Please arrive 5 or 10 minutes early to get settled, as we start the group promptly at 4pm.
We are excited to come together in community, to dive into our creativity and share our stories.
What is Saved by a Story-Intergenerational Writing Workshop at the Wende Museum? Participants of all ages write to prompts to spark creativity, share stories and build community. We write to surprise ourselves and discover the bounty of stories that lie within.
We come together and write, choose to share (or not, you decide), listen and write some more.We do this in the beautiful environs of the Wende Museum and its provocative and compelling collection. Some of our prompts will help us engage with the current exhibitions as well as engage with each other.
In later groups, we will draft stories and workshop them.
We offer creativity and community in a non-judgmental environment.
The writing group meets in person on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
Please arrive 5 or 10 minutes early to get settled as we start punctually at 4pm.
What you will need:– a note book–nothing fancy–a pen–if you prefer to write on a computer, feel free to bring that.
Where:
Wende Museum’s Community Center
in the Cotsen Learning Center on the Second Floor
10858 Culver Boulevard
Culver City, CA, 90230
310-216-1600
Please enter through the garden gate from the parking lot at 10858 Culver Blvd.
RSVPs for this free program do not guarantee admission. Doors will open and seating will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Limited seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Please note that doors will close promptly at the program’s start time and late entry will not be permitted.

Afro-Contemporary Workshop with Bernard Brown/bbmoves & Defacto X
2026-07-23 18:30 - 19:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Fast-paced and educational, this Afro-Contemporary dance technique class will challenge participants to engage body, mind, and spirit, learn movement phrases, push beyond “technique,” and to explore their own individual performance choices throughout. Focusing on breath, alignment, rhythm and articulation, this contemporary movement experience will incorporate many influences including Africanist movement technologies, postmodern aesthetics, and modern & contemporary dance techniques with a distinct emphasis on the foundational Katherine Dunham technique. Class will have live DJ accompaniment by DeFacto X.
Bio:
Bernard Brown is an award-winning Los Angeles-based performer, choreographer, arts activist, and educator who situates their work at the intersection of Blackness, Queerness, and belonging. With an extensive performing career, Bernard now serves as Executive Artistic Director of Bernard Brown/bbmoves – a social justice dance company, choreographing for stage, specific sites, film, and opera presented globally. Brown has received invitations, residencies and commissions from On The Boards (Seattle), The Getty Museum (Los Angeles), the Centre de Développement Chorégraphique la Termitière (Burkina Faso), Dance Italia (Italy), The Music Center (Los Angeles), The Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (Los Angeles), Dance Mission Theater (San Francisco), danceBox (Japan), Johns Hopkins University, National Immigration Law Center, California African American Museum, among others. Brown conducts lectures, workshops, and master classes internationally, namely in Korea, Panama, Israel, Burkina Faso, Canada, Puerto Rico, Malta, and Brazil, and across the US various educational institutions and community-centered organizations. A first-generation college graduate, Brown earned his MFA from University of California, Los Angeles and BFA from Purchase College. He is an Assistant Professor of Dance at UC San Diego, a Certified Katherine Dunham Technique Instructor, and a California Arts Council Established Artist Fellow. The Los Angeles Times has called him “…the incomparable Bernard Brown…”
This workshop will take place in the A-Frame Theater at the Wende Museum Community Center. Please enter through the ADA-accessible garden gate entrance from the parking lot, which will open approximately 30 minutes before the workshop begins. The gate will close 20 minutes after the program starts. We recommend wearing comfortable clothing you can move in.
Photo by David B. Arenas

Bilingual Russian-English Storytime
2026-07-25 10:30 - 11:00 | The Wende Museum, 10808 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Join us at the Wende Museum for a special bilingual children’s storytime, featuring captivating Russian tales from the Wende’s collection of Soviet Books. Hosted by our Archives Assistant, stories will be presented in both English and Russian, offering a fun and engaging experience for young listeners of all backgrounds. Perfect for children aged 4-8 and their families, this event celebrates culture and language through the joy of storytelling!

