Artists of Color Exhibition on display in February at the NACC

In celebration of Black History month, the Niagara Arts and Cultural Center will host the 11th annual Artists of Color Exhibition Feb. 6 until March 19 in the Townsend Gallery, located at 1201 Pine Ave., Niagara Falls.

Ray Robertson, co-director of galleries, and founder of the AOC exhibit at the NACC, invites people of all ages and backgrounds to experience the offerings. This exhibit is envisioned as a representation of the African American experience from a contemporary and personal perspective, and celebrates the work by African American artists in Western New York within the visual arts.

This exhibition features art by a diverse collection of artists from Rochester, Buffalo and Niagara, including: Robertson, Ari Moore, Betty Pitts Foster, Dorothea Edwards, Iris Kirkwood, Jessica Thorpe, Jo Hamilton, Julia Lowery, Kobie Barber, Legend Lewis, Martez Taylor, Reana Brown, Richard Chestnut, Rosetta Smith, Sharif Osby, Tracey Miller, Tracey Mitchell Miles, Zeyneb Johnson, Antoine William and Princessa Williams.

"The NACC provides a much-needed venue for showcasing the artistic talents of WNY and the Niagara Frontier, and serves as a beacon of opportunity for young artists of color,” Robertson said. “Some of the people who enter this show may never have been included in an art gallery before. Here they mingle with seasoned professionals, and hopefully everyone experiences something meaningful.”

The Artists of Color exhibition is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Gov. Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature. Visitors to this exhibit will also receive free admission to the NACC’s ”Freedom Crossing” Underground Railroad exhibit in the Heritage Gallery, and may view a solo photography and sculpture exhibit titled “Rock & Water” by Robertson.

The opening reception will take place from 6-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11, with hors d’oeuvres, live music, and an opportunity to meet the exhibiting artists and explore the exhibition.

Galleries are free and open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. daily. Donations are accepted.