Uptown Fridays began at the Studio Museum in Harlem in the summer of 2000 to celebrate art, music, and community. This summer, we invite our neighbors in Harlem and friends throughout the city back uptown to our newly reopened building.

DJs and musicians invigorate the Stoop and fifth floor with sonic traditions from the African diaspora. Take a break on our Rooftop Terrace, which offers stunning views of Harlem; explore the galleries; dance to some of the city’s best DJs; and unwind, all throughout the Museum.

Join us for a special edition of Uptown Fridays developed in collaboration with Terrance Thomas of On the Hush Songs, a New York–based music publishing company with a roster traversing alternative, hip-hop, and R&B. For this Uptown Fridays, A Space for Sound (Rena Anakwe) offers a serene ambient set on the Terrace, followed by cerebral songstress keiyaA, and a R&B-inspired set by rapper SALIMATA.

Dance, explore the galleries, or enjoy stunning views and delicious drinks on the Roof Terrace. Guests 21+ receive one free signature cocktail, courtesy of our beverage sponsor, Hennessy. One free signature cocktail or mocktail per guest.

Please note: Access to the fifth and sixth floors requires a ticket to Uptown Fridays. Visitors can access all other floors with standard general admission to the Museum.

A Space for Sound

A Space for Sound (Rena Anakwe) is a Nigerian, Canadian, and American interdisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn who uses sound, visuals, and scent to explore how nature can help us understand ourselves and our relationship to each another. She is a 2025–26 member of the New Museum’s NEW INC incubator, where she is developing SENSORHEUM, an online platform that connects people to in-person and online healing experiences. Under the moniker ‘A Space for Sound’, Anakwe has released albums through Purple Tape Pedigree and RVNG Intl. She is a resident DJ at Planetarium.


KeiyaA

KeiyaA makes music that excavates, discovers, and excavates again, all in the service of exploring life’s most beautiful and daunting questions: What do we owe to ourselves and others? How do the things we desire hint at the shape of our souls? What does it take to achieve peace of mind, especially when the world is intent on denying you of it? Why won’t you love me when I’m so damn easy to love? Her debut album, Forever Ya Girl, was genre-defying work of simultaneous self- discovery and self-determination. The production, which pulled from R&B, jazz, electronic music, and soul, was as limitless as the lyrics.


SALIMATA

With the pen of a poet and the melodic sensibilities of a veteran composer, Brooklyn-born rapper SALIMATA’s soulful, swaggering style offers a modern take on New York City’s storied hip-hop tradition. A lifelong poet who found a passion for freestyling as a teen, she released her first single “I Can” in 2019, coming in hot with her float-like-a-butterfly, sting-like-a-bee flow.


Terrance Thomas

Terrance Thomas is an artist manager, publishing executive, producer, and cultural worker based in New York. He is the founder of the artist management company On the Hush (L’Rain, Fusilier, Anajah, Rahrah Gabor) and a cofounder of music publishing entity OTH Songs (keiyaA, Moor Mother, Jacolby Satterwhite, Chris Connors, Bathe). Helping mark a turn for the legendary Red Hot Organization's 30+ year legacy, Terrance is a coproducer on the Grammy-nominated TRANSA and guided contributions from André 3000, Sam Smith, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Allison Russell, Dirty Projectors, Kelela, Kara Jackson, Ahya Simone and many more.


On the Hush Songs

On the Hush Songs is a boutique publishing administration company that prides itself on being hands-on in developing compelling songwriters and music creators.

Limited tickets will be available online and onsite with pricing as follows:

• $20 General Admission
• $15 Members

Minors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Attendees must be 21+ to drink. One free signature cocktail or mocktail per guest.

Capacity on the fifth floor and terrace is limited. Drop into music, art, and other activations throughout the Museum over the course of the evening.