The July 25 story time will include a special marionette performance, courtesy of our friends at the Bob Baker Marionette Theater!

Family Day at the Wende: Bob Baker Marionette Theater
2026-07-25 14:00 - 15:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Join us for Family Day at the Wende Museum for a special presentation of The Bob Baker Marionette Theater’s Traveling Jamboree roadshow with a colorful and whimsical cast of characters!
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Doors open at 1:45pm and the performance will begin in the A-Frame Theater at 2pm. Light refreshments will be served in the Wende’s Garden following the performance.
About:
Bob Baker Marionette Theater is the country’s most iconic nonprofit puppet theater and a Los Angeles Cultural-Historical Monument that has served its community with creativity, joy, and imagination since 1963. The nonprofit Theater serves an intergenerational audience of over 145,000 people each year through its cultural and educational programs and impactful, immersive performances at the intersection of puppetry and the allied arts.

Summer Camp at the Stevie | Block-Printing & Infinite Patterns by Hand
2026-07-26 10:30 - 13:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Reconnect with your creativity through Summer Camp at the Stevie, a five-part workshop series that invites adults (age 16+) to experience art making through the senses. Set in the Wende Museum’s Stevie Artist Residence garden oasis, each Sunday workshop explores one of the five senses through a different creative practice, from watercolor painting and basket weaving to ceramics, botanical incense making, and traditional food preservation.
Inspired by the spirit of summer camp, the series encourages participants to slow down, notice the world around them, and engage with natural materials in meaningful ways. Together, we’ll observe the colors of the landscape, listen through handmade instruments, weave with plant fibers, create fragrances from botanicals, and preserve seasonal ingredients, discovering how creativity can deepen our relationship to the environment and one another.
Designed for artists and beginners alike, Summer Camp at the Stevie celebrates making by hand as a pathway to mindfulness, curiosity, and community. Whether you attend a single workshop or join us for the full series, you’ll leave with new skills, meaningful connections, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty found in the natural world.
What is the Stevie?
Tucked away on the southwestern side of the Wende Museum’s Community Center, the Stevie is a “tiny house” turned creative outpost. Surrounded by palms and desert landscaping, it serves as both an artist residency space and an intimate venue for programs, gatherings, and experimental events on its expansive outdoor deck. The Stevie was made possible by a transformative contribution from Steve and Jadwiga Markoff.
Workshop Description: TOUCH | Block-Printing & Infinite Patterns by Hand with Alejandro Figueredo Diaz-Perera
Discover how a single block-printed shape can produce countless different compositions simply by changing its orientation. Using a collection of original modular patterns designed by the artist, participants will explore the surprising beauty of relief printing on fabric. As simple carved blocks are repeated and rotated, endlessly evolving designs begin to emerge. The workshop invites participants to experience the pleasure of making by hand through carving, inking, and printing, and the wonder of watching intricate patterns gradually emerge from the simplest of forms. Participants will carve their own printing block and hand-print a cotton bandana to take home. No previous experience is necessary, materials will be provided.
Artist Bio
Alejandro Figueredo Diaz-Perera is a Cuban-American artist and educator based in Los Angeles. His interdisciplinary practice spans painting, printmaking, installation, and performance, exploring perception, memory, and the ways images shape our understanding of the world. He is the founder of Studios Colibrí, an artist-run studio in Baldwin Hills dedicated to art education, workshops, and creative experimentation, where he encourages participants to rediscover the pleasure of making by hand.

Los Angeles Silent Book Club
2026-07-26 13:00 - 15:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
We are a low-pressure community of readers who read silently, but together. There is no assigned reading—bring whatever is in your TBR pile and join us.
The first half hour of our meetup is dedicated to socializing and getting comfortable, then we head into our silent reading hour, followed by another half hour to discuss what you read or just hang out and get to know the other readers.
All formats are welcome: physical books, e-readers, or audiobooks (with headphones of course!). Stay updated and learn about our other meetups and locations at instagram.com/silentbookclubla.
No RSVP needed, just show up ready to read!

