Please note due to a slight delay this program will begin at 6:30 PM, Check-in will begin at 6 PM.

From Bob Crawford, the grammy-nominated bassist for the Avett Brothers, comes an astounding biography on the extraordinary life and legacy of John Quincy Adams, America’s sixth president. America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick (March 2026, Zando), paints a powerful portrait of an often-overlooked former president, whose fierce independence, nimble activism for democracy, and early crusade against slavery echo today. Joined in conversation by American journalist and political commentator John Avlon, Crawford will dive deep into a tumultuous period of the past and surface with the eerie similarities to modern times. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A and book signing.

Timelier than ever, Crawford’s biography does an incredible job of illuminating the valuable lessons and insights history holds for us. One of the strongest voices against Andrew Jackson’s “Make America Great Again” campaign and Jackson’s unprecedented executive overreach, John Quincy Adams became a political maverick whose grassroots activism and defiance of dictatorial gag-rules shifted the American political landscape forever.

Join us as we learn how the musician’s quiet obsession with books on American history turned him into an unlikely but widely popular public historian and experience real time his gift for making the past feel urgent.

A very special thank you to Book Hampton for being our community bookseller for the program! This reading and discussion has been programmed in tandem with our summer exhibition THIS LAND: Considering the American Landscape, which can be viewed June 21 – September 6 during our exhibition hours 11 AM – 5 PM, Thursday-Monday.

Join us for the 16th Annual Baer Faxt Invitational Golf Tournament! A beloved tradition that brings together art world innovators, collectors, and golf enthusiasts for a memorable day on the course and an evening of great food.

Explore the interpretation of homeland and landscape with award-winning Indigenous visual artist and filmmaker Sky Hopinka. A member of the Ho-Chunk Nation and descendant of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, Hopinka’s work examines the correlation between language and culture in relation to home and land. Joined in conversation by The Church’s Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella, Hopinka will speak about his body of work, including the four video works included in This Land: Considering the American Landscape, his creative process, and the importance of Indigenous cinema in our cinematic landscape. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A with the audience and the opportunity to view the works in the main gallery space.

Hopinka has described his work to Filmmaker Magazine, saying: “deconstructing language [through cinema] is a way for me to be free from the dogma of traditional storytelling and then, from there, to explore or purpose more of what Indigenous cinema has the possibility to look like.”  The award-winning filmmaker, whose films have shown in various festivals including Sundance, New York Film Festival, among others, digs deep into the personal and is reflected through documentary and other forms of non-fiction media.

 Currently an assistant professor of film for Harvard University, Hopinka invites audiences to learn, reflect, and examine the Indigenous landscape of this land. 

Stop by during our exhibition hours Thursday – Monday, 11 AM – 5 PM, to view Hopinka’s work in person and to take in the work of over a dozen additional artists included in This Land.

Join us for a very special screening of the documentary short film Earth, I Thank You: The Garden and Legacy of Anne Spencer. The film had its world premiere at the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture and its New York premiere at The Frick Collection. The documentary explores the historic sanctuary of Harlem Renaissance poet, civil rights advocate, and gardener Anne Spencer. The 37- minute documentary celebrates the cultural and historical significance of the Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum in Lynchburg, VA. It is rare for a historic house and garden to survive intact—especially one belonging to an African American. The film screening will be followed by a powerful discussion on preservation and legacy between Brent Leggs, the President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and poet Kevin Young, 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize recipient and National Book Critics Circle Awardee. The discussion will then open to a thoughtful Q&A with the audience.

This program is presented in tandem with our summer exhibition, This Land: Considering the American Landscape. Reflecting upon the 250th anniversary of the United States, the film explores the people and histories that have shaped the American experience and our understanding of the land itself.

