Just in time for Women’s History Month, the Cleveland Museum of Art’s monthly MIX series—featuring art, music, and cocktails—will celebrate women in DJ culture during MIX: Women on Wax tomorrow, Friday, March 1, with two heavy hitters in the industry.

International superstar and dance music pioneer Detroit-based DJ Minx and Cleveland’s own DJ Red-I will take over CMA’s Ames Family Atrium with a unique blend of sounds and beats.

We have been having success with our recent DJ heavy MIX events, so I wanted to keep that momentum going but take it in a slightly different direction,” explains CMA director of performing arts Gabe Pollack. “Since the pandemic, we have not featured a house DJ and I knew that DJ Minx, a pioneering DJ of house and dance music is based in Detroit, which isn’t too far away.”

MIX: FunkThe “Women on Wax” theme stems from DJ Minx’s (AKA Jennifer Witcher’s) 1996 founding of of Women on Wax—a Metro Detroit collective of female DJs that launched several careers—and the subsequent 2001 launch of Women on Wax Recordings.

For more than a decade, DJ Red-I (AKA Brittany Benton) has been a staple of Cleveland’s music scene—known for her hard-hitting sets that combine hip-hop, house, funky breaks, and Afro-Caribbean vibes. She is also the founder of Brittany’s Record Shop at City Goods in Ohio City, is part of the hip-hop duo FreshProduce, and founder of Cleveland’s beat showcase Beat Freak

“It turns out that [DJ Minx] was available to headline, and I think she will be perfectly complimented by Cleveland’s own DJ Red-I,” adds Pollack.

The two DJs will produce a perfect representation of the strength of the female DJ culture.

“Although underrepresented in the industry, there are many influential and pioneering women DJs, producers, and musicians in many genres—including electronic, house, hip hop, funk, and dance genres,” says Pollack. “DJ Red-I will spin a set that showcases the talents of some of these women. Then, DJ Minx, a pioneer herself, will headline the evening.”

DJ Red-I will go on at 6 p.m. and DJ Minx will go on at 8 p.m.

“We are hoping that the atrium feels like a huge dance club all night long,” exclaims Pollack.

Additionally, in honor of Women’s History Month, CMA partner Bon Appetit will have a variety of special dishes and drinks for sale—each named after a celebrity female chef.

Some of the food choices include:

• Nancy Silverton: Fennel pollen sausage pizza; Bacon, onion, and Swiss focaccia
• Missy Robbins: Orecchiette, truffle fonduta served with mixed green salad
• April Bloomfield:  Bleu cheese burger    
• Susan Feniger: Black bean and sweet potato quesadilla served with steak fries and garlic aioli
• Julia Child: Beef Bourguignon over rice pilaf; Chocolate almond cake
• Alice Waters: Potato gratin served with mixed green salad
• Sherry Yard: Caramelized banana tart
• Christina Tosi: Cereal milk panna cotta
• Joanne Chang: Mallomar cookies

Admission to MIX: Women on Wax is free for CMA members, but a ticket is required. For non-members, tickets are $16 in advance, $18 on the day of the event, and $25 at the door (if available).