The Black School

The Black School (TBS) is an arts education organization currently building a community arts center in New Orleans' 7th Ward. TBS builds community through holistic, transformative civic engagement, helping BIPOC and ally participants to become change agents through art and design education rooted in African diasporic histories.

TBS' impactful program and outcomes includes:
A paid Design Apprenticeship for young adults (ages 15-24), with 33 of their 35 apprentices now working in the creative industry.
Teaching over 600 students, facilitating 175+ workshops, and earning national and international recognition in press outlets such as in Hyperallergic, Cultured, The Grio and Garage Magazine.
An Afro-Indigenous Community Garden and multi-generational Garden School Programing teaching both agriculture and art.
Notably, The Black School is now building The Black Schoolhouse, a 2,000-square-foot climate resilient community arts center and community resource hub that will expand their programs and launch new initiatives, such as a Library Mediation Space, and Afterschool Art Program for children (ages 8-15).

Testimonials

"The NYC trip opened my eyes to the different paths I could go about in design. Specifically during the Scope of Work masterclass, I got to see firsthand an example of a successful designer with a unique style who found a spot in the industry without imitating styles that were easily digestible. Since then I've been more courageous with my personal design, pushing myself out of my comfort zone to create more bold work that reflects my style instead of attempting to make work that seems palatable or generic." - Morgan Davis, Junior Designer, on TBS's Design Apprenticeship NYC Exchange Trip 2024.