Kings & Queens of Art: A Market Place for Artists

Out of My Shell, by Gwendolyn Garth

Since I am new to this platform let me introduce myself and my non-profit organization, Kings & Queens of Art:

Greetings, I am a native Clevelander, a multimedia artist of African descent, and I am a Community Activist. As a champion for myself and other marginalized artists I think of myself as the “Harriet Tubman of Artists” in Cleveland. As I am shown, as I discover and as I create doors of opportunities, I like to show others those doors also and bring them through with me. I have always created artistically since my youth, but because I was academically talented, my mother encouraged my intellectual side as opposed to my creative side. I thank God that I had an older sister, who was also a creative, to encourage and inspire me artistically. Later on in my life, a friend and a trusted critic pointed out that the word “art” was in the middle of my last name, and that informed my spirit that I was born to be an artist. That became a turning point for me: on that day I gave myself permission to be an artist.

As the Founding Owner of Kings & Queens of Art, I am living and working in one of my repeated childhood dreams.

Kings & Queens of Art is grassroots collaboration of Artists of all disciplines with a special focus on artists from the re-entry sector: presently and/or formerly incarcerated. Our Mission is: To build a network of artists and resources that supports a vibrant arts environment, in a neighborhood context. Our Vision is: To be a catalyst for transforming community through the celebration of the arts and African-American history and culture.

What We Do: Acting as a catalyst for social engagement that leads to political and spatial change, we have instigated the creation of an arts and cultural community.

We support the emerging artist by providing the following:
Display spaces and opportunities to show; opportunities for the artist to teach their craft; assistance with art supplies, equipment, framing, etc.; networking opportunities and resources needed for artistic growth.

We support the community by providing the following:
Quality hands-on art curriculum designed for specific needs; artwork for events; facilitate the creation of community murals; facilitate conversations centered around making art focused on:
Community Building
Race
Healing
Relationships

Collaborators:
Larchmere Arts
The Indi Group
Inner Visions of Cleveland
Neighbor Up
Metamorphosis Productions
Sankofa
Karamu House
Acerbic
Snickerfritz
Mama Fasai

 

GRAND OPENING OF THE ART PALACE: THE HOME OF KINGS & QUEENS OF ART | FEBRUARY 1

Kings & Queens of Art
11017 Ashbury Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
kingsqueensofart@gmail.com
216.339.0571