Arts Council of Greater New Haven Blog

"This Is Our Ministry:" Ribbon Cutting Makes Tia Russell's Move To Hamden Official

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Dance  |  Hamden Lucy Gellman | May 25th, 2026

For Five Women Entrepreneurs, A Moment In The Spotlight

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  ConnCORP  |  Entrepeneurship  |  Hamden Solé Scott | March 25th, 2026

Solé Scott Photos.

"Freedom Songs" Creates A Sonic Roadmap For The Present

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  |  Music Abiba Biao | January 26th, 2026

King Kenney. Abiba Biao Photos.

A Dynamic Duo Asks: What Does The Library Mean To You?

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Kulturally Lit  |  Mardi Gras  |  New Haven Free Public Library Lucy Gellman | January 19th, 2026

Filmmaker and photographer Lydia Douglas tears up the dance floor during the Cupid Shuffle at NHFPL Mardi Gras in 2023. Lucy Gellman File Photo.

Noir Vintage, Announcing A New Chapter, Closes Its Court Street Doors

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Community Heroes  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Economic Development Lucy Gellman | December 5th, 2025

Grails Brings A Record Renaissance To Downtown New Haven

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Economic Development  |  Music Lucy Gellman | October 24th, 2025

Adae Fine Art Rings In 20 Joyful Years

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  East Rock  |  Education  |  Kwadwo Adae  |  Visual Arts  |  Youth Arts Journalism Initiative Jarelis Calderon | October 6th, 2025

Ekow Body Makes The Move(s) To Erector Square

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Dance  |  Economic Development  |  Erector Square  |  Fair Haven Lucy Gellman | September 30th, 2025

Black Wall Street Blooms Into Year Four

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black Wall Street Festival  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  New Haven Green Lucy Gellman | August 18th, 2025

Black Wall Street Charts Its Return To The Green

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  New Haven Green Lucy Gellman | August 11th, 2025

For Tia Russell Dance, Grace & Goodwill Meet Onstage

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Dance  |  Hamden Grayce Howe | July 10th, 2025

Grayce Howe Photos.

Artists, Entrepreneurs Take Center Stage At Black Wall Street

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black Wall Street Festival  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Economic Development  |  New Haven Green Lucy Gellman | August 19th, 2024

Black Wall Street Gears Up For Week-Long Fest

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Economic Development  |  New Haven Green Lucy Gellman | August 7th, 2024

Black Entrepreneurs Share Wisdom, Passion for Business

Black-owned businesses Danielle Campbell | March 13th, 2024

From left to right: Michael Massey, Desiree Aidoo, Devonne Canady, Tanahe Edwards, Michael Martin Jr., Casey Ogman and Sean Reeves Sr. Danielle Campbell photos.

Collab Cohort Centers Creativity In Fall Showcase

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Collab New Haven  |  Culture & Community  |  Dixwell  |  Economic Development  |  NXTHVN Lucy Gellman | December 18th, 2023

Maya McFadden, founder of The Kids Newsroom. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Wine, Camera, Action

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Mill River District  |  WineDown CT Ashleigh Huckabey | October 11th, 2023

Ashleigh Huckabey Photos.

From Jazz To Tea, New Haven Feels The 6th Dimension

6th Dimension Festival  |  Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Jazz  |  Music  |  Possible Futures  |  Westville  |  Whalley/Edgewood/Beaver Hills Danielle Campbell | October 4th, 2023

Wellness "Royalty" Celebrates A Year Of Healing

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Milford  |  Yoga Danielle Campbell | September 28th, 2023

At ConnCORP, Black Excellence Returns To The Runway

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Bomb cyclone  |  ConnCORP  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Hamden Lucy Gellman | August 22nd, 2023

Black Wall Street Makes History On The Green

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culinary Arts  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Economic Development  |  Elicker Administration  |  Music  |  New Haven Green Lucy Gellman | August 21st, 2023

Black Wall Street Gets Ready For The Green

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Economic Development  |  New Haven Green Lucy Gellman | August 16th, 2023

ConnCORP Readies New Cafe With A Black Biz Flourish

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  ConnCORP  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Hamden Lucy Gellman | July 13th, 2023

A detail of Adae's mural. Lucy Gellman Photos.

"Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystem" Grants Spur Inclusive Growth

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Elicker Administration Lucy Gellman | July 11th, 2023

Yvonne Alston and Joseph W. Williams Jr. Lucy Gellman Photo.

Noir Vintage & Co. Opens Its Doors On Court Street

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Fashion  |  Vintage clothing Lucy Gellman | June 28th, 2023

At ConnCORP Juneteenth, It's All In The Family

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  ConnCORP  |  Culture & Community  |  Hamden  |  Juneteenth  |  WNHH  |  Youth Arts Journalism Initiative Jayla Anderson | June 21st, 2023

ConnCORP's Juneteenth & 5 Year Anniversary Committee. Jayla Anderson Photos.

At Fourth Annual Black Pride, The Category Is Visibility

APNH  |  Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Dwight  |  Hamden  |  LGBTQ  |  Pride Month  |  Whitneyville Linda-Cristal Young | June 13th, 2023

Mermaids Make Magic On Edgewood Avenue

Black-owned businesses  |  Books  |  Economic Development  |  Illustration  |  Possible Futures  |  Swimming  |  Visual Arts  |  Whalley/Edgewood/Beaver Hills Lucy Gellman | May 15th, 2023

From left to right: Illustrator Jean Marie Sanchez, Mermaid Margo Jones, Tierra Soap Co. maker Addy Reyes Ramos, and the YMCA's Erin Kelly. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Pitch Competition Boosts Black Entrepreneurship

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development Olivia Charis | April 4th, 2023

Presenter Kianjai Huggan, who later won the pitch competition. Olivia Charis Photos.

Sweets & Sounds Shares The Knowledge

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Dixwell  |  NXTHVN Lucy Gellman | March 27th, 2023

The "Boss Up" Panelists. From left to right: Onyeka Obiocha, Renee Loren, Petah “Jay” Johnson, Leonard Brown, Mercy Quaye and Joshua Jenkins. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Sweets & Sounds Returns To Its New Haven Roots

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Dixwell  |  NXTHVN  |  WNHH Lucy Gellman | March 15th, 2023

When Angel Dahfay wanted to design her own website, establish a business and organize her first event, she had to learn how to do it completely on her own. Now, she's trying to take what she has learned, invite fellow creatives, and open up that body of knowledge for her peers in Connecticut.

Crowns Held High At Black Hair Care Event

Black-owned businesses  |  ConnCORP  |  Hair care  |  Hamden  |  Politics Lucy Gellman | February 2nd, 2023

ConnCORP Holiday Bazaar Centers, Celebrates Black Business

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  ConnCORP  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development Lucy Gellman | December 7th, 2022

Black-Owned Wellness “Royalty” Opens Shop In Milford

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Milford  |  Yoga Danielle Campbell | September 30th, 2022

Danielle Campbell Photos.

"Watch Out Brooklyn:" MINIPNG Breathes Life Into Audubon Street Storefront

Arts & Culture  |  Audubon Arts  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  East Rock  |  Economic Development  |  Fashion Lucy Gellman | September 28th, 2022

Fashion Show Brings Black Excellence In Style

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  ConnCAT  |  ConnCORP  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Fashion Lucy Gellman | August 25th, 2022

Temple Plaza To Transform Into A Black Wall Street

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Downtown  |  Elicker Administration Lucy Gellman | August 24th, 2022

"Community Cultivator" Award Blooms In Sharon Clemons' Memory

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Westville Lucy Gellman | June 1st, 2022

Je T’aime Cupcakes Sweetens Up The City

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  CitySeed  |  Collab New Haven  |  Culinary Arts  |  Economic Development  |  Food Business  |  Milford Lucy Gellman | April 11th, 2022

MINIPNG Sketches Out A Vision For Brick And Mortar

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Design  |  East Rock  |  Fashion  |  Vintage clothing Lucy Gellman | March 25th, 2022

With "Jubilation," Sweets & Sounds Brings Black Joy To Erector Square

Arts & Culture  |  Black History Month  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culinary Arts  |  Erector Square  |  Studio i Danielle Campbell | March 1st, 2022

