FROM THE EDITOR

At long last, a study has emerged that confirms what artists, advocates, and cultural workers have known intuitively for generations: engaging with art is not only enriching, it is restorative.

As fall settles in with shorter days and stormier skies, I find myself turning inward—and reading more. Recently, I came across a New York Times article that stopped me cold: over 10,000 U.S. museums have lost government grants and contracts this year. That’s nearly one-third of the roughly 35,000 museums in the country—institutions that exist to preserve and share the cultural and scientific story of who we are. Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), Seattle, WA. The loss

This month marks three remarkable years for ARTE NOIR in Seattle’s Central District. While it’s not 5, 10, or 20 years yet, this...

Just three years ago, ARTE NOIR officially stepped onto Seattle’s arts scene. In that short time, we’ve grown, listened, reflected, and gained deep insight into who we are — and how we fit within the local, national, and international arts landscape.

Time really is  moving faster—or at least, it feels that way. Today I learned that the days are quite literally getting shorter! It turns out we’re losing milliseconds from our once-reliable 24-hour cycle. So no, it’s not just in my head—time is  slipping away. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it as the reason I constantly feel like the hours are racing by. Speaking of time flying... This September, ARTE NOIR will celebrate three years of being open! It’s hard to believ

June is Black Music Month! A fact made especially clear by the central role music played in nearly every Juneteenth celebration earlier this month. At every event I attended, one moment in particular stood out: the instant the beat dropped for "Boots on the Ground" by 803Fresh . Without fail, fans snapped open in unison, line dance steps were taught and shared, and the crowd called out together— “Where them fans at?!” But line dancing isn’t just for Juneteenth. Earlier this y

Let me start by saying the proverbial whew!! It's been a lot, y'all. Talking with a close friend this morning, we agreed that it is always A LOT, but right now, it's feeling like a WHOLE DAMN LOT - WAY TOO MUCH!!! But...we have choices about how we respond to whatever flavor of crisis is being constantly thrown our way, and we are choosing to focus on the good things! We are growing, and that's a good thing! It's a pleasure to introduce two more recent additions, along with

To understand the importance of future-forward thinking, we must consider that futures are made.

No matter where you are or who you are, we sincerely hope that you are finding joy in your surroundings. As we close out Women's History Month, we are reminded that women have been on the cutting edge of innovation and creative thinking since time immemorial. Black women artists have always given us insight and encouragement, regardless of the obstacles they may have had to navigate. They continue to encourage us to be creative, bold, and unapologetic. This month begs us to s

We hope that this February, Black History Month, has been a source for exploration and education in every sector of our community. It’s been a busy time at ARTE NOIR as we’ve opened our doors and gallery to focus on youth expression, which has been enlightening and soul-nourishing.   February, as we know, is the shortest month of the year, and this year, it seems to have been spinning at an unusually high rate of speed. Of course, much of that has to do with the rapid-fire sh

Oh, how the times are a-changing. The shifts happening in every area of our global lives usher into existence a brand new time. Things as we have come to know them are simply no longer. The times may be new, but there are ancestors who knew what to expect and warned us, if only we listened.   With Black History Month upon us, we are always prone to mentioning and rightfully celebrating the accomplishments of Black History makers. This Black History Month would be a good time

2025 will see us enter our third year of operation in the physical space. This milestone is significant.

When we recognize how much can change in a very short time, we often experience fear where joy and confidence once resided. Fear is rooted in the unknown, and when we find ourselves outside of our natural spaces of “knowing,” it can be hard to embrace anything that seems less than secure or known. It’s in that space between the known and the opportunity to create something new that art emerges and provides the super glue to hold everything together.   Art fills voids of knowi

This issue of ARTE NOIR has me in an elevated state of excitement y’all. I’m excited each month when we get to share news and happenings about Black art and artists out in the world making ish  happen, but this month, I think I just needed this infusion of goodness more than at other times.   Everyone seems to be feeling a lot of doom and gloom lately. Is it just me, or has the state of affairs in the world, the constant onset of (un) natural disasters, and the disaster that

Do you remember The 21st night of September? Love was changin' the minds of pretenders While chasin' the clouds away   Released in November of 1978, September by Earth, Wind, and Fire will always be the anthem for the month that marks the beginning of a new season. Welcome fall!   September is when we start to think about wardrobe changes, shifting us from barely covered to cozy layers. It’s a perfect time to get some style and fashion tips, and we’re so happy to introduce y

Summer is winding down and we have enjoyed every sunny moment this year. So many good times of being together with family and friends, traveling, sharing new experiences, and most of all soaking up as much vitamin D as possible.   While this summer has been a ton of fun we’ve stayed pretty busy launching new initiatives and creating space for community. The launch of the Black Arts Roster supported by the King County Gathering Collaborative, has been warmly received and con

It can be incredibly challenging to capture a vision for the future when the present feels bleak and chaotic.  Darius Simpson wrote a poem, Perhaps We Are Our Ancestors' Wildest Dreams , often simplified in shared quotes as “We are our ancestors' wildest dreams.” We believe that whatever gains have been accomplished are the manifestation of the dreams held by those whose bondage denied them any level of liberation. We are their future vision. Each month, but particularly at

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the concept of power. As defined, power is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.   In this regard, how does power show up in our world? We have seen the excessive use of power over the arts sector show up recently, and again, with the recent decision by the Florida governor to slash state funding for the arts. The $32 million cut to arts was enveloped within a broader set of funding

I've been thinking a lot lately about how narratives are spun and delivered—who controls what narratives, and how the origin and relevance of narratives cause harm or support health and increase understanding and compassion. Some incredible stories by, for, and about Black life and experiences are being told right now. Tonya Mosley, co-host of NPR's Fresh Air and former Seattle journalist, has produced one of the most compelling and stunning stories about the family she didn

This past Sunday at ARTE NOIR, a brilliant discussion took place, kicking off a series of community-centered events in conjunction with the Seattle Public Library Seattle Reads program. The discussion focused on this year's Seattle Reads book, Octavia Butler's Parable of the Sower , and included artist Aramis O. Hamer, whose exhibit Once Upon A Spacetime is currently on view at the ARTE NOIR gallery, and multi-disciplinary artist and writer, Berette S. Macauley, who is amon