Breathe and reconnect to the pure intention of your heart with Céline Antoine, our March Wellness Monday leader and certified breathwork guide. In this intensive 90-minute Healing Breathwork class, participants will mindfully engage their breath using a potent technique called circular breath. Participants will be lying on the ground and must bring their own yoga mat and 1 to 2 blankets/throws/or beach towels for the practice.

This technique helps relieve stress and anxiety while releasing emotions stuck in the body. Healing Breathwork allows participants the opportunity to gain deep insights and experience profound breakthroughs and can often lead to a powerful and transformational experience that resonates in the body well after the session has ended.

In the words of Tich Naht Hanh, “breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness.”

This class is not recommended if you have heart problems, unmedicated high blood pressure, glaucoma or detached retina, or if you are pregnant.

Learn from expert, Oliver Tobin— former Teens@Graham Director and curator of Martha Graham: Collaborations – who invites teens with a love for movement to explore Graham’s 1929 choreographed work Heretic. This participatory workshop is open to teenagers of all dance backgrounds and experience levels.  Participants will be introduced to the Martha Graham Technique and explore embodied storytelling through movement in the main gallery, surrounded by the iconic history and legacy presented in the exhibition.

Programmed in tandem with the exhibition, this workshop celebrates International Women’s Day, Sunday, March 8^th. Join us in honoring Martha Graham, who devoted her life and body to the arts, sought power and liberation for women through dance, and, through collaboration, forged a legacy that transformed the landscape of contemporary dance.

Participants should dress comfortably and bring a water bottle. Socks or bare feet are recommended for movement. No other materials are needed.

This program is supported by the Friends of the Fund for Community & Education at The Church

Strike a pose and continue your celebration of International Women’s Day at our special March Knowledge Friday! – that explores the intersection of our current exhibition while also celebrating a creative community member of the South Fork. Join us for a sit down with Shelter Island’s own Margaret Garrett, a former dancer turned visual artist.

Knowledge Friday provides an intimate presentation by a community member who shares their knowledge and expertise with rare intimacy. For March, we’re exploring Garret’s special history with dance and then will turn the spotlight on a special Martha Graham Dance Company Project: The 19Poses. The audience is invited to learn a few of the poses, do the poses, and to own them in their own, powerful way!

Developed as part of The Eve Project, Martha Graham Dance Company’s celebration of the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th Amendment, The 19 Poses honors the suffragists and accentuates Martha Graham’s revolutionary representation of women onstage. Drawn from a curated selection of photographs of Graham in evocative poses, The 19 Poses were shared in this YouTube Video, starring the star of The Church’s Saturday dance performance, Xin Ying! The project also led to a memorable Insta-Graham challenge, which invited women everywhere to utilize the poses in their everyday life. Join us as we learn more about an incredible project that brought women together through movement and expression.

 This talk has been programmed in tandem with Martha Graham: Collaborations, on view January 18 – March 22 during our exhibition hours, Thursday through Monday from 11 AM – 5 PM.

February 22nd Query: How much is enough?

Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.

This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary

This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.

Please review our Community Values before attending.

Oliver Tobin, curator of Martha Graham: Collaborations, and Janet Eilber, Artistic Director of Martha Graham Dance Company, invite you to an intimate evening exploring the exhibition. Tobin and Eilber bring their insights of not only of the exhibition but also a unique, shared experience:  both Tobin and Eilber enjoyed long careers as dancers in the Martha Graham Dance Company, and the latter worked directly with the famed choreographer herself. Together, Tobin and Eilber will explore the depth of materials and histories embedded in the show with the added gusto and intrigue of their rare first-hand expertise with the subject matter. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A.

This program is a part of the exhibition programmed forMartha Graham: Collaborations,which is on view through March 22^nd during our normal exhibition hours.

WORD returns! Celebrate the written word as an art form in this recurring program that invites writers to share works that resonate with an anchoring theme. In its fifth iteration, WORD: Identity, presents a curated selection of writers, poets, and storytellers for an evening of presence and reflection as we meditate on the word “identity” and its many shapes and forms.

Curated by writer, educator and founding director of Hamptons Pride, Tom House, the program welcomes writers, Jeremy Dennis, Ariel Ransom, Christine Sampson, and Lora Tucker to the space to share their contemplations on Identity.

The reading will offer café table seating (limited tables available that seat four guests), and regular seating in rows behind the tables. Stop by our concessions ahead of the performance to purchase a drink or a snack and settle in for an evening of intellect, inquiry, and creativity.

