NEW YORK, NY.- Artsy is hosting a benefit auction with ARTNOIR, a non-profit organization with a mission to celebrate and highlight the work of artists of color from around the world. After raising over $100K in funds in 2020 for ARTNOIR’s Jar of Love Fund, the organizations are teaming up again to host its second auction to support the ARTNOIR Artistic Pathways Scholarship Fund geared towards MFA Visual Art students of color at CUNY and SUNY programs.

From July 13-27, “ARTNOIR From: Friends To: Friends Benefit Auction 2021” will showcase works from over 30 talented visual artists including Adjei Tawiah, Veronica Fernandez, Damien Davis, and Jewel Ham, who represent an emerging vanguard of visual artists whose creativity will shape the cultural conversation for generations to come. Additionally, the auction will launch the ARTNOIR Artistic Pathways Scholarship Fund, a new initiative that builds on the organization's purpose to help establish new narratives and access within the arts and culture spheres. Proceeds from the auction will be granted to MFA visual art students of color currently attending a CUNY or SUNY graduate arts program. The ARTNOIR Artistic Pathways Scholarship will also support grantees with career coaching, mentorship, art residency opportunities and exposure.

“We are excited to partner again with Artsy on our second benefit auction and honored to continue our support of graduate students who have chosen to deepen their knowledge about themselves and their artistic practice,” said Larry Ossei Mensah, Co-Founder at ARTNOIR. “ARTNOIR’s mission has always been about celebrating artists of color and helping expand their capacity to tell stories and create artwork that will shape the discourse of the zeitgeist. We are grateful to all the amazing artists from around the globe who contributed work to this important initiative. It takes a village to uplift us all.”




In addition to the benefit auction, Artsy is launching its latest digital art activation through their partnership with OUTFRONT Media’s MOMENT by OUTFRONT. Curated by ARTNOIR, the activation “Echos of Each Other: Figurative Expressions By Black Artists” will showcase artworks by five visual artists featured in the auction - Solomon Adufah, Alvin Armstrong, Cydne Jasmin Coleby, Tiffanie Delune, and Anthony Peyton Young - which will explore the notion of presence and the varying creative strategies that Black artists employ to articulate the power of representation and agency that only art can provide. The artwork will run on digital displays in transit systems in major metropolitan areas from July 1-31.

“At Artsy, we’re committed to supporting all efforts that help broaden and democratize the art world,” said Everette Taylor, CMO at Artsy. “We’re proud to be partnering with ARTNOIR, and leveraging our collective platforms to use the power of art to help drive social change and uplift our creative community and the next generation of artists.”

Artsy has made a public commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion within the company and the industry as a whole. Through initiatives like its benefit auctions, and creating multi-layered campaigns for Pride, Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and AAPI, among others, in addition to amending its algorithm to surface more artists of color, Artsy is able to move forward with their mission of making the art world more inclusive. In 2021, Artsy has already raised $10.6m through their benefit auctions, championing the voices of marginalized communities and minority-group artists.

To browse lots in the auction and place bids from July 13th through July 27th, visit artsy.net/artnoir.