Giving Compass' Take:

• Tiffany Smith and Erica Weinberg reveal the critical opportunity for funding Black artists to finally expose centuries of systemic racism.

• How important is it to seize this moment to help end the centuries-long systematic suppression of Black voices? How are you funding Black artists in your community right now? How can you do more?

• Read about the importance of investing in Black-led organizations in the fight for justice.

As we watch the removal and destruction of monuments that reflect the pain felt by so many people around this country, funders of the arts have an opportunity to galvanize the creation of new public displays that call out the portrayal of racism embedded in our history, system, and values.

The recent debate surrounding the calls for the removal of the Emancipation Memorial, or Freedman’s Memorial, in Washington, D.C., is a crucible moment for funders to contribute to the national dialogue—not in deciphering the meaning and messages of what some monuments are trying to convey—rather around emphasizing the criticality of incorporating Black voices in creating monuments (and art) that reflect non-white perspectives of history.

Artist Titus Kaphar spoke about the idea of “amending history” through art back in 2017. His Impressions of Liberty piece was installed on the campus of Princeton University that same year. Kaphar suggested that “rather than just taking these things down, we can engage contemporary artists to make work that actually pushes back against these public monuments.”

Grantmakers in the Arts (GIA) has placed racial equity at the core of its funding focus areas and advocates that grantmakers consider “root causes and systems to understand historic inequities in funding ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, and Native American) artists and arts organizations.” GIA recently created a Black Arts & Cultural Funding and Justice Resource Hub that shares funds and resources that explicitly center Black artists, cultural communities, and experiences.

More can, and must, be done to identify and foster the creative works of Black artists to express their truths and experiences through their lens—a history that has been written and told by those in power, and the cause of deep harm.

Read the full article about funding Black artists by Tiffany Smith and Erica Weinberg at TCC Group.