EVENTS & WORKSHOPS
December 15, 2024: #BmoreBoricuas Mini-Exhibition Opening
The #BmoreBoricuas Project is designed to document the local Boricua narrative in Baltimore. Through oral histories, artifacts, archival research, and artworks, it explores the stories of Puerto Ricans who have shaped Baltimore’s cultural landscape from the 1800s to the present. By blending historical research with creative expression, the project fosters a deeper understanding of the Puerto Rican community's impact and legacy.
This mini exhibition provides an engaging preview of Tola’s Room’s ongoing research since the #BmoreBoricuas Project’s launch in 2021. Explore a thoughtfully curated collection of images, interviews, news articles, census records, and other archival materials that bring to life a small glimpse of the history and migration stories of the Boricua diaspora in Baltimore.
This showcase offers a chance to connect with the cultural narrative while building anticipation for what’s to come in October 2025—an expanded version of this exhibition, alongside the premiere of our documentary film, created in partnership with local Puerto Rican filmmaker May Santiago. Get your tickets!
December 14, 2024: Discover the Art of Puerto Rican Bomba!
Dating back to the 17th century, bomba is a percussion-driven art form featuring drums, maracas, and wooden sticks called cuás. It is a powerful dialogue between dancer and drummer, where the lead drummer mirrors and interprets the dancer’s improvised movements in real-time.
During this workshop, you'll dive into the fundamentals of bomba dance! Explore its rich rhythms, basic steps, dynamic piquetes (movements), regional styles, and fascinating history, all with live drumming. We'll focus on the iconic rhythms of sicá, cuembé, and seis corrido. Get your tickets!
December 14, 2024: For the Kids! Experience Puerto Rican Bomba through Storyteling and Bomba
Join us for a special bilingual book reading of Sofía and Her Bomba Drum with author and bomba practitioner Isha M. Renta López! This engaging event introduces children to the rich tradition of Puerto Rican bomba in a fun and interactive way. Children, ages 6-10, must be accompanied by an adult. Free.
November 17, 2024: Mapping & Cultural Archiving Workshop
The #BmoreBoricuas Mapping & Cultural Archiving Workshop will be held on Sunday, November 17, 2024, from 2-5PM. This event invites local Baltimore Boricuas to contribute to history by submitting personal items to be displayed at Tola’s Room as part of a multimedia map.
November 9, 2024: Community Cleanup with Tola’s Room & Latino Outdoors Baltimore
We’re thrilled to announce the 3rd annual partnership between Tola’s Room and Latino Outdoors Baltimore! This year, join us for a community cleanup in Belair-Edison, spanning from Tola’s Room at 4212 Sheldon Avenue to Herring Run Park, east of Belair Road. We’ll meet at Tola’s Room for sign-in and light morning refreshments, then kick off the cleanup. Afterward, volunteers are invited to convene at the Parkside Playground (Roberton & Parkside Drive) to enjoy a community lunch provided by Shorty’s BBQ, participate in artmaking with Friends of Herring Run Park, and connect with fellow community members. Cleanup supplies, morning refreshments, and lunch provided! Dress comfortably. 10AM-12PM cleanup, 12PM-1PM community lunch & art making.
Learn more about Latino Outdoors Baltimore
October 20, 2024: LOVE and Collage Workshop
In this collage session held at the Tola’s Room, artist Ram Brisueno will guide a group of makers, with intention and intuitive choices, to create unique portraits that connect to their significant others. By layering found papers, materials, photocopies, and any other personal materials, we will reveal individual creativity and personal stories to create a unique piece of artwork. A great activity for couples, spouses, friends, and siblings; just bring your stories and feelings about your partner to create a special portrait only you could create, a unique visual poem of your significant other.
October 5-6, 2024: 2-Day Vejigante Mask Making Workshop
Create Vejigante masks in this 2-day family friendly workshop and enjoy a traditional Puerto-Rican cuisine.
September 18, 2024: Happy Hour Fundraiser
Come out to celebrate with Tola’s Room for our first Happy Hour fundraiser in collaboration with Motor House! Tola’s Room continues to promote Puerto Rican culture, pride, and history in Baltimore. This event supports the impactful work Tola’s Room is doing for the 2024-25 year. Enjoy music, food, drinks, and a Tola’s Room signature cocktail—15% of all sales will go directly to Tola’s Room. *Tola’s Room is a sponsored project of Fractured Atlas, a non-profit arts service organization. Fractured Atlas will receive funding for the charitable purposes of Tola’s Room. Contributions for the charitable purposes of Tola’s Room must be made using our donation link (Tola's Room | Fundraising by Fractured Atlas ) and are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.
July 31, 2024: Artists in Resident Workshops: Culminating Event
"The Unraveling: Phase One, Embodying the Island" is an immersive theatrical experience featuring María Luisa Marín and interactive installation art by Ana Paula Teixeira. This bilingual piece explores the ritual of decolonization through the story of "Marina," who seeks personal growth by confronting childhood traumas in a setting that blends the river, the dream world, and the concept of home.
July 28, 2024: Artists in Resident Workshops: Character Study Workshop
Join us for a Character Building Workshop where you'll learn to develop rich, compelling fictional characters using techniques that incorporate colors, animals, archetypes, and self-knowledge. Led by renowned Puerto Rican performer María Luisa Marín, known as Mussa, this workshop is perfect for actors, directors, dancers, performers, and visual storytellers looking to create original and captivating stories.
