Memorial Altar Box Workshops

Bare Hands’ annual Día de los Muertos festival began in 2003 when we hosted artist Tracy Martin's Day of the Dead-inspired memorial installation and reception for her late father, Spider Martin. Unprompted, some attendees brought mementos of their lost loved ones to that gathering. The sense of shared loss, remembrance, and support became the catalyst for the festival held each November 2 since 2003. Our commemoration brings community partners together to create an event that honors Día de los Muertos, incorporates two Southern U.S. remembrance traditions, and celebrates arts and culture.

By 2007, we began offering Memorial Altar Box Workshops as a way to build meaningful individual connections to the growing Día de los Muertos festival. The workshops teach the traditions of making a memorial (ofrenda) as participants make personal remembrance boxes and often share stories of loved ones and address collective community loss due issues like gun violence.

Through a City of Birmingham Community Arts Grant in partnership with Create Birmingham, in 2023, we were able to expand our Memorial Altar Box Workshops. With our grant partners, Woodlawn Neighborhood Association and muralist Dewon Moton, we worked to reach more of Birmingham’s 99 neighborhoods. Bare Hands and community partners continue to offer them free of charge, throughout metro Birmingham. We engage and train local artists, creatives and educators as teachers and teaching assistants for these workshops.

Making a memorial altar (ofrenda) box for a lost loved one is a creative and rewarding way to remember them.

What - A hands-on workshop led by Bare Hands’ artists and teachers.

Where - In various community spaces across Birmingham, thanks to our generous partners.

Cost - These workshops are free of charge.

We provide - Cigar boxes, loads of art supplies and decorations.

You bring -

• A copy of a photo of your loved one - color copies, even of black & white photos are best.

• Small replicas or images of things they enjoyed - foods, beverages, hobbies, sports, work, organizations, books, shows.

• Copies of letters, postcards, ticket stubs, quotes - copies are best so that precious mementos don’t get lost or damage.

• Things that remind you of them.

  Don’t have a printed copy of the photo? No problem!

• Email it to wendy.jarvis@barehandsinc.org and we will print it for you, or

• Bring the original and we will make a copy or print from a digital file in class.

Most boxes begin with a photo and build from there, layer by layer.  You can look up “small ofrenda boxes” to find inspiration images.  Let your heart and imagination be your guide! We look forward to seeing you in a workshop.