A legendary Harlem Renaissance poet, civil rights advocate, and passionate gardener, Anne Spencer housed and entertained numerous luminaries and civil rights leaders including Langston Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, Zora Neale Hurston, Thurgood Marshall, George Washington Carvver, and Dr. Martin Luther King in her Virginia home. Her garden features a sculpture gifted to Spencer by W.E.B Du Bois and is one of the most significant examples of a preserved African American garden in the United States. A modest and deeply personal space, the garden is imbued with stories of civil rights advocacy, literary genius, and the many historic figures who walked its paths.

Appearing in the film are key figures in the world of historic preservation and African American history. Brent Leggs, CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, offers insights into the significance of preserving this site. Peggy Comett, Curator of Plants at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello; Dr. Reuben M. Rainey, Professor emeritus at the University of Virginia and co-author of a book on Anne Spencer; and Dr. Noelle Morrissette, Director of African American and African Diaspora Studies at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and author of a book on Anne Spencer, discuss the horticultural heritage and legacy of the garden and its role in shaping African American cultural identity. The film was produced for The Garden Conservancy by artist Kate Cordsen.

August 23rd - What’s so funny?

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.

Howard Marks, legendary investor and co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management and a Board Member of The Church, returns for another special summer discussion!

After a successful and highly engaging program last summer, Howard joins us again to discuss what’s currently on his mind concerning the world of finance and investing. Providing an accessible opportunity for our whole community, Howard welcomes guests to an insightful discussion, sharing his unparalleled practical wisdom gained from over 57 years of experience in the world of investing. There’ll be plenty of time for questions!

Following the discussion, the special evening continues with an intimate fundraiser, inviting up to 20 individuals to a private seated dinner with Howard. Guests will be treated to a catered meal and the rare opportunity to engage in an intimate dialogue with our financial expert.

All proceeds from the event will benefit The Church.

Arcmanoro Niles, esteemed East End visual artist and visionary, joins us as our August Insight Sunday speaker. Included in This Land: Considering The American Landscape, Niles has created a unique painting specifically for the exhibition. Niles invites audiences to see deeply into the work, learn about his process, and gain insight into the wellspring of his creativity. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A and the audience will then be led upstairs into the gallery to view the work in person.

A painter known for working with vivid and bright hues, Niles’s new painting is reflective of how much landscape has become a part of his practice. He says, “I began to realize how important my relationship to nature was. In this painting I wanted to capture the feeling of the day ending looking out into the fading sky, an attempt to connect and reset watching the sunset, contemplating what tomorrow might bring.”

PLEASE NOTE: Due to unforeseen circumstances this program will now be VIRTUAL - webcast information will be issued upon confirmation of reservation

Reflect on ecology, sustainability, and interconnectedness with esteemed sculptor Meg Webster as she joins co-curator Donna De Salvo in conversation. Examining her two sculptures Moss Bed King (1986-88/2026) and Steel Containing Salt (1990), which are both included in the summer exhibition This Land: Considering the American Landscape, Webster and DeSalvo enter into organic dialogue centered on Webster’s work as a whole. Following the discussion, there will be an insightful Q&A.

Working primarily with organic materials such as moss, water, stone, wood, and soil, Webster transforms natural elements into immersive sculptural environments. Her work invites viewers to consider nature as a vital and inseparable part of human experience rather than something distant or remote from daily life. Webster’s work contributes to important 20^th century artistic movements and innovations, lending itself specifically to Land Art and Minimalism. Webster’s two sculptures can be viewed ahead of the talk during our exhibition hours: Thursday – Monday between 11 AM – 5 PM.

We warmly welcome Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook to our Knowledge Friday series! Widely known as Ambassador Sujay, the visionary trailblazer and transformational leader has broken barriers across government, ministry, academia, and media. Her distinguished public service and international leadership have earned her recognition as one of the world’s leading voices in faith diplomacy, peace building, and cross-cultural engagement.  Come celebrate her story with us and then stick around for the Q&A at the end of the program.

Dr. Cook will be joined in conversation with Mercedes Nesfield, the “Village Mother of Harlem”.

