Image: David Hammonds, African American Flag, 1990
NBAF is partnering with SCAD FASH on Thursday, July 30 to present Black Beauty in Postwar Paris, an illuminating dialogue on Dorothea Towles Church, the pioneering model whose presence in 1950s Paris challenged the global fashion hierarchy.
While the American industry remained stifled by segregation, Church found a transformative liberation in the ateliers of Christian Dior and Elsa Schiaparelli. Her ascent was not an isolated triumph, but a defining chapter in the legacy of Black American women who redefined "Parisian" elegance and claimed the city as a sanctuary for intellectual and creative agency.
Danny Dunson (Director of Curatorial Services and Community Partnerships at the DuSable Black History Museum) and editorial director and filmmaker Isoul Harris will explore Church’s groundbreaking career through the lens of Dunson’s recent exhibition, Black in Paris. Together, they will discuss how these women dismantled restricted beauty standards and established a blueprint for the modern fashion industry. Moderated by fashion historian Stephanie Ray.
Image: Elizabeth Catlett, Blues (1983)
Color lithograph on cream wove paper. 29 1/4 x 19 inches; full margins.
Closes on July 31st
Bloomingdale’s Art Gallery | Lenox Square
NBAF has been excited to partner with Bloomingdale’s and Atlanta Fashion Week to celebrate Black artistic excellence with an art exhibition of works from the National Black Arts Festival Fine Art Print Collection. NBAF commissioned these artists to create original works between 1988 and 2007, supporting Black artists while expanding the visibility, preservation, and appreciation of Black visual culture.
Check the show out before it closes. Select works available to collectors interested in acquiring print works by these legacy artists. For purchasing inquiries email ahicks@nbaf.org.
The Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge continues with the Thriving Together Atlanta Mobile Art Experience, a roving, immersive platform for public art, healing, and education. Designed to meet people where they are, the Mobile Art Bus serves as both a literal and symbolic vehicle for wellness, storytelling, and cultural expression. At each stop, the bus hosts a curated salon experience which includes a performance, education and healing arts. All delivered within or around the mobile bus environment. Join Us! The Mobile Art Experience is part of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge which is in partnership with The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Out of Hand Theater. The Mobile Art Experience has been designed and curated by NEXT Atlanta.
Stop #4
ONE Contemporary Gallery | 395 Edgewood Ave, Atlanta, GA 30312
Performances by Kenny Banks (jazz pianist), Jon Goode (poet/author/host of The Moth), Malaika Floyd (sound bowl practitioner), Bria Anai (vocalist) and KHILA (choreographer, dancer). Exhibition portraits by Iyahdae Rose.
Presented in partnership with MARTA
Thriving Together Atlanta is a public art project dedicated to addressing inequality in healthcare through free events and activities. A collaboration between the City of Atlanta – Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, the National Black Arts Festival, and Out of Hand Theater. The project serves as a model of how cross-sector partnerships can address the multifaceted issues affecting communities. The groundbreaking project was awarded a $1 million grant through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Public Art Challenge which brings together cities and their leaders, residents, and artists to develop temporary public art projects that address important civic issues in their communities.
To date NABF has presented the Thriving Together Atlanta Community Arts and Wellness Festival and produced two mural projects. Artist C. Flux Sing’s mural Old 4th, Forward to Victory uplifts the legacy and perseverance of Old Fourth Ward while Chloe Alexander’s The Light We Carry celebrates resilience and collective care in the West End. The final project, a mobile bus experience, launched in January 2026. The Mobile Bus Experience is produced in partnership with NEXT Atlanta and MARTA.
Visit the Thriving Together Atlanta website to stay up to date on upcoming events.
Additional funding has been contributed by Cousins Foundations, Gucci Changemakers, and South Arts. Support from the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition powered by AHF. Community partners include the Atlanta Beltline, Darwin Hotel, MARTA, NEXT Atlanta, Hammonds House Museum and Historic Mount Sinai Baptist Church.
