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Harrison Blair, president and chief executive of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, greeted local artist Lakeem Wilson in front of his \u201cLife in Black Ink\u201d series on Feb. 13 in Dallas. Wilson\u2019s work is part of the chamber\u2019s art collection.<\/p>\n
Angela Piazza\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n
This story is part of our focus on solutions put forward to tackle big and small social problems in our communities. Our evidence-based reporting explores what is being done in North Texas and looks for examples set by people doing it better elsewhere.<\/p>\n
On a recent afternoon, Harrison Blair ambled through the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce<\/a>, gazing at the art adorning the office\u2019s walls.<\/p>\n In a painting hung in the foyer, a young boy held wads of cash against his ears. A message, \u201cmoney can\u2019t buy motivation \u2026\u201d hovered over the boy’s head.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cThat speaks to who we are as a chamber,\u201d said Blair, the organization\u2019s chief executive, gesturing to the piece by South Dallas artist Lakeem Wilson<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s not always about revenue only. It\u2019s about the impact that you\u2019re making.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 2023, the South Dallas chamber has acquired about 20 artworks from mostly Black American artists with ties to the area. Most of the works are on view in the chamber’s offices in Vista Bank on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.\u00a0<\/p>\n Blair was inspired to build the collection after seeing art at the downtown Dallas\u00a0JPMorgan Chase corporate office and Dallas nonprofit The Stewpot<\/a>, where people experiencing homelessness<\/a> sold their work.<\/p>\n This piece by Dallas artist Jennifer Monet Cowley is part of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce’s collection.<\/p>\n Angela Piazza\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n The idea turned into action toward the end of 2023, when Blair encountered the work of Oak Cliff resident\u00a0Frank Frazier<\/a> and members of his artist collective, including Wilson, at the annual Congressional Black Caucus gathering in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe scrambled to get as many of the pieces as the chamber\u2019s budget would allow us at the time,\u201d Blair said. Since then, the organization has paid about $30,000 in total for its pieces.<\/p>\n The chamber\u2019s work involves promoting financial literacy and providing access to grants and contracts. But part of its 100-year longevity, according to Blair, is a flexible approach to serving the needs of the community. \u201cArt was a new place for us to sink our teeth in,\u201d Blair said, noting that artists are also business leaders.<\/p>\n Nationwide, a growing number of chambers of commerce have partnered with arts agencies to advance economic development efforts, according to Randy Cohen, vice president of research at Americans for the Arts, an advocacy organization.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Harrison Blair, chief executive of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, explains a piece by Don O’Bannon in the chamber\u2019s art collection.<\/p>\n Angela Piazza\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n In New Orleans, a chamber of commerce recently held an after-hours event at a jazz museum. And the\u00a0West Dallas Chamber of Commerce<\/a> hosted an art walk where visitors perused open studios and saw live mural painting in the Tin District.<\/p>\n Referencing the Dallas Black Chamber\u2019s ambitions, Cohen said, \u201cI never really heard of a gallery type of opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n At a time when art spaces are grappling with rising overhead costs that have caused\u00a0some<\/a> to shutter<\/a> and others to relocate<\/a> or adjust<\/a> their business models, the chamber\u2019s private collection could emerge as an alternative public art space.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Private art collections are not new to Dallas. There have been buzzy ones like the Karpidas Collection in the Design District and the Power Station in Exposition Park. But the chamber appears uniquely anchored to southern Dallas, considering its representation of artists.<\/p>\n The Forest Theater is featured in artist Lakeem Wilson\u2019s \u201cLife in Black Ink\u201d series, with a copy hanging on the wall at the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce office in Dallas.<\/p>\n Angela Piazza\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n The collection, still in its early stages, is not intended as a replacement for a gallery or a museum. But, through its venture, the chamber has shown a way to expand public access to art using an existing space.<\/p>\n So far, the relationship between the artists and the chamber has been mutually beneficial.\u00a0The art beautifies the chamber\u2019s space and serves as a visual extension of its brand, Blair said. In turn, artists in the collection said having their work purchased lends them a stamp of legitimacy.