Appointed by President Barack Obama and nominated by Hillary Clinton, she became the first woman and the first African American to serve as U.S Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, advising the President and Secretary of State on global religious freedom and policy issues across nearly 200 nations. She remains the only Black woman from New York State to hold the title of U.S. Ambassador.

Ambassador Sujay was also the first African American woman elected senior pastor in 200-year history of the American Baptist Churches USA. She also served for 21 years as the first female chaplain of the NYPD, ministering on the front lines during the September 11^th attacks, helping New York and our nation through traumatic times, and earning recognition as “America’s Chaplain.”

She is also a local legend. The best-selling author hosts a local television program on LTV called “Live with Sujay” and focuses on Black women leaders and East End Headliners. 

This Knowledge Friday has been programmed in tandem with our Summer Exhibition THIS LAND: Considering the American Landscape, which can be viewed June 21 – September 6 during our exhibition hours 11 AM – 5 PM, Thursday-Monday.

The 6^th Annual Celebrating Creatives of Color returns and for the third time will be hosted at The Church! The event showcases creative artists and authors of color from Sag Harbor and beyond, providing an opportunity for them to display their work and interact with art and literature enthusiasts and collectors. All artwork and books will be for sale.

Proceeds from the donated entry fees will help support The Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreation Center and The Church. Likewise, artists will donate 10% of their total sales to support the community organizations.

This year, we are excited to announce the CCC is part of a weekend long celebration of Black Culture with the Apollo, CAAPA, and the National Black theater. We are also excited to offer special programming as part of this annual celebration!

10:30 AM – 12 PM: RSVP today and join us for special programming featuring Harriette Cole, author & lifestylist, Muriel Monik Johnson, storyteller & artist, ReShonda Tate, author of The Queen of Sugar Hill & With Love From Harlem. All books will be available for purchase and to be signed after remarks. Following the authors, Nanette Carter will be presented with the Living Legend Award.  Then join us as we welcome esteemed academic and author Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr. The author of We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For and Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lesson for Our Own, sits down with ABC News Anchor and correspondent Linsey Davis, to share insight and inspiration. Space is limited – RSVP in advance today!

Visual Artists to include Patrick Earl-Barnes, Elyse Beavers, Jamel Carroll, Andrew Caynon, Karim Chambers, Earlene Cox, Jeremy Dennis, Shimoda Donna Emmanuel, Faith Evans, Laura Gadson, Beverly “Bebe” Granger, Garry Grant, Judith Henriques-Adams, Rod Ivey, Jennifer Ivey, Muriel Monik Johnson, Donna Ladson, Collette McGuire, and Sheniqua Young (Shea Design)! List in formation. 

A warm wave of gratitude to the event organizers and Village of Sag Harbor residents from the Sag Harbor Hills and Ninevah Communities: Beverly Granger, Victoria Pinderhughes, Paula Taylor, and Olivia White.  Their efforts have helped revive and refresh the Historically Black Beach Communities’ history of supporting local charities through the arts.

Find your pathway to transcendence, your benefits in stress relief, and awaken your creativity as Bob Roth, Transcendental Meditation (TM) teacher and CEO of the David Lynch Foundation welcomes audiences to take a deep dive into the science of meditation. With over 50 years of experience teaching TM, the mental health luminary shares the inner workings and the techniques that have helped over 1.5 million people. Following the discussion there will be a thoughtful Q&A.

Bob Roth and the David Lynch Foundation have done extensive work to reverse the harmful effects of trauma and toxic stress through serving at-risk communities including urban youth, frontline healthcare workers, first responders, women survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, and veterans who suffer from PTSD. Their work elevates individuals, helping them become agents of their own wellness, fostering the creativity needed to shape their life with confidence. In alignment with The Church’s mission to inspire creativity on the East End and our own recurring wellness series, we look forward to this thoughtful collaboration and how it can benefit our community. 

Proceeds from this event will benefit The Church and The David Lynch Foundation.

July 26th What is the relationship between freedom and equality?

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.