July 27, 2024: Artists in Resident Workshops: Creative Treatment Workshop
Learn how to communicate your ideas from concept to treatment using tactics like moodboarding, loglines, and storyboarding, ensuring your vision is clearly manifested from crew to client. Ana Paula Teixeira, a Brazilian/Puerto Rican queer filmmaker and photographer, will guide you through visual storytelling techniques, drawing from their award-winning work that captures the surrealism of the queer community in the Caribbean and beyond.
June 15, 2024: MiCasaSuCasa, 4th Annual Anniversary Event
Celebrate Tola's Room 4th annual anniversary event. Attend a Dream Mask Collage Workshop with Baltimore-based artist Ram Sueno and stay for a Dance Party and Art show featuring local Puerto Rican artists.
March 17, 2024: Taino Symbols Linoleum Printmaking Workshop
Learn about the Taino symbols and their connection to Puerto Rican culture while creating your very own Taino linoleum stamp & print during this 3-hour workshop. With guidance from art scientist & culture worker, Annette Ortiz, you will leave with a linoleum carved block stamp and one print to take home. Participants are encouraged to bring images to use as inspiration and additional fabric to stamp, e.g., fabric scraps, clothes, housewares, bags, etc.
November 12, 2023: LO Baltimore | Buen Provecho: Comida, Cultura y Conversación
Art gallery tour of Pa Mi Gente, a landmark exhibit showcasing nine Puerto Rican artists local to Baltimore (both past and present). This will be accompanied by a reflective community conversación about our food cultures that is at the heart and soul of the phrase, buen provecho. Catering by Cane de Sucre. We encourage you to come ready for dialogue and sharing your own family recipes and food traditions as we engage over a communal table.
October 22, 2023: Tranquilo Tranquility Yoga in Herring Run Park
Join us for a movement meditation to feel still, peaceful, strong, and nourished. We will meet at Tola's Room and walk to Herring Run Park. Open to all bodies and levels! Fresh, home-made Smoothie Bowls available after class.
August 13, 2023: #BmoreBoricuas Archiving Project
Join Tola's Room in partnership with Maddox Photography to create cyanotypes that capture the essence of the Diapsorican narrative. This project is the first of a series entitled #BmoreBoricuas Project, to archive past & current histories of Puerto Ricans in Baltimore City.
July 23, 2023: Passion & Pride: Discover Belair-Edison’s Public Art and Puerto Rican Cultural Hub
Join Baltimore Heritage for an art walk & talk in Belair-Edison with artist, curator, and community organizer Christina Delgado! The tour will include a history of community art projects along Belair-Edison’s Main Street and sections of Herring Run Park. We’ll also talk a little about the history of the neighborhood, which was once known as Georgetown. The tour will end at Tola’s Room, with delicious empanadas by Cane de Sucre.
June 24, 2023: Un Verano en Baltimore
Eat delicious Puerto Rican street food from Cane de Sucre and Tola's Room. Vibe to curated summer tunes by DJ JustJuWit. Tour our home museum and partake in our La Marqueta flea market sale! The event entitled, Un Verano en Baltimore, plays on the name of a famous salsa song by El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, Un Verano en Nueva York. June is a time of celebration for Puerto Ricans in New York City, Chicago, and other parts of the US Mainland. Tola’s Room is continuing that tradition en BAL-TIMORE.
December 10, 2022: Navidad Boriken
Join Tola's Room for an intimate holiday celebration paying homage to la isla, Boriken. Enjoy a traditional 3-course Puerto Rican holiday meal served community style, while experiencing a dazzling performance by vocalist-composer Irene Jalenti and bassist-composer & arranger Ed Hrybyk. Afterwards, tour our fully immersive & interactive home museum and be one of the first to see the official release of our #BmoreBoricuas brand. This holiday tribute to our culture will have something for all to enjoy.
June 18, 2022: I ❤ PR Passion
Tola's Room serves as a collective of the arts, community, and education. Last year we embarked on our first solo project—an interactive culture museum concept, entitled Puerto Rican Passion. The goal for this project was to pay homage to the Puerto Rican-Nuyorican cultural experience and history by curating a fully immersive space, with the hopes to influence and inspire others to share their own cultural story. This June marks one year since our first project and what better way to celebrate than with a party! I ❤ PR Passion is our anniversary celebration & fundraiser. Our goal is to continue our dream of being a collective space dedicated to the arts, community, and education, while also serving as the only Puerto Rican cultural hub in Baltimore City. Enjoy a day filled with culture and passion, to include the unveiling of our third level, new exhibits, featured treats from The Empanada Lady, and so much more!
December 11, 2021: Nochebuena Night Market & Museum
Step into a fully immersive Puerto Rican holiday experience that will tantalize the senses and invoke feelings of family & home through food, music, holiday vendors, and interactive art.
October 21, 2021: La Bodega a Puerto Rican Culture Museum & Market
BCAN is teaming up with Tola's Room to bring you "La Bodega: A Puerto Rican Culture Museum and Market." We'll be totally interactive as we explore Puerto Rican cultural and familial traditions with authentic food, music, exclusive vendors, and interactive exhibits. Join us for an intimate evening of community, culture, and celebration!
June 12, 2021: PR Passion
Puerto Rican Passion is a culture museum curated with the Nuyorican flavor of artist, educator, and community organizer Christina Delgado. Drawing on cultural perspective, lineage, experience, and Boricua sabor, Puerto Rican Passion will tantalize the senses and invoke feelings of family and home through food, music, and interactive art.