We. The Culture: Works by The Eighteen Art Collective

A major exhibition celebrating the diverse practices and perspectives of The Eighteen Art Collective, an Indianapolis-based group of Black artists formed in response to the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. Developed in collaboration with The Eighteen Art Collective, GANGGANG, Indianapolis community leaders, and Newfields, the exhibition moved beyond the Collective’s origin in the Indiana Avenue street mural to center the artists as individual creative professionals. The project explored themes ranging from identity, spirituality, joy, and hip-hop culture to art history, nature, and social justice, while creating new opportunities for community engagement, programming, and access to the artists’ work beyond the museum.

My Role

Co-curator and project leader, guiding the exhibition from collaborative development through execution. I led a communal process involving artists, community partners, guest curators, museum staff, and external stakeholders, while developing new approaches to centering the artists’ voices, digital engagement, community partnerships, programming, and access. I also led efforts to extend the exhibition beyond the museum through the creation of a documentary film and educational resources for IPS schools.

Explore the full exhibition website to learn more about We. The Culture and access the videos, stories, educational resources, and additional content created as part of the project.

https://discovernewfields.org/events-exhibitions/we-the-culture-works-by-the-eighteen-art-collective