Artist As First Responder (AAFR) launches three artist residencies to address the historical absence of spaces and resources for emerging and mid-career Black artists. Established and stewarded by independent curator Ashara Ekundayo, AAFR is an Oakland-based organization and 6-point philanthropic and interactive arts platform that reifies, engages, and financially supports Black, Indigenous, and other Artists of Color whose creative practices heal communities and save lives.
Read MoreAshara Ekundayo — a Black feminist, independent curator, cultural theologian, artist, creative industries entrepreneur and organizer working internationally across cultural, spiritual, civic, and social innovation spaces — developed Artist As First Responder (AAFR) as a means to reimagine and reify artists’ fundamental purpose within society. As a construct, AAFR honors the essential and historical role that Black, Indigenous and other Artists of Color have in community healing and care.
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