Black Artists + Designers Guild honors Black creatives

By

Benjamin Fitzgerald

Published
Oct 31, 2022

The Black Artists + Designers Guild (BADG) held its inaugural BADG of Honor event in New York on Wednesday night, to celebrate Black visionaries in the field.

Held at Samsung 837, ​the BADG of Honor awards ceremony and fundraising event was hosted by BADG Maker, Kesha Franklin, and highlighted five designers and tastemakers whose work embodies Black creativity and pays homage to Black heritage.

This year’s honorees were Mashonda Tifrere, founder of ArtLeadHER (Collective Circle Award); Walter Hood, creative director and founder of Hood Design Studio (Founder Award); Franklin Sirmans, director of Pérez Art Museum Miami (Legacy Award); Dr. Dori Tunstall, dean of design at OCAD University (Education Award); and Jomo Tariku, industrial and furniture designer (BADG Maker Award).

The night held an auction called Black Joy, which remains open to November 10, to raise money for ongoing BADG initiatives. Items up for auction included collectibles, services, and experiences donated by Apparatus, Kravet Furniture, Mikel Welch, and Chantel Walkes. Guests were also privy to ​Jamaican-infused bites by renowned celebrity chef Brittney ’Stikxz‘ Williams, signature cocktails, and a hip hop, reggae and R&B dance party by DJ Point Blank, as a part of the celebration.

​During the event, the guild also announced its new Creative Visionary Grant, which will provide three Black creatives with $10,000 to underwrite projects within the fields of art, architecture, and design. Submissions open November 1, with recipients announced in spring 2023.

​Founded in 2018 by Malene Barnett, BADG is a member-driven organization that is committed to establishing a more equitable and inclusive creative culture by advancing Black artists and designers.