Black Artist Forward recently brought together a dynamic collection of Black artists from across disciplines for 26:26: 26 Artists & 26 Days of Creativity, a celebration of creativity, connection and artistic expression culminating in the reopening of Concourse 107 at its new location in downtown Fayetteville.

“So two six, of course, is the county code…and we wanted to show that there is so much talent in Fayetteville; a lot of times people miss that. They think that it’s just a couple of people, but we are like chock-full of talent all over this city. And so when we created the 26:26 cohort, it was to bring in 26 artists… and just do 26 days of creativity, which is where we push the artists to create something new and to engage and to be more open and more vulnerable in spaces, and so with that, we just wanted to create space for people to be able to create,” said April Mata, founder and president of Black Artist Forward.

26:26 features a multidisciplinary group of artists whose practices span visual art, painting, illustration, music, film, fashion, photography and other creative disciplines.

“I participated in the 26:26 project because I’ve always found something really beautiful and great about Black Artist Forward that I just keep coming back and wanting to support them in every initiative that they have…The way that I did the 26 project was, April was kind enough to do a whole list of different themes for each day, and so I said, ‘Why not? Let’s try to do a different theme,’ because a lot of my work focuses on Black culture and our connection to nature and mental health. And so I tried to find different ways to incorporate that into my work as long as I could follow the theme each day,” shared Artist Lauren Falls.

Rather than presenting a single aesthetic or artistic point of view, 26:26 intentionally brings together artists with distinct voices, mediums, perspectives and creative practices. “I have three pieces here: the Threads of Heritage, the Shadow of the Jungle and Black Girlhood. Now, the Black Girlhood piece was the one that I painted during the 26 Days of Creativity, and this represents me as a child growing up, just happy, not a care in the world... So the butterflies represent freedom and transition. The smile on her face, the teeth…I wanted to create something that represented me, and I hope I did that. I am so thankful and grateful to be a part of this team and this gallery, to just the opportunity to have my work hanging on these walls,” shared Artist Veronda Jones.

Beyond drawing and painting, the gallery also features photography and digital art. 

“I actually took a photo last year, and the other pieces around it are photo manipulations and illustrations that I created from that… it was super refreshing to take a new approach to something that I’ve already created before,” shared Artist Collyn Strother.

The challenge was an opportunity for artists to simply create, with the resulting work becoming part of the larger story of 26:26. The result is an exhibition that reflects the breadth of Black creativity and the range of artists contributing to Fayetteville’s cultural landscape.

Artist Tiffany Ragin spoke about her pieces, which often celebrate Black women. 

“I like to show different sides of us because I want people to look at it and be able to relate and say, ‘Oh, that’s like my cousin Kiki.’I want them to see themselves and then feel free and happy. That’s just kind of the goal that I’m going for. So I use a lot of vibrant colors and things of that nature,” explained Ragin.

The group of artists gathered for an opening reception on Sept. 4. The exhibit will be up until the last weekend of October. The gallery is open Wednesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. Private tours are available at other times as well. Many of the pieces in the gallery are also available for purchase.

Arts & Culture remain an indispensable part of Fayetteville’s business community and broader identity.

“I’m always big into pushing for the city or any kind of like shareholders in the city or community to really invest in the arts, because we are the reason that people come to the city,” added Strother.

According to results from an Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 survey shared by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, the arts and culture industry generated $72.2 million in economic activity in FY2022 and $9.5 million in tax revenue.

“Something that I’ve always noticed or thought about is that beyond every recession or depression, it was the arts that kind of bounced the economy back. From going to, like, theater or going to spoken word or authors…the arts are pivotal in the growth of the economy of the city or of the town,” added Falls. 

Black Artist Forward is dedicated to creating equity in the arts through funding, education, resources and promotion of Black artists. 

“We welcome people of all races and colors to come in and see and partake because we need everybody. We do not survive by ourselves. We just wanted to give a voice to people who needed a voice,” added Mata.

Learn more about Black Artist Forward by visiting blackartistforward.com. 

Visit Concourse 107 at 116 Hay St. and check out the 26:26 Exhibit through the end of October.