As part of This Land: Considering the American Landscape, The Church presents a talk with Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella exploring the origins of American art, artists, and the art market beginning with the Hudson River School. Drawing connections between the exhibition's 19th-century paintings and contemporary artists working today, the lecture will examine how ideas about landscape, nationhood, community, and value have shaped American art for nearly two centuries.

This Land juxtaposes works from the Hudson River School—America's first major art movement—with contemporary artists whose practices both draw upon and challenge enduring notions of the American landscape. Less widely known is that this same period also witnessed the emergence of the American art market, the founding of some of the nation's earliest museums and art schools, and the development of collecting practices that continue to influence the global contemporary art world.

What was the Hudson River School, and why did it become so influential? How did its rise coincide with the creation of America's cultural institutions? When did the term "speculator" first enter conversations about emerging artists and the art market? And how do these histories continue to shape the ways art is exhibited and collected today?

Drawing on nearly a decade of independent research presented at Yale University, Columbia University, Christie's Education, and other institutions, Pasquarella will place American art in the broader context of culture, community-building, and the market, offering a fascinating look at the historical forces that continue to shape artistic production and patronage today.

An enduring spirit and more than a Christmas tree, the evergreen is both tangible and symbolic. Get to the root of the matter with Trent Preszler, author of Evergreen: The Trees that Shaped America (Algonquin Books, Dec 2025) as he reveals the hidden world of a tree that is central to so many cultures and landscapes, especially the East End.

Joined in conversation by The Church co-founder April Gornik, the two will guide the audience through a sweeping journey across century and continents, exploring Preszler’s powerful case that the American cultural landscape (and economy) would not be the same without these trees. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A and a book signing. 

“It changed the way I see the world!” exclaims Gornik as Preszler digs deep with meticulous research to deliver an impactful and poignant portrait of the beloved tree and presents a timely call to action to tend to our environmental responsibilities.  From its symbolic evolution through paganism, Catholicism, patriotism, and capitalism to its intimate relationship with underrepresented people like the Indigenous, the enslaved, immigrants, and Queer woodworkers, the Evergreen has played an integral role in the shaping of the inner landscape of the American people. 

But Evergreen is also the story of power and commerce, as America’s evergreens built ships, railroads, cities, and fortunes, while fueling westward expansion and industrial growth. Drawing on his background as a professor of applied economics at Cornell University, Preszler asks what the American pursuit of progress reveals about the cost of abundance in living ecosystems.

 A very special thank you to Book Hampton for being our community bookseller for the program! This reading and discussion has been programmed in tandem with our summer exhibition THIS LAND: Considering the American Landscape, which can be viewed June 21 – September 6 during our exhibition hours 11 AM – 5 PM, Thursday-Monday.

Anastasia Samoylova examines how contemporary life is shaped, mediated, and mythologized through images. With multiple photographs included in our Summer exhibition, This Land: Considering the American Landscape, Samoylova invites viewers to examine the entanglement of environmental crisis, consumer spectacle, and political imagination, revealing the tensions between surface structure, seduction, and instability, reality and representation.

Samoylova is joined in conversation by Seph Rodney, PhD, co-curator of This Land. The two will explore the work included in the show, her process, and artistic vision before opening the floor to an illuminating Q&A with the audience.  

Samoylova is a highly respected artist known to create vibrant work that catches the beauty of location while juxtaposing it with the troubling consequences of climate change, gentrification, and political extremism. Her work moves across photography, painting, and installation and has been exhibited at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Norton Museum of Art, the Saatchi Gallery, Fundación MAPFRE, and C/O Berlin, among others, and is held in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, Pérez Art Museum Miami, and the High Museum of Art.

We invite you to view Samoylova’s selected photography included in our summer exhibition during our exhibition hours: Thursday – Monday, 11 AM – 5 PM.

We all know The Beatles and Bob Dylan influenced the course of popular music, changing our social landscape along the way. But did they also influence and change each other?Acclaimed New York Times journalist and widely recognized Beatles expert Jim Windolf offers a definitive “yes,” with proof! Join us for an incredible and fun evening of stories, music, and a little bit of history.