Identity in the New Regime: Artist Talks
2026-07-26 14:00 - 16:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Welcome to Identity in the New Regime – a residency from hope you have a good time.
our residents have been working to create contemporary art pieces in response to the collections of the Wende museum and our contemporary environment living in the United States. As they have been working they have been exploring the question: what is the impact of living underneath an authoritarian regime?
In this series of artist talks, we will explore the viewpoints of our residents and see what lies ahead for all of us.
Event Itinerary:
Doors 1:30
Artist Talks 2:00-3:30
Reception 3:30-4:30

In the Shadow of a World Cup Legend: A Book Launch with Dagmar Eckel
2026-07-29 10:00 - 11:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Dagmar Eckel grew up as the daughter of Horst Eckel, a member of the West German team that won the 1954 World Cup, the underdog victory remembered as the Miracle of Bern and credited with helping a divided and wounded country heal after the Second World War. That is the public story. Her memoir tells the private one.
The World Champion’s Princess: Unbound & Unbroken asks what it does to a child to grow up in the shadow of a national hero: the expectation, the silence, the pressure of a role she never chose, and the strength that comes from telling the truth. At its heart it is the story of a family that was, for all its fame, ordinary, with the same fears, wounds, secrets, and love as any other.
Dagmar will be in the Wende’s garden during our complimentary Wellness Wednesday reception with copies of her book. Stop by to meet her and hear the story behind it.

Saved by a Story–Wildfire Survivor Writing Workshop
2026-08-01 10:30 - 12:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Participants of all ages welcomed. Please arrive 5 or 10 minutes early to get settled, as we start the group promptly at 10:30 a.m.
Come together to write about the history of the cherished places we have been, what we have lost (and found), and how we will chart a way forward.
We’ll write to timed prompts to spark creativity, share stories, and connect.
We’ll meet Saturdays on the campus of the fascinating Wende Museum. The Wende is a cultural center, art museum and archive that brings history to life.
For more information, email: kathleenkatims@gmail.com
Please enter through the garden gate from the parking lot at 10858 Culver Blvd.
RSVPs for this free program do not guarantee admission. Doors will open and seating will begin 15 minutes prior to the start of the program. Limited seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Please note that doors will close promptly at the program’s start time and late entry will not be permitted.