No one does etching on the East End like Samuel Havens. The Church’s legendary Workshops & Residency Manager, in-house printmaker, artist, and overall renaissance man leads the first Insight Sunday of the year and invites you to gain insight into his process by witnessing it in action! Join Havens, as he presents a live demonstration print of his copper etching Dusk Haze. Using a mobile printing press and sharing the process on the big screen, Havens will walk us through the process step-by-step, illuminating the intricacies of the craft and his unique approach. Following the demonstration Havens will field questions from the audience in a thoughtful Q&A.

Lose yourself to the music and the movement with Kveta “Kiki” Hajkova, our first Wellness Monday leader of the year! Using movement as a healing modality, Hajkova invites participants to immerse themselves in a liberating, free-form dance program and to dance “until they disappear.” Tapping into the spiritual and working to release emotions trapped in the body, use music and movement to cultivate the transformative energy force within. No prior dance experience necessary; this program is designed for all skill levels.

Participants should dress comfortably and bring their own water bottle. Participants should also bring their own yoga mat, blanket, or cushion to use to ground in the space before and after dancing. Chairs will be provided for those who are unable to sit on the ground.

Join award-winning artist & performer mayfield brooks for an interactive presentation of dArK oXyGen, a sonic dance installation that explores the decomposed dances and choreographies of breath. In reference to the recent discovery of oxygen production in the deep ocean where sunlight cannot penetrate, dArK oXyGen examines the idea of entering darkness as a generative process, inspired by memories from brooks’ childhood of singing Black gospel music, primordial ocean myths, decomposed whales or whale falls, and dances that rely on breath to move the body and      voice. Our audience can expect a passive yet immersive experience, bringing them into a sense of depth and submersion that examines how cycles of light and dark, life and death, are always entwined.

This program is supported by the Friends of the Fund for Community & Education at The Church

Are you familiar with the century old technique and the highly artisanal craft of hand bookbinding? Learn from Paul Vogel! Our first Knowledge Friday of the year welcomes the seasoned artisan to discuss the craft, the history of the book, and his own origin story as a book binder. From traditional binding to custom made pieces, the East Hampton shop owner has dedicated more than 40 years to the technique. Following the discussion, Vogel invites the audience to learn the figure eight stitch and create their very own take-home hand-bound booklet!

February 1st Query: What are you waiting for?

Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.

This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary

This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.

Please review our Community Values before attending.

A warm welcome to Lindsay Morris! Peer into the mind and creative process of the esteemed photographer as she discusses her project The Kids of Camp I Am, a follow-up documentation about Camp I Am, a weekend camp for gender-creative children and their families. This update, featured in The New York Times Magazine, will explore new photos and writing from former attendees of the camp who are now young adults. Sharing excerpts from these essays, Morris invites The Church audience to continue the dialogue about how non-judgmental environments can provide life-changing support and pave a road free of judgment, welcoming of a wide-range of gender expressions. Following the presentation, there will be a meaningful Q&A with the photographer.

This project was a 2025 recipient of the New York State Council for the Arts Artist Grant, as supported through The Church.

A regular contributor to The New York Times, a 2023 TED Speaker, producer of the 2016 BBC documentary My Transgender Summer Camp, and publisher of You are You, a monograph about Camp I Am, Morris offers an invaluable insight to aspiring photographers drawn to advocacy and support.

Please Note this is not a The Church program. This program is presented by Express Newsgroup and hosted at The Church.

As Sag Harbor's business district continues to evolve a public conversation is being planned to examine what these changes will mean.

As Sag Harbor's business district continues to evolve at a breakneck pace - with multiple longtime establishments sold, listed for sale, or rumored to be on the market - a public conversation is being planned to examine what these changes mean for the village's future. This forum will bring together a panel of local stakeholders to discuss recent and proposed property transactions, redevelopment pressures, and efforts to preserve space for independent, mom-and-pop businesses. Topics are expected to include high-profile properties such as 2 Main Street, the former 7-Eleven site and The Corner Bar, and broader concerns about long-term trajectory of Main Street.

This Express Sessions event will change up the normal structure of Express Sessions by starting at 4:30 p.m. and not including lunch. In lieu of lunch, an hour of wine-and-cheese networking will be held following the panel discussion.

The ticket price structure is as follows: Tickets for subscribers to 27east.com, The Sag Harbor Express or The Southampton Press are $10. The nonsubscriber ticket price is $64 and includes an annual subscription to both 27east.com and your choice of The Sag Harbor Express or The Southampton Press delivered to your home weekly.

Any questions can be addressed to sessions@expressnewsgroup.com or by calling 631-725-1700 and asking for Ellen M-F 10am to 4 p.m.

December 29th Query: Why are you here?

Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.

This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary

This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.

