#CulturedPeachy @WhitneyMuseum LIVE MUSIC, A CIRCUS CELEBRATION, AND MUCH MORE AT THE WHITNEY DURING FREE FRIDAY NIGHTS AND FREE SECOND SUNDAY
The Whitney’s November lineup for free programs includes a live music performance by Saha Gnawa, artmaking programs for teens, and all-ages activities to celebrate the recently opened Hire Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100. New York, NY, October 30, 2025 — The Whitney Museum of American Art is offering free admission, live music, artmaking activities, and much more throughout November during Free Friday Nights and Free Second Sunday. The Whitney is thrilled to host live performances by Saha Gnawa on Friday, November 7. Presented by Public Records as part of Durations 2025, Saha Gnawa will reimagine modern Gnawa music for this performance during Free Friday Night at the Whitney. Blending North African futurism with New York City’s jazz and contemporary music scenes, the group explores trance-like states through its intuitive interplay, allowing ancestral rhythms and melodies to drift into unknown territories. Gather with family and friends this November to enjoy free programs and experience the exhibitions on view, including the recently opened High Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100, which celebrates the centennial of one of Alexander Calder’s most iconic works and one of the most beloved in the Whitney’s collection, and Sixties Surreal. There’s something for everyone at the Whitney all month long! Friday, November 7 To kick off November’s Free Friday Nights, the Whitney is hosting live music performances by Saha Gnawa, as part of Durations 2025, a multi-genre festival presented by Public Records. At 6:30 pm and 8:30 pm in the third-floor theater, visitors are invited to enjoy performances from the Brooklyn-based collective that brings North African futurism to the U.S., uniting the founders of Innov Gnawa and New York City’s jazz and contemporary scenes to reimagine modern Gnawa music. In addition to music performances, admission to the Museum is free for all visitors from 5– 10 pm. Also coinciding with this Free Friday Night is Art + You: Gallery Conversations for Younger Adults in the fifth-floor galleries at 6 pm. Guided by a Whitney Museum Educator, this session invites younger adult visitors to reflect on select works from Sixties Surreal through close looking and dialogue. This exhibition showcases artists who sought new strategies for connecting art to their lived reality, challenging the status quo of the United States in the 1960s. Earlier in the evening from 4–6 pm, teens are welcome to join Open Studio for Teens, a free artmaking program the Museum offers on select Fridays. Drawing inspiration from themes and artists featured in the Whitney’s and exhibitions, teens can engage with innovative techniques in collaboration with contemporary artists and educators. Sunday, November 9 On Sunday, November 9, the Whitney is offering free admission from 10:30 am–6 pm for visitors of all ages. This is the first Free Second Sunday that Hire Wire: Calder’s Circus at 100 is on view. The exhibition celebrates the centennial of one of Alexander Calder’s most iconic works and one of the most beloved in the Whitney’s collection, Calder’s Circus (1926– 31). High Wire is the Whitney’s first exhibition dedicated to Calder’s Circus since moving to 99 Gansevoort and commemorates the artist’s innovation and the enduring impact this work has had on twentieth-century art. From 11 am–4pm in the third-floor theater, artists of all ages are welcome to enjoy the Circus Celebration. The day will be filled with artmaking programs, lively performances, fun stories, and the full schedule can be found at whitney.org/visit/secondsundays. Friday, November 14 On Friday, November 14, the Museum is offering its second Open Studio for Teens of the month from 4–6 pm. Participating teens will draw inspiration from current exhibitions and the Museum’s collection and explore new methods through hands-on artmaking projects. Later on, from 5–10 pm, all visitors can enjoy free admission, art, drinks, city views, special programming, music, and more during the Whitney’s Free Friday Nights. Friday, November 21 and Friday, November 28 Offering free admission from 5–10 pm, the Whitney’s Free Friday Nights features art, drinks, special programming, music, and more. Though admission is free, tickets are required, and capacity is limited. Advanced tickets are recommended. The latest information about Free Friday Nights programming is always available on whitney.org. Ongoing Exhibition Tours A variety of free exhibition tours led by Whitney educators, ranging from family-focused to 15- minute tours, are offered during Free Friday Nights and Free Second Sundays. For further details on upcoming tours, please visit whitney.org/events. While general admission to the Whitney is free every Friday from 5–10 pm and all day on Sunday, November 9, tickets are still required, and capacity is limited. Advance booking is strongly recommended, and tickets can be reserved at whitney.org/admission. New Free Admission Offerings at the Whitney The Whitney Museum offers free admission to all visitors 25 years of age and younger. The new Free 25 and Under program builds on the Museum’s popular Free Friday Nights and Free Second Sundays initiatives. With the addition of free admission for visitors 25 and under, the Whitney—already a leader in the field, providing free admission for visitors 18 and under for over a decade—offers one of the broadest and most comprehensive free admissions programs among museums in New York and the United States, affirming the Whitney’s commitment to broadening access to American contemporary art and culture, and to reaching new audiences. Free 25 and Under is made possible with the generous support of two three-year gifts from Whitney Museum Board members, longtime supporter Susan Hess, and artist Julie Mehretu. Free Second Sundays at the Whitney help connect more people to the Museum and its mission of celebrating contemporary American art and artists. Second Sundays is made possible by a generous three-year grant from the Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All Program, which supports increased access to museums across the country and fosters engagement with local communities by focusing on common barriers to access. The program and another Whitney initiative, Free Friday Nights, both aim to reduce barriers to access, removing admission fees and offering programs that are entry points for anyone interested in visiting. Photo and video assets from previous Free Friday Nights and Second Sundays at the Whitney can be found at whitney.org/press/free-days-and-nights.
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