Black Art! Collective at Memphis’ art museum

Join a Movement Rooted in Culture, Community, and Legacy

The Black Art Collective is more than a membership group, it’s a force for cultural change.

As a member of the Collective, you’ll be part of a dynamic circle of individuals who:

• Champion the presence and power of Black art in Memphis' art museum
  
• Cultivate a deeper appreciation for Black creativity through collecting and conversation
  
• Build lasting relationships with others who care deeply about Black art
  
• Fuel exhibitions, education, and outreach programs that center Black voices
  

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This is your invitation to help shape the future of the museum and Memphis’ art scene, and to be part of a vibrant community of change-makers.

Purpose and Benefits

‍Our Purpose

The Black Art Collective exists to ensure that Black artists, stories, and patrons are not only represented at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, but championed.

We believe art is essential to cultural preservation, self-expression, and social progress. Through collective giving, strategic influence, and intentional presence, we work to enrich the museum's collections, broaden its reach, and deepen its relevance to the communities it serves.

Join us in building a legacy that future generations can see, feel, and belong to.

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Membership Benefits

Being part of the Black Art Collective means joining a vibrant community that celebrates art, culture, and connection, centered on Black art. As a member, you will:

• Champion Black art at Memphis’ art museum, helping to shape the collection, voice, and vision of the institution
• Build meaningful connections through curated social and community-building experiences
• Join a culture of collecting and legacy, with access to behind-the-scenes moments, with four exclusive events each year
• Contribute to growing Memphis' art collection

Membership Levels

Leader | $1,500 annually or $125 monthly

Includes museum membership, exclusive access to behind the scenes experiences, curatorial led tours, and more.

Ambassador | $250 annually or $21 monthly

Includes access to all Black Art! Collective programming, as well as all benefits of the museum’s household level membership.

Collective Events

Every year, the Black Art Collective will have four dedicated events designed to build community and create a closer connection to Black art in Memphis. Beyond these four core events, Collective members will be invited to the 400+ yearly museum programs from fashion and art making to artist talks and opening celebrations.

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The Birthday Bash - August 7th, 6 - 8p

Join us for this annual celebration of the Black Art Collective and raise a glass to a successful year. Invite your friends and help us build excitement around the full year of incredible programs.     

Intimate Artist Talk - September 5th, 6 - 8p

Join us for a compelling artist talk at your art museum, as curator Rose Smith sits down for an in-depth conversation with celebrated painter Calida Rawles on the topic of her current exhibition, Away with the Tides.

Special Gallery Visit

This coming March, celebrate creativity and community with a powerful, behind-the-scenes experience of Black artistry during this exclusive gallery visit for the Black Art Collective.

A visit to an artist’s studio

In May, experience art in its most personal form as the Black Art Collective is welcomed into the working studio of a local artist.

Museum Membership

In addition to these Collective-specific benefits, you’ll also enjoy the full privileges of being a Memphis Brooks Museum of Art member:‍

• Free year-round admission for you and a guest
• 10% discount in the museum store and cafe
• First access and special pricing to more than 400 events annually — a value of over $5,000

Join today and receive access, insight, and the opportunity to lead Memphis forward through the power of Black art.

Impact

The Collective has already begun shifting the museum’s center of gravity. Black art is not an addition to Memphis’ art museum, but part of its core.

Through member contributions, we help:

• Acquire works by emerging and established Black artists
  
• Support educational initiatives that inspire the next generation of creators
  
• Advocate for programming that reflects the fullness and complexity of Black life
  
  

Your voice and your support matter. When you join the Black Art Collective, you don’t just support Memphis’ art museum, you become part of a legacy that redefines what’s possible in Memphis and beyond.

Recent Acquistions

The Black Art Collective is shaping the stories of today and tomorrow. By adding to the collection, you will expand Memphis' cultural legacy with powerful, visionary works that reflect the richness and complexity of Black experiences. Here are some recent additions to Memphis' art collection by Black artists.

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Alteronce Gumby is a New York-based artist whose vibrant, material-rich practice reclaims abstraction through the lens of Black identity. Using glass, pigments, and iridescent surfaces, Gumby explores how color operates both formally and politically—challenging the art historical exclusion of Black narratives from non-representational modes. His work draws on Afrofuturism, cosmology, and personal history to position Blackness not as fixed or singular, but as expansive, radiant, and constantly shifting.

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In As Black as the Rainbow, Gumby transforms the canvas into a prismatic field where Blackness is imagined not as monolithic but as multifaceted and spectral. Layers of shimmering glass and deep pigment create a surface that glows with celestial energy, inviting viewers to experience identity as both intimate and infinite. The work resists simplistic interpretation, instead presenting Blackness as a radiant spectrum—mysterious, complex, and ever-evolving.

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Founding Members

With deep appreciation, we honor the founding members of the Black Art Collective—trailblazers whose creative leadership and commitment to equity continue to shape its mission and impact.

Linda Ivy-Rosser (Trustee)
Cathy Ross (Retired FedEx)
Linda McNeil (Gaskill Strategies)
Stephanie Cole (Attorney)
Elliot Perry (Advisor and Collector)
Trevia Chatman (Bank of America)
Rachel Knox (Hyde Family Foundation)
Carl Person (Board President)
Darrell Cobbins (past Trustee)
Rodney Herenton (Trustee)
Gloria Boyland (Retired FedEx and Trustee)