Poster House, the first museum in the United States dedicated to the global history of posters, will host its monthly, free “First Friday” event on June 5, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM at Poster House, 119 West 23rd Street in Manhattan. On the first Friday of every month, Poster House offers free admission and extended hours for guests to explore the museum’s latest exhibitions and get in on the fun by attending a tour, workshop, performance, or activity throughout the day. The two main exhibitions currently on show are: Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen and Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS – open through September 6, 2026. The two capsule exhibitions on show are: From Monarchy to Modernity: Travel, Identity, & the Czechoslovak First Republic (1918–1938) and Reading Under Fire: Arming Minds & Hearts During Wartime.
Every First Friday is different, offering unique opportunities such as tours, workshops, performances, and activities, to further engage visitors with the exhibitions. First Friday activities for June 5th include: 

11:30am–1:05pm: United in Anger Screening
Join Poster House for United in Anger: A History of ACT UP (2012), screened in connection with the exhibition Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS. This documentary by director Jim Hubbard explores the rise of ACT UP, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, a grassroots organization that emerged in New York City at the height of the AIDS crisis, when people were losing friends, partners, and loved ones while those in power largely failed to respond. Through archival footage and interviews with former members, the film traces how activists organized protests, demonstrations, and direct actions that pushed government officials, medical institutions, and pharmaceutical companies to take the epidemic seriously and expand access to treatment. 

12–1pm: Act Black Curatorial Tour
Es-pranza Humphrey will lead a special tour of our exhibition Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen, exploring how these rare posters from theater and film highlight the creative contributions and cultural impact of Black performers, writers, directors, and producers. Es-pranza will share the stories behind selected works and address how visual culture has influenced and represented Black performances on stage and screen. 

12:30–5:30pm:Drop-in Printmaking with Robert Blackburn Printmaking Studio
Join artist Khari Johnson and the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Workshop for a drop-in zine- and collage-making workshop inspired by Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen and Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS. Using Xerox printouts, magazines, and found materials, participants will create their own zines and posters exploring themes of visibility, performance, community, and protest. Guests will be encouraged to remix imagery from print publications into bold, personal compositions, though all are welcome to create whatever inspires them. 

2–3:30pm: Mixed Media Poster Workshop with Devin N. Morris
In this hands-on workshop, participants will use monotype printmaking, drawing, and collage to create one-of-a-kind posters. Drawing inspiration from the exhibition Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen, participants will be encouraged to make their own narrative movie posters using paper and magazine cutouts, layered text, and drawing to support their imagined stories and characters.

3–7:30pm: Happy Hour Café des Affiches
It’s Happy Hour at Café des Affiches! Extended this First Friday between 3pm and 7:30pm, visitors are invited to enjoy $2 off all alcoholic beverages in the museum’s café. 
Indulge in a delicious drink as you browse the galleries—and be sure to try the special cocktails inspired by the museum’s two newest exhibitions, Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen and Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS!

5–6pm: What Would an HIV Doula Do? A Conversation through Love & Fury
Members of What Would an HIV Doula Do? will lead  a special walkthrough of Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS. Participants will stop at select posters throughout the exhibition to gain historical context and hear personal reflections of activism, care, loss, and community response. This walkthrough will explore how posters, media, and public messaging shaped conversations around the epidemic while also connecting the exhibition to ongoing discussions around healthcare, language, and collective action.

5–7:30pm: Lino Workshop with Jo Norris-Gaither
Visitors are invited to participate in a hands-on linocut workshop in connection with the exhibitions Act Black: Posters from Black American Stage & Screen and Love & Fury: New York’s Fight Against AIDS. In celebration of Pride and Juneteenth, participants will create carved prints using drawing and personal imagery to explore themes of identity, memory, and self representation. The workshop will include a brief introduction to the history of linocuts in queer artistic practices as well as demonstrations of carving and printing techniques. 

6:30–8pm: Line Dancing Night!
From the Charleston to the Lindy Hop, dances created and popularized by early Black performers have had a profound influence on American culture for the past century. Join Poster House for an evening of community line dancing in celebration of the dances and performers depicted in Act Black: Posters of Black American Stage and Screen.
Instructor Pilin Anice will lead a one-hour class breaking down popular modern line dances—from the Electric Slide to the Wobble—and exploring the roots of rhythmic, synchronized dance. Movers and shakers of all levels are invited to participate! 

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