Black Artists + Designers Guild

Black Artists + Designers Guild Lab initiatives represent the vanguard in Black art and design. The Lab provides space and support for artists and designers to express their artistry, liberated from the constraints of client specifications. OBSIDIAN is our award-winning virtual concept house launched in 2021. It was designed to invite new conversations about the space of home as a place of thriving for one million Black families. Guided by the belief that Black futures are equitable, sustainable, and liberatory, we have created a virtual space that manifests our collective imaginings. Creators conceptualized their spaces with a focus on four principles: Innovation, Technology, Sustainability, and Futurism, further conveyed through seven key fundamentals that express the intent of Obsidian and its mission: Wellness, Identity, Sustenance, Terra, Legacy, Ancestral Futures, and Dwelling.

🖤 Happy National Nonprofit Day! 🖤 Today, we celebrate the incredible impact of nonprofit organizations. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we've proudly celebrated, empowered, and supported a community of creative makers of African descent. Malene Barnett founded the Black Artists + Designers Guild in 2018. BADG is more than just a platform; it's a movement driven by equity, inclusion, and collaboration values. We cultivate leaders in creative industries, creating immersive spaces where visionary Black artists and designers can thrive. We believe in the power of creativity and the principle of Ujima—working collectively to uplift our culture and community. Generous support from BADG supporters propels our work forward, and today, we invite YOU to be part of this journey. Whether by sharing resources, spreading the word, or donating, your involvement makes a difference. ✨ Join us in celebrating creativity, community, and the transformative power of makers. We invite you to make a commitment to donate today. Learn more about the Collective Action of BADG! https://badguild.info/

#BADGMember Spotlight Johanna Howard of Johanna Howard Home is an accomplished textile designer and a longstanding, dedicated BADG Member. BADG collaborated with Kravet during its 30th anniversary, inviting a few BADG artists to transform a Kravet Georgetown Chair into a piece of art unveiled at the 2022 Fall High Point Market Authority "My process starts with the textile, and this design is inspired by our ombre alpaca throw. Ombre is a powerful motif, as it allows the observer to feel motion from the sense of vision alone. Using the original Kravet upholstery fabric, I cut and dyed individual strips to create fabric flowers with a sense of vibrancy and joy. This motion/emotion is mirrored in my ombre alpaca pillow, which is placed as a central element in the work." - Johanna Howard Feature: Designers Today

APPLY TODAY 🖤 The BADG Creative Legacy Makers Grant, generously funded by the Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation, is a $10,000 award designed to recognize and support an established Black craftsperson or collective with 30 or more years in the field who continues to impact contemporary craft and affirm Black Diasporic culture. This grant aims to assist in establishing a lasting legacy in craft rather than a single project. The recipient may use the grant towards endeavors that further their creative practice, such as fabricating objects, creating work for exhibitions, designing installations, producing products, or engaging in public art. Visit our profile link or website to learn more! Spread the word, tag a friend, and APPLY Deadline is September 3, 2024 at 11:59 PST - https://lnkd.in/ecCsj36w

BADG of HONOR is our signature event honoring visionaries who advance Black creativity and culture. This immersive experience highlights BADG programs while bringing together a community of creatives and professionals from art, design, and beyond. Your generous contribution supports our BADG mission to empower makers of African descent to create immersive spaces that center our culture and community. This night supports our BADG Lab and Education Initiatives, providing grants, immersive spaces, and programming. 🎥 @csoph123

BADG Education Initiatives are designed to increase exposure for Black artists and designers through grants, residencies, and public programs. We believe in providing financial support to multiple generations of makers. Your generosity and support are vital to our mission and work as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on creating equitable and inclusive spaces, advancing hundreds of Black makers through educational and creative opportunities. We have been honored to provide these Black creatives with grants. 2023 Creative Visionary Grant awarded to advanced practitioners with 10 to 25 years of active studio practice in art, architecture, design, and material culture. Grant recipients include BADG Member Jomo Tariku @jomotariku, an Artist, Designer, & Data Scientist from Springfield, VA; Artist Ifeoma Ebo @ifeoma_ebo of Brooklyn, NY; and Artist Derrick Woods-Morrow @moresweetbeef of Chicago, IL & Providence, RI. They each received $10,000 for projects celebrating Black Diasporic expression while correcting inaccuracies and omissions in design and art history. 2021 Creative Futures Grant Awardees received $5000 and mentorship. Abena Otema Danquah, an undergraduate architecture student of the Rhode Island School of Design; Janiya Douglas, an undergraduate art history and curatorial studies student at Spelman College; LaRissa Rogers, a graduate student of new genres from the University of California, Los Angeles; and Neysa Wellington, a graduate student of photography at the Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University Your collective action is the backbone of our success, and we need your help to make an impact by making a 100% tax-deductible donation. https://lnkd.in/gajpdQET

