Oakland Museum of California

Congratulations Mildred Howard on the upcoming opening of Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory -- the first major museum exhibition to celebrate the work of this truly beloved Bay Area artist, spanning five decades of her work. One of Hung Liu's "triplet sisters" along with Amalia Mesa-Bains, she is having quite a year, receiving the California Arts Council's 50th Anniversary Award, honoring artists whose work shaped California’s cultural and civic life, and the Museum of the African Diaspora’s Artist Impact Award. The exhibition opens at the Oakland Museum of California for members on June 11th. Not a member? Join now, I just did, in honor of Mildred and the amazing team at OMCA led by Lori Fogarty, Makeda Best and Carin Adams. ❤️ https://lnkd.in/eRfPfpW9

Museums need to move beyond vague commitments to 'good work' and articulate clearly what civic responsibility actually looks like in practice. Values only mean something when they're visible in how we operate, not just what we exhibit. Highly recommend reading Lori Fogarty's (Oakland Museum of California) recent article in The Art Newspaper exploring the differences between a civil institution and a civic one. The article breaks this down into two layers. First, inside the organisation: treating staff well through union recognition, pay equity (a minimum of $30.88/hour at OMCA) and transparent financial practices. Second, outward-facing: centring community voices in programming, creating spaces for people across different backgrounds to connect, measuring impact rigorously, and building solidarity networks with like-minded organisations. This is a great call to action for our sector, asking us to really embrace our role as active contributors to community well-being (not just places of learning), especially in the current political climate. Essential reading! Also in Curated this issue: museum educator Rachel Ropeik borrows the central idea of The Velveteen Rabbit to ask what if being used and loved is what makes an object real. Loved this talk! And journalist Kate Murphy discussing her book Why We Click, on the science of interpersonal synchrony. Great listening for anyone who designs experiences where human connection is central to the work. Curated Issue 10/2026 is in your inbox now. Not yet subscribed? I'll put the link in the comments. 👇 Photo: A Friday Nights at OMCA event at the Oakland Museum of California in 2025. Credit: David Mulgado. Courtesy Oakland Museum of California.

"Current contender for show of the year." - KQED Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory opens THIS FRIDAY June 12! In Howard’s first major museum exhibition, the beloved Bay Area Artist brings together five decades of iconic collages, found-object sculptures, and immersive installations—alongside new, never-before-seen works and archival materials from her Oakland studio. Her work lives not only in galleries but also on streets across the Bay Area, through her many public art installations that honor overlooked stories. Get tickets at museumca.org and enter Mildred Howard's vibrant world, and explore memory, identity, and the stories we carry! Read more here: https://bit.ly/443TzlP

Happy Birthday to Edith Heath 🎈 A visionary of California design, Edith Heath transformed everyday ceramics through forms that were both functional and enduring. Her work reflects a belief that good design belongs to everyone. We’re honored to celebrate her legacy through a recent gift from the Brian and Edith Heath Foundation of more than 100 objects and an endowment supporting the care of craft and decorative arts in Oakland Museum of California’s collection, helping preserve and share these stories for generations to come. See Heath’s work in our galleries. #EdithHeath #HeathCeramics #Ceramics #WomenInArt #CaliforniaDesign #OaklandMuseumCA 📸: Courtesy of Edith Heath/Heath Ceramics Collection, Environmental Design Archives, UC Berkeley. 

We’re proud to share that OMCA Director & CEO Lori Fogarty will join Ann Burroughs, Brandon Dillard, and moderator James E. Herr at the upcoming American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo for the roundtable discussion: Memory as Resilience and Resistance: Museums, Democracy, and the Civic Space. At the Oakland Museum of CA, we believe museums can be spaces for reflection, connection, and civic engagement, and we’re honored to contribute to this important conversation alongside peers from across the field.  #OMCA #AAM2026 #MuseumExpo #Museums #CommunityEngagement

We are so excited to have our Executive Director, Lori Fogarty's voice featured in the San Francisco Chronicle and The Art Newspaper! If you care about how museums are showing up for their communities, we encourage you to read these two articles and welcome the dialogue that follows.

“As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, one question feels increasingly urgent: Where does California fit into the story of America?” Honored that our museum’s Executive Director and CEO, Lori Fogarty, has a featured op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle. This piece is a powerful reminder of why telling California’s full, nuanced story matters—now more than ever at the Oakland Museum of California. Read the full op-ed:https://bit.ly/4wg1fyD #Museums #CivicInstitutions #ArtsLeadership #MuseumWork #EquityInAction #CulturalInstitutions #CommunityEngagement #PublicTrust #ArtsAndCulture #OMCA

Last weekend, Mildred Howard joined SF Art Fair for a conversation exploring both the historical foundations and the evolving future of public art. Mildred Howard is a beloved Bay Area artist whose five-decade practice explores memory, identity, and the stories that shape our communities. Born in San Francisco and raised in Berkeley, she draws on everyday materials to create powerful collages, sculptures, and monumental public artworks that are both poetic and politically resonant. “Mildred Howard: Poetics of Memory” opens June 12, 2026 at the Oakland Museum of CA. This is the first major museum exhibition to celebrate Howard’s work, displaying five decades of collages, found-object sculptures, immersive installations, and never-before-seen pieces. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/gh54WTWB #MildredHoward #OMCA #SFArtFair #PublicArt #SanFranciscoArtFair2026 #BayAreaArt

We're #hiring a new Senior Curator, History in Oakland, California. Apply today or share this post with your network.