Please review our Community Values before attending.

Peter Solow joins us for our final Insight Sunday of the year. An esteemed visual artist in both oil painting and drawing, Solow is also a beloved educator of the East End. Join the pedagogue for an inspiring discussion that takes a deep dive into his work Piazza Signoria, which is included in our exhibition Here & There: The First Churchennial.  

Hear how “the act and process of drawing [is] a creative, transformative, experience,” and how those ideas about the art making process are at the heart of Solow’s work. The discussion will then open to a thoughtful Q&A with the audience.

Piazza Signoria, which is part of a larger body of work known as A Field Guide to Florence, is one of the largest works in our exhibition. It can be seen during our exhibition hours, Thursday – Monday, 11 AM – 5 PM, up on our mezzanine level.

Witness the development of a new performance by artist & choreographer Matty Davis. Planned as the culmination of his residency, Davis will host an Open Rehearsal of a newly developed in-progress work, inviting the community to observe his choreographic process throughout its early stages.

Matty Davis is an artist and choreographer based in New York City. His work uses choreography as an instrument to cultivate high-stakes relationships—ranging from the interpersonal to the cosmic—that push himself, his collaborators, and his audiences to face and explore forces that drive some of the most important parts of our lives, such as trust, love, and responsibility. Marked by full-throttle physicality and inventive movement vocabularies, his performances have been described as “balancing ecstatically on the edge of life and death” (Jesse Zaritt).

In a world saturated with technology, Jamie Diamond invites viewers to explore the evolving nature of relationships in her short film Skin Hunger. Join us at The Church for a screening of the film and a follow-up discussion and Q&A with the Creator Jamie Diamond, Director of Photography Matt Cianfrani, producers Amy Lawday and Abby Russel, and touch practitioner and subject of the film: Ella.

Peering into the epidemic of loneliness and the service economies that have emerged in response to the growing need surrounding touch, intimacy, Skin Hunger explores the emergence of a new kind of service: the renting of people for nonsexual touch, a.k.a. cuddling.

The 26-minute short film introduces viewers to Steven, a handsome, affable 60-year-old man who lives alone in Coney Island. He’s a film buff and, each day, he travels to Times Square for work where he is surrounded by people. But, inside, he is suffocating from loneliness and a yearning to be touched — or “skin hunger.” He contacts Ella, New York City’s leading touch practitioner, and embarks on a wild journey of discovery. “Skin Hunger” spotlights the phenomenon of paying for platonic touch, and its rapidly growing community which seeks to share the mental and physical restorative benefits of touch with the rest of the world. 

This screening has been program in tandem with our Fall exhibition Here & There: The First Churchennial. Learn more about the show by visiting our exhibition page here.

Move with dancer Johnnoy Johnson in this workshop designed for all skill levels. Learn about the special and powerful Feminine Divine that resides in all of us, regardless of gender. Johnnoy will introduce us to fundamental spiritual concepts and deities, explain how these notions and sacred histories are expressed through movement, and then guide us through gentle movements as a group.

Explore the deities of the Yoruba pantheon through movement and celebrate feminine beauty, strength, and nurturing essence. Engage in mindful activities designed to honor and awaken the divine energy that resides in each of us. Lean into the energy within that fosters creativity, compassion, intuition, and balance.

This program is open to all movement skill levels. Participants should wear comfortable clothing that they can move easily in, avoiding jeans. Proper footwear includes sneakers, socks, or bare feet. 

When it is finally ours, this freedom, this liberty, this beautiful
and terrible thing, needful to man as air / usable as earth; when it belongs at last to all...”
Robert Hayden, Frederick Douglass

The Power of Poetry returns for its fourth verse! We invite our poetry-loving friends to the next iteration of our recurring community-driven poetry ‘read-in’ series. Verse 4: Poetry Exploring Liberation celebrates voices that explore the many dimensions of liberation. Selected poets will include Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Robert Hayden, Audre Lorde, Aja Monet, Mary Oliver, Ocean Vuong, and others. 

In this ongoing series, poems are curated in advance then assigned to readers upon arrival. Poems remain a mystery to the readers until they step up to the mic. The poems are not pre-selected, rehearsed, or memorized. Instead, they are felt, experienced, and actively engaged with in the moment. We are ever grateful to the positive feedback from our community who have organically help to co-create the Power of Poetry format and experience.

Be it social, spiritual, or political, the journey of liberation is both individual and collective. Reflecting on this, we encourage you to join us as we read, listen, and contemplate poetry in real-time.

If you are interested in reading, please purchase/reserve a ticket first. After check out, there will be a link to the “Request to Read” form on your confirmation screen.