Part dual biography, part cultural history, Windolf’s book Where the Music Had to Go (April 2026, Scribner) presents a portrait of how two beloved musical luminaries actively shaped one another’s work. Windolf is joined in conversation by Susan Morrison, New York Times bestselling author of Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live. The two are also joined for a special performance by singer songwriter Nellie McKay.

Packed with little-known anecdotes and revelations, including an account of every documented interaction between Dylan and the Beatles, and an exclusive interview with Paul McCartney, Where the Music Had to Go offers a critical framework for understanding the relationship between the two. Offering a fresh look into that complicated relationship, Windolf reveals a story of rivalry, generosity, and creative exchange that reshaped the direction of modern popular music.

This event has been programmed in tandem with our Summer Exhibition THIS LAND: Considering the American Landscape, which can be viewed June 21 – September 6 during our exhibition hours 11 AM – 5 PM, Thursday-Monday.

“I Want My MTV.” Our Knowledge Friday kicks off this summer season by welcoming MTV cofounder and media mogul Tom Freston! The local bestselling author, anti-poverty advocate, and esteemed board member of several arts and media institutions, invites audiences to peer into his life and experiences as captured in his book UNPLUGGED: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu. Freston will be joined in conversation by Alessandra Stanley, long time former writer for The New York Times and co-creator of Air Mail. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A and book signing. Copies of Unplugged will be available for purchase through our community bookseller Book Hampton.

Travelling through Europe and Asia before starting a lucrative clothing export business in Afghanistan and India, Freston was immersed in a diverse cultural landscape before he returned to the United States and landed himself a job with the team that would develop MTV. Overseeing legendary networks like MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Comedy Central, and others, Freston’s unique career lent itself to a massive cultural impact that transformed our social landscape.

Thanks to campaigns like “I Want My MTV,” in the 1980’s the network became a household staple as popular demand caused cable companies to carry the channel. This transformation shifted the way people consumed music and how musicians promoted their work, leading to a cultural zeitgeist that is currently undergoing another revolution. The media proprietor would go on to become the co-president Viacom, overseeing Paramount Pictures, Famous Music Publishing, and Simon & Schuster, adding to his wealth of experience, insight, and expertise.  Join us we learn from the living legend.

This Knowledge Friday has been programmed in tandem with our Summer Exhibition THIS LAND: Considering the American Landscape, which can be viewed June 21 – September 6 during our exhibition hours 11 AM – 5 PM, Thursday-Monday.

Join us as we welcome Lucy Raven and Alan Ruiz, two artists at the forefront of new ideas that examine time, place, space, and who explore our human experience in the landscape and community. With a special introduction by Humberto Moro, Deputy Director of Program at Dia Art Foundation, this discussion celebrates the concurrent opening of two shows that explore evolution over time: This Land: Considering the American Landscapeat The Church (opening June 21, 2026) and De sol a sol at Dia Bridgehampton (opening June 26, 2026),

Raven and Ruiz will discuss their respective work before exploring the intersections between the two. Following the discussion there will be a Q&A led by This Land exhibition curators Donna De Salvo and Seph Rodney that will then open to questions from the audience.

June 28th What can you do for your country?

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.

The Church invites you to a very special opening of our Summer Exhibition THIS LAND: Considering the American Landscape. Sit down with our Guest curators Donna De Salvo and Seph Rodney, as they discuss their curatorial perspectives of the show. Joined in conversation by The Church’s Executive Director Sheri Pasquarella, the group will explore the impetus for the show and their responses to the query “What is the American Landscape?” Learn how they navigated their curatorial decisions, the major themes of the show, and how these themes are explored through the works of art in the exhibition. Following the discussion, guests will be led upstairs to the main gallery for the first look at the summer Exhibition.

