Toledo Black
Artist Coalition
The Toledo Black Artist Coalition’s mission is to amplify those of African descent and people of color in the arts creating avenues of artistic agency through advocacy, education, and activism.
Our vision is to provide resources and education within the greater Toledo community while holding entities accountable to representation, transparency, and equity.
OUT OF THE DARK: A Historic Journey
The Toledo Museum of Art invited the Toledo Black Artist Coalition to curate an online exhibition from its collection in honor of Juneteenth, 2021.
From the Sentinel-Tribue: "TMA and TBAC seek to bring more awareness through this partnership. Founded in the summer of 2020, TBAC’s mission is focused on creating avenues of artistic agency through advocacy, education and activism. “As artists of color and allies, we are investing in our collective value. Our hope is that our work will benefit future generations,” said Yusuf Lateef, a TBAC spokesperson.
Lateef added that the Coalition is a new wave formed within the context of the current national and international movement to heal a nation traumatized by the effects of white supremacy. He said their goal is “to create pathways for artists of color and work with Toledo cultural institutions to collectively combat racial inequality."
Learn more about the show, and this vitally important collaboration here. Thank you to Synergy Engagement and Creadio for helping produce the following video and supporting this engagement!
LAUNCH: Art in the Age of Solidarity - 2020
How can we maintain the building of cultural unity during this time of social turmoil? Today, people from all walks of society are threading together to create real change. This exhibition was a symbolic offering to address this question and to visualize a new society and the existence of an undefended space.
Thank you to BCAN for the coverage and the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery for the partnership and support.
Contributing artists include Aaron Bivins, Lawrence C. Faulkner, Lee Fearnside, Nikola Welcome-Bovell, Lydia Horvath, Philip Johnson, David Ross, Odes Roberts, “June the Second” William Dunn, Elliott Rogers, Brandon Slewion, Mercé L. Culp, Logan A. Yarbro, Amarion, Chris Rogers, James “dirtykics” Dickerson, Julia L. Darrah, Paul Verdell, Osinachi Okoro, Darius Simpson, Audrey Johnson, Simone Renee Spruce, Yusuf Abdul Lateef, Anthony McCarty, Dustin Amery Hostetler, and Terry Burton.
Toledo Blade: Exhibition at Owens to showcase diverse artists
Toledo City Paper: New exhibition by TBAC debuts at Terhune Gallery
TBAC artists (left to right) Anthony McCarty, Simone Spruce, and Yusuf Lateef supporting Eugene, Oregon-based artist Pete Goldlust complete a recent mural as part of the ProMedica, Toledo Hospital Generations Tower mural project in 2021.