Meta, parent company of Instagram and Facebook, is partnering with the Brooklyn Museum for a 2022 small business grant program to support Black creatives.
The 2022 #BlackVisionaries Grant Program
The 2022 #BlackVisionaries program will provide $650,000 in grants to Black artists, Black designers, and Black small businesses. Ten creators will receive grants during this round. This includes five Visionary Small Business Grants of $100,000 for Black designers. The program will also award five Emerging Visionary Grants of $30,000 for Black arts and design businesses creating experimental work. The program is only currently open to businesses based in the U.S.
In addition to the grant funding, Instagram and the Brooklyn Museum are also partnering with nonprofit Mobile Makers to facilitate a mentorship program for recipients. Participants will receive regular check-ins to support their creative endeavors for an entire year. The overall goal of the program is to support and uplift Black creatives, who have been underrepresented in many art and design related fields for years.
Antwaun Sargent, writer, curator and Creative Chair of the #BlackVisionaries initiative said in a release, “Most folks who don’t have traditional pathways into spaces like the arts and design just need opportunity. A grant like this could mean a world of opportunity.”
Sargent is also part of a committee of artists and designers who will go through applications and select recipients. The committee also features Elle Decor Editor-in-Chief Asad Syrkett, Academy Award-winning costume designer Ruth Carter, and Instagram’s Head of Design Ian Spalter.
About the #BlackVisionaries Grant Program
This is now the third year for the #BlackVisionaries grant program. Last year, the program provided grants to five Black designers and Black-led small businesses, totalling $205,000 in grants. The Visionary Small Business Grant, which included the largest award at $100,000, went to Fashion design house Head of State. Other recipients included graphic design studio Morcos Key, spatial designer Dominique Petit-Frère, type designer Tré Seals, and designer and art director Sabl? Stays.
While the grants awarded in 2021 certainly made a difference to those recipients, the 2022 program includes more than three times the amount of funding. And the program will support ten businesses and designers this year instead of five.
Apply for a 2022 #BlackVisionaries Grant
To qualify, individuals must be between the ages of 18 and 35, and small businesses or arts organizations must be less than ten years old. The @brooklynmuseum Instagram account will also share tips and resources throughout July to support eligible creators who are interested in applying.
Applications for the 2022 #BlackVisionaries grant program officially opened June 28. So eligible designers and Black-led small businesses can apply online now. The application period closes July 29.
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