WHO WE ARE
BLACK ART IN AMERICA™ (BAIA) is the leading portal and network focused on African American Art in the nation. BAIA’s mission is to document, preserve and promote the contributions of the African American arts community. THE BLACK ART IN AMERICA (BAIA) FOUNDATION is a 501c3 organization that applies what we’ve learned over our 12 years as a multifaceted arts company to facilitate the growth of artists while cultivating the relationships and opportunities that bring Black artists and communities together.
THE BAIA FOUNDATION believes that a significant challenge for communities of color is their lack of access to and education on the visual arts, particularly those that effectively reflect and represent themselves.
Goals of THE BAIA FOUNDATION:
- To center the legacy of African-American art and artists through visual art, literature, lesson plans, oral histories, and the distribution of our bi-monthly magazine
- To promote intersections between art and activism in Black neighborhoods and schools while encouraging a strong sense of purpose and unity and using art as a catalyst for economic development
- To create opportunities for Black artists and writers to grow by facilitating their skill sets, giving them the space and tools to create, and expanding their professional networks.
2022 – Initiatives:
- Distribute BAIA, the mag, to the 107 HBCUs in the country
- Design art centered lesson plans for middle schools, summer camps, and homeschoolers
- Fund artists lead community impact based workshops and programs targeting the youth and seniors
- Launch (virtual) professional development series
- Institute marketing assistance for African American Museums and Cultural Centers.
How to Get Involved:
- Become a stakeholder who helps us transform lives through art.
- Make a one-time donation or sign up for scheduled monthly contributions.
A top priority for THE BAIA FOUNDATION is providing communities of color access to and education on the visual arts, particularly those that effectively reflect these communities. This priority is embodied in the Foundation’s second goal which is to promote intersections between art and activism in Black neighborhoods and schools while encouraging a strong sense of purpose and unity. Consistently, the Foundation deeply values our relationships with the communities we serve, interact with, and engage in an ongoing basis. For it is in these communities of everyday people THE BAIA FOUNDATION does its most important work.
Our BAIA IN THE COMMUNITY page is a platform for the real-time representation of these important community-based relationships and activities.