BAMN Books Boosts Black Lit At Bloom

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  BAMN Books  |  Black History Month  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Books  |  Economic Development  |  Elm City LIT Fest  |  Westville Lucy Gellman | February 21st, 2022

Black Corner Store Builds Community In Dwight

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culinary Arts  |  Dwight  |  Economic Development  |  Food Justice Lucy Gellman | February 10th, 2022

Sweets & Sounds Adds Entertainment To The Mix

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culture & Community  |  Erector Square Lucy Gellman | February 9th, 2022

In Branford, Sweet 2 The Soul Takes Flight

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Branford  |  Education  |  Theater Lucy Gellman | December 2nd, 2021

Westville Artists Welcome Small Business Saturday

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Economic Development  |  Westville Lucy Gellman | November 29th, 2021

Empath Vintage Opens Its Doors

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Cedar Hill  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Fashion  |  Vintage clothing Lucy Gellman | October 27th, 2021

Space Lifts Off At District

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  District New Haven  |  Economic Development  |  Fair Haven  |  Film & Video  |  Mill River District  |  Photography Lucy Gellman | September 3rd, 2021

In Westville, Many Donuts Serves Up Sweet Nostalgia

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culinary Arts  |  Westville  |  Youth Arts Journalism Initiative Julia Rosado | August 13th, 2021

New Haven Museum Finds Its Rhythm

Alisa's House of Salsa  |  Arts & Culture  |  Beer  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culinary Arts  |  Economic Development  |  New Haven Museum  |  Rhythm Brewing Co. Lucy Gellman | August 2nd, 2021

Alisa Bowens-Mercado: "I hope, through this display, that it inspires, empowers and encourages people throughout the community." Lucy Gellman Photos.

Tracey Massey's Road To Art

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culture & Community  |  Studio Visits  |  The Hill Lucy Gellman | July 5th, 2021

Tracey Massey in her upstairs studio. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Hair Show Hails The Crown, Honors Sharon Clemons

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Hair art  |  International Festival of Arts & Ideas Lucy Gellman | June 23rd, 2021

Jamie Belton at the Hair & Art Show. Lucy Gellman Photos.

Tea Montgomery Grows His Fashion Footprint

Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Design  |  Fashion  |  Westville  |  Youth Arts Journalism Initiative Hadassah Marcano | June 1st, 2021

A New Haven Barber Comes Home

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Economic Development  |  Ninth Square Lucy Gellman | May 24th, 2021

New Owner Honors Family Music Center's Past, Embraces Its Present

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Hamden  |  Music Lucy Gellman | March 26th, 2021

Hair's Kay Survives, Thrives One Year Into Pandemic

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culture & Community  |  Dixwell  |  Economic Development Lucy Gellman | March 19th, 2021

Sweets And Sounds Cooks Up A Reboot

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culinary Arts Lucy Gellman | February 5th, 2021

Flawless Fro Takes Flight

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Culture & Community  |  Education & Youth  |  Hill Regional Career High School  |  West Haven Lucy Gellman | January 12th, 2021

Ricky D’s Keeps The Ribs Coming

Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culinary Arts  |  Economic Development  |  Food Business  |  Science Park Arturo Pineda | January 7th, 2021

Ro Godwynn's Year Of Reckoning

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culture & Community  |  Music Lucy Gellman | December 24th, 2020

Arts & Ideas Stirs Up Holiday Cheer

Arts & Culture  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culinary Arts  |  Economic Development  |  International Festival of Arts & Ideas  |  Music Lucy Gellman | December 16th, 2020

At Collab's Virtual Pitch Day, Artists Lead The Charge For Change

Arts & Anti-racism  |  Arts & Culture  |  Black Lives Matter  |  Black-owned businesses  |  COVID-19  |  Culinary Arts  |  Photography  |  Theater Lucy Gellman | December 9th, 2020

Rhythm Lager Flows Into Connecticut

Arts & Culture  |  Beer  |  Black-owned businesses  |  Economic Development  |  Food & Drink  |  Greater New Haven Lucy Gellman | March 9th, 2018

Alisa Bowens-Mercado and her husband, John D. Mercado. David Sepulveda for the New Haven Independent.