#BADGMember Spotlight Kianne Patrice Hutchinson Artist Kianne had the opportunity to share her digital artwork through our BADG Lab curated exhibition at the Prizm Art Fair Miami 2022, a cutting-edge art fair that is multidisciplinary in scope, exhibiting international artists from Africa and the global African Diaspora. The works on display by Kianne and fellow BADG Members Alicia Bailey & Jennifer Turner illustrated experiences deeply rooted in Black culture, utilizing iconic characteristics of Black art and design, such as figurative motifs, traditional handmade processes, bold colors, and textures—all packaged in a modern design aesthetic. Kianne Patrice Hutchinson is a Jamaican digital artist, muralist, photographer, and wall art creator. Digital art is at the core of her practice, and merging with other disciplines gives a fresh twist on traditional elements. She has been recognized globally for her unique blend of traditional elements and modern design, showcasing her artistry through institutions and exhibitions, and she proudly references her beautiful island of Jamaica, full of artistic inspiration and vibrant people. We invite you to support our BADGLab as we empower makers of African descent to create immersive spaces that center our culture and community. 

We are proud to announce that we will design an installation for the upcoming exhibition “Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial” at @cooperhewitt, opening November 2, 2024 - Summer 2025 The exhibition will include 25 site-specific, newly commissioned installations. The exhibition explores design’s role in shaping the physical and emotional realities of home across the United States, US Territories, and Tribal Nations. The exhibition is the seventh offering in the museum’s Design Triennial series, established in 2000 to address the most urgent topics of the time through the lens of design. #BuildwithBADG https://lnkd.in/gdS_Yn9f

We are excited to announce our 2024 Creative Legacy Makers Grant 📣 Applications are now open! The grant supports projects celebrating Black diasporic expression in craft mediums by a Black craftsperson or collective with over 30 years of creative practice The Creative Legacy Makers Grant is generously funded by the Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation 🖤🖤🖤 The 2024 Creative Legacy Makers Grant is a $10,000 award designed to recognize and support an established Black craftsperson or collective with 30 or more years in the field who continues to impact contemporary craft and affirm Black Diasporic culture. This grant aims to assist in the establishment of a lasting legacy in craft rather than a single project. The recipient may use the grant towards endeavors that further their creative practice, such as fabricating objects, creating work for exhibitions, designing installations, producing products, or engaging in public art. The Creative Legacy Makers Grant is intended to support initiatives demonstrating innovative models within the recipient’s sphere of expertise. The ultimate goal of the funded activities is to celebrate Black Diasporic expression across all artistic modes while addressing and correcting inaccuracies and omissions in the field of craft. Visit our profile link to learn more! Spread the word, tag a friend, and APPLY TODAY: https://lnkd.in/ecCsj36w The Application deadline is September 3, 2024 at 11:59 PST #BADGGrants #BADGEducation #WeAreBADG

📣 Major News! 📣 We are thrilled to announce that our “Futures Facing” Mural, a project collaboration with Colossal Media and Lamar Advertising Company, has been honored at the 82nd annual OBIE Awards with the Bronze Award in Public Service & Nonprofits. The Out of Home Advertising Association of America  America hosts the OBIE Awards, recognized as the most prestigious honor in out-of-home advertising, celebrating creative excellence and innovation. The artwork appeared as a handpainted mural in Brooklyn and on over 350 national billboards during Black History Month 2023. “Through this collaboration, we created a visual representation of Black imagination and collective action. This mural represents our BADG manifesto, the foundation for our action-oriented membership as we drive the industry toward equitable and inclusive spaces.” - Malene Barnett, BADG Founder As a collective, we designed “Futures Facing” as a BADG Lab artwork to connect deeply with our heritage, echoing cultural traditions rooted in our relationship with the environment with a color palette inspired by vegetal dyes used in African textiles. The silhouettes represent all Black artists and designers. We aim for every Black creative who sees the artwork to feel seen and represented. We want all those who view our mural to understand that supporting our mission means working together to face the future and advocate for equity for all Black creatives. 🖤 BADG manifesto: “We are liberatory, celebratory, collaborative, community, active, activists.” 🌟 Learn more about the award-winning mural and our mission at badguild.info 📷 Sophia C.