Studio Museum in Harlem

Born in 1968—one of the most turbulent years in modern U.S. history—the Studio Museum in Harlem has long been a nexus for artists of African descent, locally, nationally, and globally.

More than a destination, it is one of the few institutions in the world with the power to build an empowered, inspired community through art.

And today, that mission matters more than ever.

After closing in 2017 to build its beautiful new home from the ground up, the Museum triumphantly reopened its doors on 125th Street this November. In a city defined by world-class museums, the moment called for more than an announcement. It required a bold reaffirmation of the Studio Museum’s role as the leading institution for Black art, and a clear invitation for the community to return.

Black art is more than creative expression. It’s a record of history, a mirror of the present, and a vision for the future. It deserves a home that doesn’t simply preserve its legacy, but actively nurtures its evolution. At the Studio Museum in Harlem, Black art is elevated, amplified, and given room to inspire generations.

It’s where Black art lives.

Grounded in that truth, the campaign brings the Museum’s tagline—Where Black Art Lives—to life through a rotating set of verbs that capture the boundless dimensionality of Black art.

Spanning bold out-of-home, dynamic digital and social, print, radio, and a short narrative film directed by Grammy-nominated multidisciplinary artist Mike Carson, the work celebrates the reopening by declaring the Museum’s purpose loud and clear. Not just the return of a building, but the restoration of a vital gathering place for Black artists and the global creative community.