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<div>We’re raising $1,000,000 to launch Afro Indigenous Art Fair, a groundbreaking new art fair taking place in Seattle, Summer 2026—the first of its kind to pay every participating artist upfront and celebrate artists of African and Indigenous descent on a global stage.
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<div><strong>Why This Matters</strong>
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<div>Across the U.S., funding for the arts is being slashed—from the NEA to NEH to IMLS. At the same time, artists from the diaspora remain the least represented in the global art economy. Instead of critiquing institutions about how they represent and/or fund our artistic visions, it time to represent and fund ourselves.
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<div>We don’t have a Sotheby’s, Christie’s, or Gagosian.
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<div>It’s time to build our own.
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<div><strong>What Your Gift Supports</strong>
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<div>We’re raising $1,000,000 to fully fund the inaugural Afro Indigenous Art Fair—a groundbreaking cultural event that centers artists from the African and Indigenous diasporas, pays them upfront, and builds a new institution rooted in equity, artistic excellence, cultural diversity and economic empowerment.
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<div>Below is an approximate breakdown of how we’ll use the funds. These estimates will be refined as we bring on key team members and receive advisement from our board of advisors.
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<div><strong>Staffing &amp; Team</strong>
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<div>Curatorial Committee (3 curators for 6 months) — $120,000
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<div>Responsible for selecting artists, shaping the visual identity, and ensuring cultural integrity throughout the fair.
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<div>Fair Director (12 months) — $75,000
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<div>Provides executive leadership, oversees all departments, and ensures that the fair is visionary, sustainable, and artist-first.
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<div>Marketing &amp; PR Director (6 months) — $50,000
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<div>Leads strategy for media outreach, branding, and positioning the fair within the national and global art markets.
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<div>Sales &amp; Sponsorship Director (12 months) — $90,000
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<div>Secures institutional and brand partnerships, oversees art sales strategy, and helps underwrite the fair through earned revenue.
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<div>Finance &amp; Operations Manager (6 months) — $55,000
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<div>Manages budgeting, payroll, contracts, and backend infrastructure with transparency and accountability.
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<div>Social Media Team (2 people for 6 months) — $84,000
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<div>Produces and distributes high-quality content across Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms to build audience engagement and visibility.
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<div>Production Manager (3 months) — $45,000
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<div>Coordinates logistics for installation, shipping, fabrication, and execution of the event.
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<div>Staffing Subtotal: $519,000
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<div>️ Artist Support
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<div>Artist Payments &amp; Commissions — $250,000
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<div>We believe artists should be paid for their labor—not just when something sells. This includes exhibition stipends, new commissions, and/or direct acquisitions from participating artists.
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<div>️ Production &amp; Venue
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<div>Venue Rental &amp; Installation Costs — $200,000
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<div>For a large-scale venue in Seattle (similar in scale to the Seattle Art Fair), including shipping, wall construction, lighting, labor, and materials.
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<div>Security, Insurance &amp; Janitorial Services — $75,000
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<div>To ensure the safety, cleanliness, and protection of the art, artists, staff, and attendees.
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<div>Outreach &amp; Infrastructure
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<div>Marketing Materials, Website, Print Collateral, Digital Ads — $50,000
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<div>(In addition to work by salaried marketing &amp; social media teams)
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<div>✅ TOTAL BUDGET:
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<div>$519,000 (Staffing)
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<div>$250,000 (Artist Support)
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<div>$275,000 (Production &amp; Venue)
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<div>$50,000 (Marketing Materials &amp; Ads)
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<div>= $1,094,000
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<div>These numbers reflect our starting estimates and will be adjusted as we bring on team members and receive advisement from our board.
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<div>This budget ensures that the fair is professionally produced, artist-first, and structurally sound—led by a qualified team with deep expertise in fine art, event production, sales, and community engagement.
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<div>Your donation directly helps us build a lasting institution that honors, funds, and celebrates the brilliance of Afro-Indigenous artists.
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<div><strong>Who's Behind It</strong>
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<div>The fair is founded by John Wesley, a global art dealer and curator who has:
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<div>Spoken at the Bill &amp; Melinda Gates Foundation
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<div>Helped TASWIRA Gallery achieve record success in 2024/2025
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<div>Founded City of Light Gallery in Seattle (2021)
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<div>Curated exhibitions in NYC, Mexico City, Seattle, and more
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<div>Has produced programming with Seattle Art Museum and it a community partner with the institution
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<div>Secured a $300,000 Mellon Foundation grant for a NYC-based art collective in 2024
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<div>Worked with artists and institutions around the world to build sustainable creative careers
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<div>John Wesley is committed to empowering artists and building platforms that reflect the brilliance of the Afro-Indigenous diaspora.
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<div><strong>Why Now?</strong>
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<div>This is a historic opportunity to:
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<div>Create the first major international fair for Afro-Indigenous art
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<div>Fund artists directly, bypassing outdated gatekeepers
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<div>Root this movement in Seattle, a city with a growing global art scene
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<div>Protect the cultural future of communities being pushed out of creative spaces
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<div><strong>What You Can Do</strong>
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<div><strong>Donate</strong> what you can (every dollar builds the foundation) and then <strong>SHARE</strong> this on your Instagram/Tiktok.
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<div><strong>Sponsor</strong> a booth, artist, or program (DM for major sponsorship info)
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<div>Whether it’s $10 or $10,000—you’re helping launch a movement that honors the past, transforms the present, and builds a powerful future.
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<div>We’re not waiting for institutions to include us.
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<div>We’re building our own.
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Anonymous

barry johnson

Adrielle Turner

Jona Sargent

Help us Launch the 1st annual AFRO INDIGENOUS ART FAIR

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Help us Launch the 1st annual AFRO INDIGENOUS ART FAIR

Still $998,962 to go. Help us build momentum.