Step into a world of creativity, movement and shared ideas at Express Yourself!, a vibrant day of arts, culture and creative exploration taking place on Saturday, May 9, in partnership with the Montclair Literary Festival. Open to all, this celebration invites everyone to explore creative expression in many forms.

Join us for hands-on workshops and interactive experiences on Saturday, May 9, 2026. All events are open to all and free, but registration is required. Sign up for a single workshop or for the whole day!

Register to Attend

Acting Out: Improv Group Style
9 -10:15 a.m., Life Hall room 1200
Crowd Source Acting is about using improvisation to act in the moment. Participants will be guided in an improvisational game that allows them to experience dropping into a roll and having the inspiration of those around them to achieve a common goal. That goal could be silly, serious, or absurd. Join us for a round or two of a game called Family Portraits, guided by Theatre department practitioners.

A Moving Experience For All
10:30-11:45 a.m., Life Hall 1210
This session will be a dance class for beginners, emphasizing freedom of movement and some basic dance moves.

Got Art? Take This Workshop
12:00-1:15 p.m., Calcia Hall 245
Participants will explore a visual arts technique such as collage, clay sculpting, or mixed media and create a unique work. Guided by an artist educator, attendees will learn simple methods and experiment with materials during the session.

Snap Snap: Taking Just the Right Picture
1:30-2:45 p.m., Feliciano School of Business Lawn
This digital photography workshop will start with a presentation on the powerful choices available for capturing and documenting the world with your camera. Each participant will be given directions for taking a photograph from a specific location on campus. Jenelle Covino, Adjunct Professor of Art and Design, will guide participants to utilize basic photo retouching principles to bring each digital photograph to life. You can bring your digital camera or use your cell phone to photograph for this workshop. This workshop is suitable for all ages and all experience levels of photography.

Drumming Up a Crowd, the West African Way
3:00-4:15 p.m.; Feliciano School of Business Lawn
The Montclair State University West African Drumming and Dance Ensemble will perform and engage everyone to participate in traditional West African recreational music. We play a strong weave of polyrhythms on traditional drums, bells and rattles, and those in attendance will drum with us, sing with us in call and response in a West African language, and dance traditional movements with us, directed by calls from the lead drum.

Let’s Get Physical: Writing Poetry about Memory and the Body
4:30-5:45 p.m. Feliciano School of Business Room 140
In this generative poetry workshop, we will begin by bringing our memories to life on the page. We will then expand to writing about embodied experiences. Participants will leave this workshop having written two new poems and having received feedback on one of the poems. They will also leave with a few additional tools in their writers’ toolbox.

Nearby Communities

State Edition

National Edition

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Superhero Party

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Shenole Latimer - Jazz concert - Our Music, Our Culture

Comedy Night Open Mic

Comedy Night Open Mic

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It’s Time to Interview/Audition for JCC Maccabi ArtsFest!

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Pages of My Book - A Writing Workshop for Teen Girls

4th Wall Theatre presents FLOP of Ages: GREAT songs from bad shows!

4th Wall Theatre presents FLOP of Ages: GREAT songs from bad shows!

Macculloch Hall's Civil War Christmas

Macculloch Hall's Civil War Christmas

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Holiday Affair"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Holiday Affair"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Finding Neverland"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Finding Neverland"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Destry Rides Again"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Destry Rides Again"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Morning Glory"

Monday Afternoon at the Movies - "Morning Glory"

Thursday Afternoon movie - "By the Light of the Silvery Moon"

Thursday Afternoon movie - "By the Light of the Silvery Moon"

Thursday Afternoon Movie - "Say Anything"

Thursday Afternoon Movie - "Say Anything"

Thursday Afternoon Movie - ""Everybody Sing"

Thursday Afternoon Movie - ""Everybody Sing"

Bloomfield Animal Shelter 2nd Annual Tricky Tray

Bloomfield Animal Shelter 2nd Annual Tricky Tray

The Spuds & The Tom Wolfe Band

The Spuds & The Tom Wolfe Band

2 at 19

2 at 19

NJ PEACE ACTION’S 54th Annual Soup Luncheon Move the Money: Stop the War Machine Featuring Phyllis Bennis and Judith LeBlanc

NJ PEACE ACTION’S 54th Annual Soup Luncheon Move the Money: Stop the War Machine Featuring Phyllis Bennis and Judith LeBlanc

Nutty By Nature-The Improv Comedy Troupe

Nutty By Nature-The Improv Comedy Troupe

The Montclair Operetta Club Presents: Jesus Christ Superstar

The Montclair Operetta Club Presents: Jesus Christ Superstar

The Montclair Operetta Club Presents: Jesus Christ Superstar

The Montclair Operetta Club Presents: Jesus Christ Superstar

Halloween with Paul Castiglia & Glenn Whitmore at The Comic Book Market

Halloween with Paul Castiglia & Glenn Whitmore at The Comic Book Market

HALLELUJAH PARTY sponsored by New Light YOUTH CONNEXION

HALLELUJAH PARTY sponsored by New Light YOUTH CONNEXION

Enzo & The Bakers

Enzo & The Bakers

PidginDroppings, Bigger Thomas

PidginDroppings, Bigger Thomas

The Lyriqs Every Friday Night at Pianos

The Lyriqs Every Friday Night at Pianos

FOWE 4th Annual Gift & Vendor Show

FOWE 4th Annual Gift & Vendor Show

The Mike Luipersbeck Trio in concert at the Bloomfield Library

The Mike Luipersbeck Trio in concert at the Bloomfield Library

Brother Sun @ The Hillside Cafe

Brother Sun @ The Hillside Cafe

Open Mic @ Hat City Kitchen

Open Mic @ Hat City Kitchen

The Lyriqs Every Friday Night at Pianos

The Lyriqs Every Friday Night at Pianos

Bluesbreaker Series with Al Gold

Bluesbreaker Series with Al Gold

Jodie Levinson; Retrofitz

Jodie Levinson; Retrofitz

Scream on the Green

Scream on the Green

Addus Healthcare, The Home Care Professionals To Host Job Fair For Certified Home Health Aides

Addus Healthcare, The Home Care Professionals To Host Job Fair For Certified Home Health Aides

Wine, Cheese, and Player Pianos

Wine, Cheese, and Player Pianos

Lyrics & Laughter: An Evening of Comedy and Song

Lyrics & Laughter: An Evening of Comedy and Song

3rd Annual Costume Swap

3rd Annual Costume Swap

Martin Briley; Let It Slide