The NIA Artist Collective is a non profit organization formed to share the creative benefits of art among the youth and inform people of the importance and validity of art. Through the years NIA has taught high school art students and hosted simplified lectures about art to other students, hosted shows and talks at colleges, such as Tennessee State University and Grambling State University. The group has also contributed artwork to various other local non-profits, such as Girls, Inc of Memphis, WKNO, and the MPACT organization to help raise funds for their specific goals.
The mission of NIA is to enrich the cultural condition of the greater Memphis community through the support and cultivation of the practice of black visual artists.
NIA was an idea borne of a conversation between Lester J. Merriweather and Terry and Jerry Lynn in the summer of 2001. It was a discussion for the need of Memphis’ artistic community to be better interconnected. NIA is not an acronym. It is a Swahili term meaning “with purpose.†The initial founding of such a group was to promote dialogue, exchange of ideas, and general cohesion amongst local black artists. The mission for the group today is “to enhance the cultural condition of the greater Memphis area†through participation and promotion of the visual arts with the general public. In other words, NIA attempts to spark interest in the art realm in those who would otherwise remain unfamiliar.
Current members:
frank d. robinson jr.
Vitus Shell
Edwin McSwine
Shalishah "Petey" Franklin
Darlene Thomas
Michael D. Yates
Morris Howard
Myke Newman
Ron Herd II
Jessica Branch
Dail Chambers
Corinne Francilus
Raeisha Strong
For more information or membership inquiries please email [email protected]
