[October 26, 2022, Montclair, NJ]–The Montclair Art Museum (MAM) announces the opening of the new Cornerstone Café at MAM in conjunction with expanded programming as part of “Fridays at MAM.”

Opening on November 4, 2022, Cornerstone Café at MAM is an exciting new partnership between the Museum and Cornerstone Montclair that promises to enhance visitors’ experience at the Museum while seeing a shared vision come to life. Cornerstone Montclair is a local business that works “to change perspectives about people with disabilities and create opportunities for people of all abilities to have meaningful work and be active participants” in their community. The Montclair Art Museum is committed to supporting and expanding the principles of diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and social justice. MAM recognizes the role that art can play to bring all members of our community together.

As an extension of this shared vision, Cornerstone Café will be staffed by members of the Montclair High School Transition program as well as the Jewish Vocational Service of Metrowest. As a new and visionary initiative, Cornerstone Café at MAM will offer coffee and pastries to Museum visitors and members, while also ensuring that everyone feels included and valued in spaces dedicated to art.

Cornerstone Café will be open on Fridays at MAM from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will serve drinks and snacks. The baristas will serve coffee sourced from our partner, Java Love Roasting Co, a Montclair favorite. Members will receive a 10% discount on their purchase. Cornerstone Café will also provide a lounge area for customers to relax and enjoy their refreshments as well as a library of art books for visitors to browse.

In addition to the new café, the Museum will offer another initiative called Fridays at MAM. This new weekly program will include remote workspace, sketching in the galleries, and scavenger hunts for families and groups. MAM members and visitors for the day are invited to bring their laptop and other work materials to the Museum’s Media Lab from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and enjoy free wifi while they work; while there, they can take a break to visit the galleries or grab a coffee or snack at Cornerstone Café. Additionally, sketching in the galleries with art materials provided by the Museum will be a new experience offered from 2–6 p.m. Lastly, families and other groups are invited to discover the best of MAM through our self-guided Scavenger Hunt, which will be offered from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Fridays.

Fridays at MAM is a drop-in program and pre-registration is not required!

^{About the Montclair Art Museum}

^{The Montclair Art Museum boasts a renowned collection of American and Native American art that uniquely highlights art-making in the United States over the last 300 years. Works in MAM's Native American art collection span the period of circa 1200 C.E. to the present day. The Vance Wall Art Education Center encompasses the Museum’s educational efforts, including award-winning Yard School of Art studio classes, lectures and talks, family events, tours, and the mobile MAM Art Truck. MAM exhibitions and programs serve a wide public of all ages, from families and seniors to artists, educators, and scholars.
All MAM programs are made possible, in part, by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, The Vance Wall Foundation, Partners for Health Foundation, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, and Museum members.}