The C-U Black & African Arts Festival mission is to expose and give a culturally diverse experience to the Champaign-Urbana, IL community by expressing both Black and African heritage. This includes, and is not limited to: Art, music, fashion. Friday, September 9 The Soul Rebels at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts | 8:30 p.m.

The C-U Black & African Arts Festival mission is to expose and give a culturally diverse experience to the Champaign-Urbana, IL community by expressing both Black and African heritage. This includes, and is not limited to: Art, music, fashion. Friday, September 9 The Soul Rebels at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts | 8:30 p.m.

Mark Hanson, former curator for the Chanute Air Museum and current curator at the Museum of the Grand Prairie (both in Champaign County) has been an active local researcher for over 11 years. Mark has researched and preserved the history of the original members of the Tuskegee airmen during his time at the Chanute Air

This exhibition will feature Black faculty in the School of Art & Design through the lens of the Black Quantum Future as proposed by Philadelphia-based activists and theorists Rasheeda Phillips and Camae Ayewa. The collaborative exhibition will explore Black identity, collectivity, positionality, healing, innovation, and education as explored via a multi-leveled/multi-dimensional immersive, critical, and openly

Nabil Ayers will be at the Krannert Art Museum on September 24 as part of Pygmalion. Please visit the Pygmalion website for information about purchasing tickets. Nabil Ayers is the President of Beggars Group USA, where he has released albums by many GRAMMY Award-winning artists. Ayers has written about music and race for publications including

Ayana Contreras will be at 25 O'Clock Brewing Co. as part of Pygmalion, in partnership with the Urbana Arts + Culture Program. Please visit the Pygmalion website for information about purchasing tickets. Ayana Contreras is a cultural historian, memory worker, radio DJ and archivist.  An avid collector with over 8000 vintage vinyl records, she hosts the

James Spooner will be at 25 O'Clock Brewing Co. as part of Pygmalion, in partnership with the Urbana Arts + Culture Program. Please visit the Pygmalion website for information about purchasing tickets. James Spooner is an accomplished tattoo artist, illustrator, and filmmaker. He directed the seminal documentary Afro-Punk. Spooner is also the co-founder of the Afro-punk

Join the Krannert Art Museum for a talk by Dr. Kelli Morgan, Professor of the Practice and the inaugural Director of Curatorial Studies at Tufts University, presented as part of the Black on Black on Black on Black exhibition. About the artist Dr. Kelli Morgan is a Professor of the Practice and the inaugural Director of Curatorial Studies at

Join the Krannert Art Museum for an back to back DJ performance lecture by multidisciplinary artist Shenece Oretha and exhibiting artist Blair Ebony Smith (lovenloops), presented as part of the Black on Black on Black on Black exhibition. Shenece Oretha (b. Montserrat) is a London based multidisciplinary artist sounding out the mobilizing potential of sound and

Join Soulful Justice in this 3-Part Roundtable discussion series where we to listen to and learn from Black residents and BIPOC allies. The goal of this series is simple, we want to see black people thrive in Champaign-Urbana! But we need your help! We want to learn more about the Black experience in navigating economic, health

Join Soulful Justice in this 3-Part Roundtable discussion series where we to listen to and learn from Black residents and BIPOC allies. The goal of this series is simple, we want to see black people thrive in Champaign-Urbana! But we need your help! We want to learn more about the Black experience in navigating economic, health

Black Santa is coming to town and making a special appearance at Neil St. Blues. Capture the moment and take a FREE professional family photo with Santa by photographer Matt Difanis with RE/MAX Realty Associates. Santa will be available for photos between 1pm and 3pm on Saturday, December 3. This event is free and open

Join the Champaign Public Library's casual monthly get-togethers to talk about books by contemporary African American writers. New members are welcome; call 217/403-2090 for more information. On January 10, 2023, the book club will discuss Brendan Slocumb's novel The Violin Conspiracy. "Ray McMillian loves playing the violin more than anything, and nothing will stop him

Kick off your new year with an online conversation about joy with best-selling essayist and award-winning poet Ross Gay. This conversation will explore the joy we incite when we turn our attention to what we love and what brings us together. Ross Gay will discuss his most recent collection of essays, Inciting Joy, with performance poet