There have been many good and helpful anti-racism resources being generously shared online and on social media, but today I want share specifically in support of Black artists. 

Because if you’re here, you’re likely an artist, illustrator, designer or creative. And as a fellow artist, you, like me, probably want this space to be welcoming and supportive for all of the members in our community. 

And if you are a Black artist or a person of color, I want to make sure you know that you are not only welcome here, but are supported here. I want this space to be a part of removing as many barriers as possible for you, if you are wanting to make a living, side hustle, or whatever your goals may be for your art.

White and non-black artists: I’m sharing resources for you below in our fight to end racism. This of course extends beyond the artist community, but I hope this is helpful for you when considering your art and creative career specifically. 

Organizations Supporting Black Artists

Action ideas: Consider a donation to one of these organizations below. Can’t donate? You could donate all or a percentage of sales from one of your products. You could do this for a limited time or as long as you are able. You can simply share about these organizations with friends who can donate as well.

Is there an organization in your local community you can support? 

Black Women in Visual Art

Black Art Futures Fund

Arts Administration of Color Network

Black Arts and Designers Guild

Have another one to add? Post it in the comments, please! 

Or find more and add other anti-racism resources here in this document created by Emily Jeffords Studio. 

Hold the Brands you Work with Accountable

I’m planning a separate blog post detailing this, but when working with brands, companies, and partners, consider if their values align with yours.

Are they exclusively working with or sharing the art of only white artists? Is their team diverse or have they started working on that? Which organizations does their company donate to? What is their company culture like? 

If you’re asked to participate in one of their events or exhibitions, here’s a response template idea you can send to them before you decide. 

Support Black Artists Directly

Buy from Black artists directly! Instead of jumping to your usual shops or products, expand your network and seek out the work of amazing Black creatives to buy from. This includes the people you learn from as a student, podcasts you listen to, and the books you read. 

I shared a few artists to my story highlights here, as have many people on Instagram most recently. But when following or sharing the work of Black artists, do so in a genuine way. 

This blog post by artist Jen Hewett was very helpful for me in understanding how she felt about her work being shared so widely all of the sudden. 

Image above shared by Girlboss. 

Commit to this Work

If this is all new to you (like much of what I’ve learned recently has been to me), the many resources, powerful knowledge you’re taking in, and current events take a lot of your energy. Commit to this work in a way that allows you to dedicate your time and support for the long-haul.

What I mean by that is, a complete change within yourself, your actions, your job – everything – isn’t going to be done in one day. We have a lot of work, learning and unlearning, ahead of us.

This post by Tatiana Mac helps explain the potential burnout and how to address it. 

Do what you can today, but focus on long-term actions so that anti-racism can become built in to your life. 

Because human decency and social justice are a life’s work. I shared some more thoughts on that here as well. 

This Process is Ongoing

A final note that this list and these resources are non-exhaustive. I will continue to share what I learn with you over time.

I won’t get it perfect, because no one will. What’s important is that we try.

Please feel free to share any relevant resources or thoughts in the comments below. Thank you!