Black Women Making Bold Moves in the Arts

Black Women Founders in the Arts Watch List

The arts (dance, painting, music, and literature; just to name a few) are often underappreciated but widely consumed and enjoyed on a daily basis by us all.

The Black women founders in the Arts listed below have all started successful businesses that not only encourage us to be artsy but to also have fun and be free!

Whitney Hardy

Young Arts Patrons (YAP) is a leading-edge, nonprofit organization dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel a creative and innovative arts community.

Founded in 2015 by entrepreneur and arts enthusiast Whitney Hardy, Young Arts Patrons believes in designing sustainable programs and financial models based around collective philanthropy.

Sierra Jewell

Cool Black Games is a gaming company with cutting edge technology that produces entertaining, inclusive, and culturally connected experiences.

The Meme Game, the Culture’s Funniest Party Game, is the first of many games under the Cool Black Games umbrella and has now become a game played by thousands of people around the world.

Laci Chisholm

Fit4Dance is dedicated to bringing quality and affordable dance and fitness instruction to women and children in Brooklyn.

We offer a comfortable space where women can have fun, learn to dance, improve their fitness and health, meet new people, explore other cultures, and freely express themselves.

Laci established Fit4Dance to inspire and motivate women to take control of their health and have a blast doing it!

Chae Reid

Moving Rhythms, LLC. is a dance company on a mission to bring people together while helping them to build greater confidence in their abilities. A

As an instructor and choreographer specializing in Cuban social dances, Chae has created two signature programs in hopes to make dancing more accessible to members of her local community.

First, she created Rhythms & Romance, a dance speed dating event that merges dancing with traditional speed dating.

Second, she formed Dance4Defenders (D4D), an initiative to conduct dance classes on military bases and for veteran-centric organizations.

Chae firmly believes that dancing can transform lives, a spirit that she brings to each class and performance!

Charmel McMillan

CTE Vision Foundation, Inc. was established to provide unique mentoring, educational, career development, and performance opportunities to exceptionally talented young people as well as underprivileged and at-risk youth who are interested in pursuing non-traditional careers in entertainment and the arts, such as: stand-up comedy, music production, animation, acting, etc.

Our target age group is 12-19 years old. Our programs are unique because of the extensive celebrity support and the commitment of continuous personal involvement by nationally known entertainers as well as industry professionals across various facets of the entertainment industry to benefit, enlighten and help build VISION in our youth.

In addition to ongoing programs & events such as life classes, internships, talent showcases-The primary anchor programs/annual events for CTE Vision Foundation, Inc. are our Behind the Stage Conference and
Entertainment Boot Camp.

Victoria Cumberbatch

Anderson Street seeks to create the space for provocative and occasionally uncomfortable conversations to take shape in a semi-public forum by tapping into a diverse community of thinkers.

By bringing people around the dinner table to share a meal and engage in unscripted and honest conversations, we hope to encourage positive dialogue, foster deeper understanding and ensure that the marketplace of ideas continues to thrive.