The Black Genius Foundation Launches KEEP IT 100 Fundraiser To Support Black Artists

The Black Genius Foundation (TBGF) - the organization which celebrates and invests in the intellectual and creative genius of Black artists, arts professionals, and arts organizations - today announced the launch of its "Keep It 100" fundraising campaign. The new campaign encourages individuals who believe in the mission, vision, and work of The Black Genius Foundation, to donate $100 or more to help the organization reach its goal of $500,000 in support of Black Artists and the Black Creative Ecosystem. The campaign will support their inaugural Black Genius Prizes and Strokes of Genius recipients.

With the collective help of donors, TBGF plans to distribute 15 grants and awards through their programs this year.

"With a firm belief that everyone has the capacity to make an impact, we want to demonstrate that by leveraging the power of the village we truly have all that we need," says Simone Eccleston, The Black Genius Foundation Founder and Chief Genius Officer. "Meeting our funding goal will empower us to give Black artists and members of the Black Creative Ecosystem who have dedicated their lives to their crafts and helped to advance the culture with the flowers, recognition, and support that they deserve."

The Black Genius Prize, the organization's signature initiative and main programmatic anchor, is an award that honors and invests in artistic excellence and achievement. It will provide eight awards - four Black Genius Prizes for artists, offering unrestricted support in the amount of $75,000 for each recipient, and four Black Genius Prizes for the Black Creative Ecosystem, offering unrestricted support in the amount of $25,000 across four categories in the arts - Arts Professionals, Journalists and Scholars, Organizations and Outstanding Work.

"We understand that genius is diverse and multifaceted. It encompasses solo and collective efforts and manifests itself through our creatives, our works and institutions. We seek to bring the breadth of Black Genius to the fore," says Simone Eccleston, The Black Genius Foundation Founder and Chief Genius Officer.

Strokes of Genius is an open application program that provides Black artists, curators, journalists and scholars with funding to develop new creative projects. Seven Strokes of Genius grants ranging between $5,000 and $10,000 will fulfill TBGF's commitment to invest in the creativity and cultural production of Black artists and arts professionals in addition to the creative health of our communities.

Strokes of Genius Applications will be made available in May 2022 and inaugural Black Genius Prizes will be announced in Summer 2022.

To find out more about The Black Genius Foundation and "Keep It 100," please visit https://www.theblackgeniusfoundation.org/keepit100

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