Burque Noir: Creating for the Community
Nothing has been more exciting for me than the opportunity to devote some time to projects that I never would have had the time to over the past few years. My dear friend, Ebony Booth moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico a few years ago and immediately realized that she wanted to make some space for the diversity of artists in the community. After a few months meeting the amazing collective of artists in Albuquerque she recognized a need to draw the city's collective attention to Black artists and performers. I jumped at the chance to be a part of that evening which she called "Burque Noir". The night in March was a beautiful mix of dance, music, theater, and the visual arts with an audience filled with people from all over the starte. It was so successful in fact that it has become an anticipated evening in Albuquerque. Burque Noir provides a marketplace for merchandise sales, live art, networking, community engagement, entertainment and enlightened enjoyment. Our collaborations cross the lines that divide communities in order to bring Albuquerque together and highlight Black artists. We identify artists from all genres who may be isolated by their minority status while representing some of Albuquerque's brightest creative minds. This experience is unprecedented in Albuquerque and exceptional both for its innovative approach and for the way it meets a clear need in the community. Burque Noir is inclusive and diverse, integrating artists from every discipline in one venue on one night. It is a feast for hearts, minds, and senses- an opportunity to see and be seen, to embrace and be embraced by a diverse and affirming city. With all that is going on in America and the world for that matter, I think so many places could use an evening of sharing and connecting like Burque Noir. My home is Fort Collins, CO and I've already been bouncing ideas off of Ebony about the possibility of expanding this into Colorado and the surrounding states. This is the type of event that not only shares stories from the past but looks forward to what the future holds for entire communities. Check out @burquenoir on Instagram and Facebook and let is spark creativity, conversation, and collaboration for you and your local community.