The Museum of Contemporary Art's Black Sheep Friday invites you -- no, encourages you -- to take part in something bigger and weirder than yourself.
Last fall, the museum decided to bring back this program's greatest hits to celebrate its 10th season. Museum spokeswoman Courtney Law said the interactive program, whose tagline is "sophisticated nonsense" and whose names often sound like obscure indie bands, was started about 10 years ago. Black Sheep Friday is now one of the museum's most talked-about and attended events.
Law called the program a "mashup of weird things." The goal has always been about funding "fun, punny" activities and crafts related to pop culture. Past programs include Extreme Glamour Shots, where people were dolled up and given a mystery shot to drink right before being photographed. And there was XXX-Mas Craft Fair, which, like, is pretty self-explanatory. Use your imagination if it's not.
"It's just a really unique take on a Friday night activity," Law said.
On Friday, you can see exactly what she means during the program's latest show, Hibachi Mariachi, which lets people grill small foods while listening to music from the Colorado Youth Mariachi Program. The ideas behind the programs are all brainstormed in-house, Law said. This show is part of Black Sheep's current season, which started in November.
The Friday night fun is meant to complement the museum's exhibits and lectures.
"People who have been coming for many years, and it has quite a following, have probably experienced one or more of these in the past," Law said. "We tend to say we pave a new path for what a 20th-century museum is and that's really both advancing the field of contemporary art and providing a platform for creative expression."
Law said no opening date is set yet for Black Sheep Friday's next season, though she said it will likely begin this fall. The museum will host its final two shows in February. Time and Space Travel Crafts takes place Feb. 7, while Sock Puppet Karaoke happens on Feb. 21.
Friday's first-come-first-served event starts at 6 p.m. Admission is $5 after 5 p.m. or free with museum admission. The MCA Denver is located at 1485 Delgany St.