If you have any questions, please email kristen@thechurchsagharbor.org

Each Verse of this recurring community-driven series presents a curated selection of poetry that is woven together around a common thematic thread. For those who have missed our previous ”verses,” check them out here: Verse 1 – Saints of Sag Harbror, Verse 2 – An Ode to Some Odes, and Verse 3 – I’m with the Banned.

Do you enjoy digging deeper and learning about the history and concepts of art? The Church’s Executive Director, Sheri Pasquarella, and the photographer Ben Hassett invite you to join them as they build a dialogue around ten photographs that date from the advent of photography through today. Pasquarella and Hassett will each present five photographs — which will only be revealed as the event unfolds. The pair will then spontaneously examine, discuss, and appreciate the ten photographs individually, engaging the audience with a fun conversation designed for art-appreciators of all levels of experience, whether new to art criticism or aficionados. Join the conversation! What photographs do you think will be revealed? 

This program is a part of the exhibition Here & There: The First Churchennial, which presents arts and works from the artist in residency at The Church from 2021 – 2024.

POSTPONED

Diana Diamond is a preeminent expert on personality disorders, attachment, and narcissism. Join us for the opportunity to gain invaluable knowledge from a distinguished member of our community as she discusses narcissism as a clinical and social phenomenon. Dr. Diamond will reveal the impetus for her latest book, Treating Pathological Narcissism With Transference-Focused Psychotherapy. Cultural representations from art, literature, and film will be used to illustrate the universal fascination with narcissism. After the discussion there will be a lively Q&A.

The discussion will illuminate the special challenges of treating individuals with narcissistic disorders who retreat from reality into compensatory grandiosity, thereby compromising their lives and relationships. She will also discuss how to recognize when narcissistic traits become pathological and require treatment, and how practitioners can engage and connect more deeply with patients suffering from pathological narcissism. The ramifications of pathological narcissism in political and organizational life and relationship between collective and individual narcissism will also be discussed.

What are the points of intersection between writing a biography and writing a memoir? Authors Bill Goldstein and Thymaya Payne explore this and more! The two discuss their latest literary endeavors that find them in a state of “trusting the process.” Each will share an excerpt from their current works-in-process before diving into a discussion about the intersections of their practices and experiences. The talk will close with a welcomed Q&A with the audience.

Goldstein’s work-in-process is a biography of Larry Kramer, the legendary American playwright, novelist, film producer, and AIDS activist. His work is born from years of research as well as a working relationship with Kramer while he was alive. This vantage point of both being present in Kramer’s physical timeline as well as conducting the research as a third person observer has presented unique challenges to Goldstein’s process.

Payne shifts gear to turn the narrative to his own life, a sharp contrast to researched-based works that explored the lives of others – including his forthcoming biography on civil rights leader Walter White and a documentary film on Somalian Pirates. His memoir-in-process, entitled AIDS, Raves, and Pirates, explores reflections on his relationship with his father. Payne’s process explores the validity of memory and questions the mind and heart’s tendency toward projection. 

Both Goldstein’s and Payne’s projects were in development here at The Church during Goldstein’s and Payne’s respective residencies.

This program has been programmed in tandem with our Fall exhibition Here & There: The First Churchennial. Join us as we honor the legacy of an activist, celebrate our LGBTQIA+ community, and stand together in allyship and community.

Please note that this conversation has been rescheduled from its original October 11^th date.

November 23rd Query: What hardships are you grateful for?

Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.

This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary

This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.

Please review our Community Values before attending.

Each exhibition, The Church presents an ‘after hours’ session that provides a stimulating, in-depth look at the show with the people who made it happen. For The Churchennial, we are presenting a dynamic format:  an introduction about how the exhibition came to be, followed by a ‘lightening round’ exhibition tour with several of the artists!

The program begins with a brief talk by Sheri Pasquarella, our Executive Director, who will share the insights and inspiration behind the show & the exhibition design. We’ll then go through the exhibition with ‘lightening rounds’ with exhibiting artists who will discuss or describe their work in their own words – including Linda K. Alpern, Amy Wickersham, John Wittenberg, Mark Webber, Sharon van Liempt-Brown, Margaret Garrett, Jim Gingerich, Roisin Bateman, Peter Solow, Francine Fleischer, Kerry Sharkey-Miller, Susan Bachemin and others tba!

What was the impetus behind the move to create this exhibition format, highlighting former artists in residence? How did we come up with the exquisite exhibition design? What does the work mean in the artists’ own words? Come find out in this unique experience within the Fall exhibition Here & There: The First Churchennial. Audience Q&A will be integrated into the tour and format.