De Salvo and Rodney have conceived of a transhistorical exhibition that explores artistic responses to the American landscape both at its inception and today, reflecting our nation’s 250^th anniversary.

Featured Artists include: Jeremy Dennis, Thomas Doughty, Asher B. Durand, Cristina Fernandez, April Gornik, Leslie Hewitt, Sky Hopinka, An-My Lê, Zoe Leonard, Richard Mayhew, Charles Henry Miller, Kent Monkman, Mary Nimmo Moran, Thomas Moran, Arcmanoro Niles, James Perkins, Albert Pinkham Ryder, Lucy Raven, Anastasia Samoylova, Meg Webster, selections from Hudson River School paintings and works on paper related to Dan Flavin, and a contribution from the Center for Land Use Interpretation.

May 31st Query: Where, in the real world of the everyday, do you find inspiration, and how does the inspiration affect your thoughts and actions? (thank you to SSV collaborator Barbara Burke for the query).

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.

Go behind the lens with Francine Fleischer, an accomplished artist and Sag Harbor native known for her intriguing fine art photography. Using The Water in Between #9214, as a portal, Fleischer dives deep into the creative process behind her internationally exhibited series The Water In Between. Following the discussion there will be a lively Q&A with the audience.

The Water in Between was inspired by the contradiction of purpose alive in a magical swimming hole, or cenote, that Fleischer discovered in Mexico that had once been used by an ancient civilization as a domain for human sacrifice. The series presented Fleischer with the uncommon challenges of photographing in an underground, water-filled, protected site over several years. Join us to learn more about the inspiration, technical achievements, and the methodology behind this body of work. The Water in Between #9214 will be on view downstairs in our studio space from April 23 – May 23 to view during exhibition hours,
11 Am – 5 PM, Thursday – Sunday.

This special insight Sunday has been programmed in tandem with our exhibition A Thousand Words: Photography at The New Yorker. Our spring exhibition will be on view through May 31^st.

Gayle Feldman, journalist and author of Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He built, invites you to dive deep into an epic story that The New York Times, in a rave review, compared to Robert Caro’s The Powerbroker. Her biography takes you inside the world of the founder of Random House, a man who later became a celebrity on What’s My Line? Cerf straddled books, Broadway, Hollywood, TV, and New York City.

Feldman will converse with award-winning journalist and critic Cathleen McGuigan. The two will explore how Feldman wrote this landmark cultural history, and venture into Cerf’s star-studded life. Following the discussion will be a Q&A with the audience and book signing.

Welcome, Francesca Zambello! The lifelong opera expert, known for being at the top of her field and for her esteemed leadership as the Artistic Director of the Washington National Opera (WNO) joins us for an intriguing presentation and dialogue. Zambello recently made headlines when she pulled the company from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, its home venue since 1971.

Zambello shares her reflections of this experience with Sally Susman, the best-selling author of Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts and Change the World and valued Board Member of The Church. Following the dialogue the two will host a Q&A with the audience. 

Lights. Camera. Laughter! Come join us for a delightful screening of Women Laughing,a short filmabout the women cartoonists of The New Yorker, by directors Kathleen Hughes & Liza Donnelly.  Following the screening, Emma Allen, The New Yorker’s first female cartoon editor, join the directors to discuss the film and host a Q&A with the audience. Lynn Sherr joins the ladies as moderator.

Inspired by Donnelly’s acclaimed book Very Funny Ladies and her own experience as a longtime New Yorker cartoonist, the film looks at how far women have come in a field historically dominated by men. This exploration includes speaking, laughing, and drawing with a diverse group of remarkable women cartoonists of the iconic magazine.

The film features intimate conversations with some of the most celebrated and groundbreaking cartoonists at The New Yorker: Roz Chast, Emily Flake, Sarah Akinterinwa, Liana Frank, Amy Hwang, Bishakh Som, and more. It also highlights the long tradition of cartoons and their critique of political systems, the way they address societal hypocrisies and absurdities, and how they express concerns and changing values of a culture.