Samizdat Sundays
2026-08-02 10:30 - 12:30, 2026-08-09 10:30 - 12:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Join us for Samizdat Sundays—hands‑on textile workshops inspired by the spirit of creative resistance and DIY culture found in samizdat traditions. Each week offers a different project, connecting archival stories of subversion with contemporary making.
We encourage participants to bring an item each week—a T‑shirt, a pair of jeans, or any textile you’re ready to transform, repair, or experiment with.
Each session is free, open to all skill levels, and guided by artists who delight in subversion and play. Come for one or come for all—together we’ll stitch, alter, repair, and imagine new forms of expression.
Join us for Samizdat Sundays—hands‑on textile workshops inspired by the spirit of creative resistance and DIY culture found in samizdat traditions. Each week offers a different project, connecting archival stories of subversion with contemporary making.
August 2: I am HERE. Today, we will make a piece that declares we are here, in this time and space. We will look at the work of On Kawara, Tehching Hsieh, Sho Shibuya and JB Daniel, artists who have made a practice of documenting their days as they lived them. Sometimes these works are incredibly simple, like the date/time works of On Kawara or the daily sky photos of JB Daniel; sometimes they are more complicated, like the beautiful paintings Sho Shibuya has made on the front cover of the daily New York Times since the Covid lockdown. What will you make to declare “I am here,” to document your experience today? Will you begin with our latitude/longitude? The time on your smartphone? Or will you begin with a memory or a feeling or a color? Your work can be a collage or a drawing or a textile, or perhaps a combination of all three.
August 9: Time Capsule. There are time capsules being prepared across the country in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence (you can read about the 50-state one here: https://america250.org/time-capsule/contents/). These capsules will be buried, sent into outer space, opened early and perhaps lost for good. Many time capsules are PR stunts, but as my friend archaeologist Shannon Dawdy proposed in her Chronoscope Substack newsletter recently (https://shannonleedawdy.substack.com/p/so-whats-in-your-time-capsule), “we use time capsules to try to understand — or to assert — what this present moment is all about and to project ourselves into the future.” Today we will make an object for a theoretical time capsule. Perhaps you really will send yours into the future by burying your object or adding it to a local time capsule, or perhaps your time capsule is conceptual rather than physical. What object would you like to make for the future?
August 16: The Time-Keeper Appliqué/Embellishment. Have you met someone who has tattoos that mark a period in their life (or do you yourself have such a tattoo)? Throughout human history, people have embellished their bodies and their clothing to reflect their lives as they lived them. Soldiers wear medals and patches that declare aspects of their service and training; tattoos and scarring may document rites of passage and other transitions; backpacks and jean jackets may be decorated with patches and pins from festivals, camps, schools, travels, etc. In today’s workshop, we will add an applique or embellishment to a favorite piece of clothing, bag, or other object, as a reminder of this time of our lives. Perhaps you will begin by making a decorated patch; perhaps you will move straight into embroidering your object directly; or perhaps your embellishment will be hidden from view, only known to you. Bring a textile (or two) to play with — a canvas bag, a shirt, a pair of pants, a bandana — whatever you would like to transform into a time keeper.
August 23: Hidden Pocket. Today we will reprise a popular workshop from last summer: the hidden pocket. Hidden pockets have been used for millennia to hide, conceal, and keep safe objects that the wearer does not want others to see (at least not when they’re walking around town). During the Soviet Era, hidden pockets in large overcoats were used to transport handwritten Samizdat. In the Iron Age, a woman who lived in modern day Denmark wore a cloak with a secret pocket sewn closed (she is known as the “Huldremose Woman.”) that contained small objects that have been described by archaeologists as talismans and charms. Today we will sew a hidden pocket into a piece of clothing (and perhaps make an object or two to keep in the pocket as well), or make a small pouch that can be worn around our necks and hidden in our shirts, or around our waists and hidden in our pants. Perhaps your hidden pocket is visible from the outside, even if it’s contents are not, or perhaps your hidden pocket is truly hidden from everyone but you. What will you keep in your pocket?
August 30: Finish It Clinic. Today, we will finish up projects. If you don’t have anything to finish, don’t despair! Come and I will give you a project from a past workshop to do during our time together.
About the teaching artist
Kate Ingold is an LA-based artist and poet working with the discarded, the damaged, and the worn out. Materials and methods include textiles, collage, photography, video, ceramics, and performative installation. She works in series driven by conceptual concerns and is currently making work in two interwoven projects: Relics for Future Rituals and Damaged Goods/Small Repairs.
RSVPs for this free program do not guarantee admission. Limited seating is available on a first come, first served basis.
An ADA-accessible entrance to the Wende Museum Community Center is available through the garden gate from the parking lot. This gate will be opened approximately 15 minutes prior to the program.