Deepen your appreciation for the beauty of the line, shape, and form with artist Margaret Garrett. A former dancer turned visual artist, Garrett will discuss her inspirations and her process in the creation of Canon, a video that is representative of her movement-based work. Learn how making Garrett began making videos as a way to find shapes for her paintings and how this evolution led to the development of a new visual language for her—video collages that explore movement, shape, and the unfolding of contrapuntal patterns. Following the discussion there will be a spirited Q&A

Garrett’s Canon will be on view as part of Here & There – The First Churchennial, our fall exhibition and can be seen ahead of the talk during our exhibition hours Thursday-Monday 11 AM to 5 PM beginning October 5^th.

Dear Grownups, it’s time to find joy in bleak times! Welcome designer, educator, and play expert Cas Holman as she shares insight from her newly released book Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity. Holman is joined in conversation by the visual artist Liz Collins, who’s colorful, textile-based works and installations often reflect notions of play and connectivity. Following the discussion the dynamic duo invites you to a spirited Q&A as well as a book singing.

Drawing on psychology, history, art, and design, Playful makes a powerful case for the vital necessity of play in our lives and its essential importance to adult’s mental health, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Playful weaves together inspiring stories and eye-opening research into the emerging science of play. It shows us how adopting a playful mindset is crucial in helping us overcome fear of failure, embrace new ways of thinking, destress, reset, connect with one another, and grow our creativity at every stage of our lives. Come play!

Playful: How Play Shifts Our Thinking, Inspires Connection, and Sparks Creativity by Cas Holman with Lydia Denworth will be released by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House, on October 21, 2025.

Do you feel creatively blocked, stuck, or drained? Do you feel confused about something, can’t find clarity, don’t know what to do? Is there something that you can’t seem to change no matter how hard you try? Let’s write about it!

Join Kristen Santori as she navigates you through a simple reflective journal exercise. Learn how illuminating the language you use to code the world can decode the areas where a simple shift in diction can create a world of difference. Come to understand the beauty of the pause and how to transform your thoughts so that you can “dream” in “yes.” Participants are asked to bring their own journal/notebook, a writing utensil and a highlighter.

A disciplined journal keeper, Kristen has been keeping a morning writing practice for over a decade. Through writing and research, she has learned ways to rewire her neural network and become living proof of what a life can be once space for healing has been created and acted upon. This Wellness Monday presentation Kristen developed, created, around an exercise that was lived through in practice, served as a catalyst in her personal journey of wellness, and is now an invitation for others to see if it works for their benefit as well.

“The best way to spread love is to be LOVE!” says Bonnie Cannon, Executive Director of The Bridgehampton Child Care & Recreational Center and our November Knowledge Friday Speaker. Join us as we explore the life, mind, and insight of a much-loved community pillar, music aficionado, and true community rockstar. Then stay for a Q&A with the living legend.

For nearly 20 years Bonnie has dedicated her life to ensuring the benefit and well-being of others. Creating safe play spaces to more formal childcare, expanding educational opportunities, and being a bridge for cultural unity, Bonnie has lived a full life of service and has become an inspiration point for many on the East End.

Join us for a stellar evening as we learn about the night sky from our friends at the Vanderbilt Museum. This new collaboration will bring the Vanderbilt’s  mobile planetarium to the main hall at The Church, with two showings of Stars: The Powerhouses of the Universe narrated by Mark Hamill. After each showing, the stellar exploration continues outside, as guests are led to telescopes set up in our garden (weather permitting). The event is timed for maximum possibility of viewing Saturn and the Earth’s moon, which are expected to be visible at that time. Learn, explore, and have fun with our guests, Planetarium Director Dave Bush, Planetarium Outreach Coordinator Rachel Goralski, and Astronomy Educator Britteny Mickaliger.

While space, the final frontier, may be far from limited, capacity for this event is. Reserving tickets in advance guarantees you entrance to your designated showing and time with the telescopes. Recommended for ages 9 and up. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

October 26th Query: How Spooky are Stories?

Still, Small Voice draws its name from the idea of the "still, small voice" within—a quiet, inner voice that guides us in moments of reflection. This monthly gathering, started in 2023 as an artistic experiment, now returns as a community-led practice with rotating facilitators. It invites participants to engage in silent reflection and thoughtful sharing, centered around a question about creativity, community, and being human. We forever ever grateful for Nanao Anton & Erling Hope for their contributions, inspirations, and commitment.

This is a space to hear your and others’ authentic voices & own it in community, free of judgement or reaction, as necessary

This is not group therapy, a study group, a political action group or Quaker Meeting.

Please review our Community Values before attending.