While The New Yorker welcomed women artists in its first issue, the world has not always embraced what they had to say. Women Laughing looks at how women have had to struggle to make their voices heard, by examining the lived experience of women cartoonists and how their work is a valuable way to chart political and societal movements over time. It is a timely look at how women are using humor today to change the narrative.

This screening has been programmed in tandem with our exhibition A Thousand Words: Photography at the New Yorker. Stop by during our exhibition hours Thursday – Monday | 11 AM to 5 PM or visit our exhibition page to learn more.

Michael J. Coppola, a multifaceted performer and Senior at Ross School, joins us at The Church for a special one-of-a-kind evening of songs and stories designed to delight, inspire, and lift our spirits. Melodies with Michael is an intimate concert that journeys through a range of musical styles, from beloved musical theater classics to contemporary pop favorites. Hear favorites like “Out There” from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and “Somewhere” from West Side Story and more! Featuring a curated selection of songs and artists that have shaped his voice and passion, Michael invites the audience into his world, sharing not only the music he loves, but the personal experiences and artistic growth behind it.  Michael is joined by collaborative pianist Amanda Jones.

From a duet with Kristen Chenowith to a solo performance at the Birdland Jazz Club, Coppola’s budding career is beyond impressive and speaks to his commitment to his craft. Join us as we extend a warm The Church welcome to an incredible member of the East End and continue our celebration of creativity and community. 

We are grateful to collaborate with Hope And Resilience Long Island (HARLI) to bring you an informative and meaningful discussion bringing awareness to human trafficking and the actionable steps we can take to prevent it. Bianca C. Collins, Vice President of HARLI and enrolled tribal citizen of the Shinnecock Nation, Alyssa Harrilal, a survivor of human trafficking and member of the ECLI-VIBES Survivors board, and Nina Hobson, a former British detective and current Head of Security for global executive protection teams, are joined by moderator Patricia McCormick, the best-selling author of SOLD and Never Fall Down.

All speakers and the moderator have unique expertise on human trafficking, providing a depth of knowledge and sensitivity aimed to illuminate a difficult yet critical topic.  

Elisabeth Biondi welcomes you to an inside look at the curator’s journey as she shines a light on our exhibition, A Thousand Words: Photography of the New Yorker. Discussing her time working at The New Yorker as its first Visuals Editor, the curator of our spring exhibition takes audiences through the photo selection process for the publication and illuminates the similarities and differences in the selection process for the exhibition. Following the discussion there will be a thoughtful Q&A with the curator and an opportunity to view the exhibition outside our normal exhibition hours.

Sag Harborian Billy Baldwin not only draws inspiration from our village, he sweetens it with his gift of storytelling! The author of twelve children’s books, screenplays, creator of a successful cookie company, and all-around treasured community member joins us for May’s Knowledge Friday. Currently adopting his stories into animated shorts and movies, Billy has an irresistible spark of imagination. Hear how his unlikely journey from a Manhattan based cookie company led to a life of continuous creativity, including the journey of becoming a writer with dyslexia. Billy is joined in conversation by Steve Hamilton, co-founder of Bay Street Theater.

And true to his spirit of giving back to the community, the altruist promises to bring cookies for the audience to enjoy! Likewise copies of Billy’s books will be available to purchase, with proceeds to benefit The Church.

Local educator David Cataletto brings his passion for and knowledge of the history of our region to an exciting & invigorating presentation on the history of Sag Harbor. Building upon his popular talks about East Hampton, Cataletto turns his focus to our wonderfully dynamic town. From whaling to the Watch Case, come for this rare opportunity to learn about our beloved village, created specially by David in honor of The Church’s fifth birthday.

The program resonates richly with our mission of fostering creativity on the East End and honoring the living legacy of Sag Harbor’s history as a makers’ village. To top off the occasion, Cataletto will lead a round of sea shanties with the Bonac Shanty Crew, a community band dedicated to reviving a regional tradition – with gusto!