In August of 2020, Dr. Durell Cooper saw an announcement on LinkedIn about a global arts conference to discuss the state of the world amidst the pandemic. Not a single Black person was included as a speaker. This event was being organized while the world was still reeling from the murder of George Floyd and record numbers of African-Americans (and other people of color) were dying of COVID-19.

Durell was incredulous and reached out to several arts administrators of color. Shirley Taylor wrote back: “…instead of asking for a seat at their table, we should just build our own.”

The result was the launch of At The Table, a group of African-American arts leaders responsible for organizing dynamic discussions that showcase and leverage our collective cultural and philanthropic power with goals to offer:

• Opportunities for connections between arts and culture practitioners, spanning all creative industries;
• A platform for financial growth and independence of our arts and cultural sectors;
• An infrastructure for community building through the arts and sustainability, and
• Encouragement to engage in self-care, healing and wellness.

Anyone interested in learning more and joining the email list can send contact information to [email protected].