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Private art for a public space<\/p>\n Local gallerist Daisha Board advises the chamber on its art purchases. She presides over a namesake gallery focused on representing artists of color that relocated<\/a> from the Tin District last year to a smaller space in Oak Cliff. Art curated by her gallery now hangs on the walls of Ateli\u00ea<\/a>, a restaurant in that neighborhood, and is available for purchase there<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe market has definitely contracted,\u201d Board said, noting that she lost corporate contracts before her move, a loss that she attributed to the political moment.<\/p>\n Local gallerist Daisha Board, seen here at Daisha Board Gallery in November 2021, advises the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce on its art purchases.<\/p>\n Nan Coulter<\/p>\n President Donald Trump\u2019s administration has\u00a0slashed<\/a> federal funding for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and threatened to investigate<\/a> corporations in the private sector that promoted such programs.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Board also had to deal with steep tariffs<\/a>, which made shipping and logistics more costly. \u201cThe risk is always on the small business or the gallery that carries the brunt of the load for investing in these artists,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n In contrast, she said, the Dallas Black Chamber is largely shielded from the perennial concern that gallery owners have around profit margins for the art on display.<\/p>\n Economic salve for artist and collector<\/p>\n The chamber buys directly from each artist. It\u2019s a transaction that Oak Cliff painter Don O\u2019Bannon says is particularly attractive. When galleries have brokered his sales, he said, their cut can range from 40% to 50% of the buying price.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n A black shoe polish piece done by Dallas artist Frank Frazier hangs in the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce\u2019s conference room.<\/p>\n Angela Piazza\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Gallery representation is an ideal scenario for artists who may prefer to outsource business negotiations. But for Wilson, who has several works owned by the chamber, a direct transaction helps him connect with collectors, who can be recurring clients. \u201cThere\u2019s no middleman,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n The visibility can serve as a catalyst toward other opportunities and as a r\u00e9sum\u00e9 builder, said Jennifer Benoit-Bryan, director of SMU DataArts, an arts research center.<\/p>\n Although the chamber is paying for the pieces, the collection could be an economic stimulant for it, as well. The art around the office has made it not just a place for business and meetings, but a place to linger a bit longer, Blair said. If visitors like the atmosphere, they may have more of an incentive to renew their paid memberships or become members.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n A private collection of this nature is a strategic asset, according to Barbara Chamberlain, a lecturer in Johns Hopkins University\u2019s museum studies program. \u201cIt\u2019s a face they show their clients and customers, so customers can say, \u2018Yes, this business understands me and my priority,\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Artist Lakeem Wilson worked on a piece in his home studio on Feb. 18 in Dallas. Wilson estimates he’s made about $3,500 from the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce purchasing his work, which he described as a \u201csignificant amount.\u201d<\/p>\n Angela Piazza\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n Looking ahead<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear what kind of dent the chamber\u2019s private collection will make in South Dallas\u2019 art scene. It’s currently accessible to the organization’s 900 members, who must pass through security to view the artwork. Blair said visitors have seen it as well when they’ve come for meetings and other events.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Blair aims to spread the\u00a0word about the art through social media and to one day allow people to buy the art on display. He also hopes to welcome more local artists into the space and expand to mediums like spoken word and the performing arts.<\/p>\n Still, there is a limit to the chamber’s wall space and budget.\u00a0Lakeem Wilson estimates he made about $3,500 from the chamber purchasing his work, which he described as a \u201csignificant amount.\u201d But he said it\u2019s not \u201cevery month they\u2019re buying a new piece that\u2019s paying a bill.\u201d<\/p>\n Blair, as chief executive, must be mindful of the chamber\u2019s budget, and the board has to approve art purchases.<\/p>\n By signing up, you agree to our Terms Of Use<\/a> and acknowledge that your information will be used as described in our Privacy Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not making huge investments,\u201d he said. \u201cWe just wanted to get our feet wet and learn.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Staff editor Tim Diovanni contributed to this story.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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