Summer Camp at the Stevie | Smelling for Mental Wellbeing
2026-08-02 10:30 - 13:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Reconnect with your creativity through Summer Camp at the Stevie, a five-part workshop series that invites adults (age 16+) to experience art making through the senses. Set in the Wende Museum’s Stevie Artist Residence garden oasis, each Sunday workshop explores one of the five senses through a different creative practice, from watercolor painting and basket weaving to ceramics, scent making, and traditional food preservation.
Inspired by the spirit of summer camp, the series encourages participants to slow down, notice the world around them, and engage with natural materials in meaningful ways. Together, we’ll observe the colors of the landscape, listen through handmade instruments, weave with plant fibers, create fragrances from botanicals, and preserve seasonal ingredients, discovering how creativity can deepen our relationship to the environment and one another.
Designed for artists and beginners alike, Summer Camp at the Stevie celebrates making by hand as a pathway to mindfulness, curiosity, and community. Whether you attend a single workshop or join us for the full series, you’ll leave with new skills, meaningful connections, and a renewed appreciation for the beauty found in the natural world.
What is the Stevie?
Tucked away on the southwestern side of the Wende Museum’s Community Center, the Stevie is a “tiny house” turned creative outpost. Surrounded by palms and desert landscaping, it serves as both an artist residency space and an intimate venue for programs, gatherings, and experimental events on its expansive outdoor deck. The Stevie was made possible by a transformative contribution from Steve and Jadwiga Markoff.
Workshop Description: SCENT | Smelling for Mental Wellbeing: Aromatic Smelling Salts for Olfactory and Mental Health with Hana Tisserand, Tisserand Institute
Explore the importance of our sense of smell for health, from an early biomarker of cognitive decline to a simple tool for mental wellbeing. This hands-on workshop covers the evidence base for inhalation aromatherapy and the power of aromatic anchoring, and includes a quick smell test. Participants will blend customized smelling salts to take home. All materials will be provided.
Artist Bio
Hana Tisserand is the co-founder and director of operations and communications at the Tisserand Institute, the global leader in evidence-based essential oil education. She oversees the creation of course content and curricula, moderates live webinars, and teaches her own classes. Her background in French and English translation and in adult education gives her a distinct perspective on how information about essential oils is sourced, processed, and communicated. She has worked at the Tisserand Institute for over a decade, and her love for science, essential oils, perfumes, and fragrances runs even deeper, as does her appreciation for fine teas and coffee.

WriteGirl Neighborhood Workshop
2026-08-08 13:00 - 14:30 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Uncover the power of poetry as we explore different styles of poetry and ways that poems can express your unique voice! PLUS, you’ll experiment with new techniques which will help you make your poetry expressive and impactful! Whether you’re someone who’s already passionate about poetry or just starting to explore it, you will benefit from this poetic workshop!
WriteGirl is a Los Angeles-based creative writing and mentoring organization for teen girls and gender-expansive teens ages 13-18. WriteGirl offers workshops, mentoring and college guidance at no cost to participants.
Learn more at www.writegirl.org or email membership@writegirl.org.

Revolution, Prison, Exile: Teofilo Ruiz on Leaving Cuba
2026-08-08 14:00 - 16:00 | The Wende Museum’s Community Center, 10858 Culver Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90230, United States
Historian Teofilo Ruiz joins us to talk about his political engagement in Cuba. As a teenager in San Francisco de Paula, a town outside Havana, Ruiz joined the uprising against Fulgencio Batista. He then broke with the Castro government that replaced him, and in the run-up to the Bay of Pigs he found himself in jail.
He left for Miami in 1961 with three changes of clothing, forty-five dollars, a box of Cuban cigars to sell, and a Spanish translation of Jacob Burckhardt’s A History of Greek Civilization, and went on to become one of the most celebrated historians and teachers in the country.
Ruiz joins us to look back on the risks and disillusionments of his political life, and on the roots of the continuing tension between the U.S. and Cuba.
A complimentary reception follows the program.
About Teofilo Ruiz
Teofilo F. Ruiz is Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus at UCLA, where he held appointments in both the Department of History and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese. A scholar of medieval and early modern Spain, he has published thirteen books, among them Crisis and Continuity: Land and Town in Late Medieval Castile and Spanish Society, 1400–1600. He received the National Humanities Medal from President Obama in 2012 and has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He also serves on the Wende’s Board of Directors.
As this event takes place during museum open hours, guests may check in at the front of the museum. The garden side gate will open 15 minutes before the start time and is available for ADA access and alternative check-in. Theater doors open 15 minutes before the start time. Seating is first come, first served. An RSVP does not guarantee admission once capacity is reached. No late entry.
