Artist Trust is a nonprofit organization that helps Washington State artists of all disciplines thrive through direct support, connections, and advocacy. We believe a fair and just society ensures artists of all backgrounds and identities are included in its cultural narratives. To learn more, read our Racial Equity at Artist Trust Toolkit.
Commitment to Racial Equity
Artist Trust is committed to becoming an anti-racist organization, and to working against the systems of racism we have inherited, upheld, and perpetuated. We know we are not there yet. Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) have been systemically oppressed, and we are committed to partnering with them to eradicate white supremacy throughout our organization and to support historically marginalized artists across Washington State.
Why Race?
Artist Trust recognizes historical and structural barriers to artist funding, resources, and leadership opportunities for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC). We believe a fair and just society ensures artists of all backgrounds and identities are part of its cultural narratives. We recognize our own practices throughout our organizational history have upheld systems of white supremacy, and we are taking direct action to create new structures where BIPOC artists can thrive.
Race and ______.
We lead with race because racial inequities are deep-rooted and persist in art support systems across the country. Race creates barriers to accessing resources and often intersects with other dimensions of artists’ identity, such as ability, age, citizenship, discipline, economic status, education, gender, geography, and sexuality. Our work towards racial equity informs the way we address other inequities and helps us take a more intersectional approach.