In honor of artists and cultural workers such as Tom Lloyd and Robert Blackburn, I seek to establish the Black Craft Center (BCC), a community-centered space dedicated to preserving and expanding Black and Indigenous craft traditions through workshops, screenings, critiques, lectures, and open studio access.
The project begins with a modest live/work studio in Queens, New York, with an attached garage serving as a shared workshop and gathering space. The initial focus will be on fiber-based practices such as sewing, felting, natural dyeing, paper-making, and beading—craft traditions that are practical, process-driven, and deeply connected across global Black and Indigenous histories. These forms are especially suited to smaller-scale community learning environments while laying the foundation for future expansion into ceramics, printmaking, glass, and metalwork.
The BCC is designed to support individuals who often lack access to institutional art spaces, particularly non-degree makers and community members interested in learning craft techniques outside formal academic systems. During designated weekly hours, the studio would provide free or low-cost access to equipment, workspace, and informal mentorship. Open studio hours would encourage community participation, experimentation, and collective learning.
This vision emerged from reflecting on artists whose studios functioned as sites of experimentation and cultural exchange. I became interested in how private studio spaces could also operate as accessible environments for communal growth and intergenerational knowledge-sharing. The Black Craft Center seeks to realize that possibility.
To launch the project, I am seeking fiscal sponsorship and community support to secure and sustain the initial space and purchase foundational equipment. Thank you for supporting the early stages of this community-centered craft initiative.