About Us

Nectar Studios (formally BOI TOY Studio) is a narrative & memory production studio cared by Twin-Cities based Black Trans documentary photographers & artists Word Prescott Musinguzi (Ice Cactus, owner of PRXMTY) & bearBOI

(Left to Right) bearBOI & Word, Studio self-portrait, September 2024

Founded in 2023, the shared space has provided a safe, inclusive creative destination for these Twin Cities-based, East Coast-native Black Trans photographers & artists to nurture their crafts and relationships outside of client + commissioned work, re-imagining the formats of image-making, installations and gatherings.

Documentary Photography & Art made by Word & bearBOI, 2016 - 2025.

Currently, in order for us to show up as our best selves during this new season of growth & change, we are aiming to raise $5,300.00 to pay back rent from August and September, in addition to purchasing groceries and covering past bills for this month’s round of fundraising.

For the fall and winter months, our overall goal is $11,000 in order to clear debt and back studio rent.

A breakdown of how the funds will be used:

Back rent: $3,500.00 (Word)

Back studio rent: $5,700.00 (Word & bearBOI)

Groceries: $250/ea (Word & bearBOI)

Phone Bill: $150/ea (Word & bearBOI)

WiFi: $125/ea (Word & bearBOI)

Car Note: $750 (Word)

Late Fees: $600 (Word)

The primary goal is to raise $3,500.00 by SEPTEMBER 15TH @ MIDNIGHT CST so Word doesn’t have to pay a late fee on top of what is already owed.

What's Been Going On?

Individually and collectively, the shrinking of the Twin Cities arts ecosystem has drastically changed how we approach and balance life and work. Between navigating survivorship and assault, income loss due to denied grants, traumatic experiences caused from ICE's Metro Surge and the National Guard, taking on gigs that do not meet our basic nor operational needs, these external stressors that significantly impact and decrease our quality of life as Black Trans people in Minnesota has almost brought us all to near closure.

However, in the spirit of Black August, we put our hearts and minds together & recognized that we are actually our own source of power and agency and can change direction for the better.

The Healing Dept & Rent Groceries Bills Fund (RGB Fund)

Entering into this new season, we will be teaming up with Studio Arisaema to celebrate the launch of our new studio & co-establish The Healing Dept, a community-led fund to supplement loss of income from unexpected life changes and external stressors that are unique to the lives of Black & TGNC folks based in the Twin Cities (i.e., Metro Surge/state violence, COVID/ chronic illness, rent increases, accidents, insurance denials/medical debt, denied grants, parental leave, gender affirming surgery recovery).

The long term vision for The Healing Dept. is to establish a shared platform and network of vetted knowledge, people and resources to sustain our collective futures in the face of community crises, resistance and recovery through mutual aid, skill-share and resource stewardship and mobilization.

To activate this vision, we are launching the RENT GROCERIES BILLS FUND (RBG Fund), a monthly fundraiser to support Black & TGNC artists & cultural workers across the Twin Cities with emergency financial assistance to meet their basic needs (rent, bills, groceries and debt reduction) used strictly for rest & recovery, no work.

To push this fundraiser to the finish line, we will be hosting a daytime pop-up at Nectar Studios (NKB, 400A) on September 7th. This timely celebration will feature b2b DJ sets with ICE CACTUS & CHROMECAM, retailing limited edition fine art prints, art books and art apparel in PRXMTY's storefront, in-person and online.

Later in the month, we will be partnering with Studio Arisaema to host another daytime celebration & live streamed b2b DJ sets between Nectar Studios & Studio Arisaema.

NOTE: OUR PHYSICAL POP-UP SPACE IS LIMITED.

RSVPs will be required of in-person attendees via Partiful.

In the meantime, we invite you to support our primary goal of raising $3,500.00 by 9/15 @ 12AM CST through the following ways:

In solidarity,

-Wordsworth & bearbOI, Co-Founders of Nectar Studios