LANE Cohort / National Partner

Central District Forum for Arts & Ideas


Central District forum for Arts & Ideas is the only organization in the Seattle area solely dedicated to presenting emerging Black arts, artists, and ideas. Our mission is to present and produce Black cultural programs that encourage thought and debate, with a vision of inspiring new thoughts and challenging assumptions about Black culture. We believe in the value of cultural and geographic community, creativity, identity and passion. By focusing on community, we commit to collective efforts that celebrate the diversity of the Black experience. By focusing on creativity, we honor the role of artistic expression and disparate ideas in inspiring conversations leading to social and cultural change. By focusing on identity, we create spaces, experiences and conversations that allow people and communities to see themselves in the arts and ideas we present. By focusing on passion, we acknowledge the intensity and generosity of the work of artists, the interest of audiences, the intellect of thought leaders and the investments of supporters. These values serve as our strategic frame and guide day-to-day operations and curatorial decisions.