Black
Creatives'
Manifesto

Authored By Marshall L. Shorts (mrshortscreates.com)

“The role of the artist is to make the revolution irresistible.”

– Toni Cade Bambara

About

Yo, I’m Marshall, I create art, spaces, and messages to empower Black creatives and those who want to see us win. I am the founder of Artfluential and Co-Founder of Creative Control Fest & Maroon Arts Group. If you like what you see follow along connect with me. 

 

 

The idea of doing a manifesto came to me years ago after reading an essay by  Larry Neal titled “The Black Arts Movement” written in the summer of 1968.  In that essay, he proclaimed “Black Art is the aesthetic and spiritual sister of the Black Power concept.”  This inspired reflection about the role of the black artist today. The Black Creatives’ Manifesto was created in 2017 to inspire and affirm Black Creatives and our collective contributions to the world. In it, are principles that I believe every Black Creative from the street to the academy who is creating can be inspired by. It is ever evolving in an ever evolving world.

 

It was originally published and presented in 2017, during a lecture I did for Scott Woods, HOLLER: 31 days of Black Art in Columbus, OH. 

Introducing The manifesto at HOLLER

In 2017 I introduced the Black Creatives Manifesto during a 31 day event called HOLLER featuring of performances, forums, and lectures from Black artists.

Thus all Art is propaganda and ever must be, despite the wailing of the purists. I stand in utter shamelessness and say that whatever art I have for writing has been used always for propaganda for gaining the right of black folk to love and enjoy. I do not care a damn for any art that is not used for propaganda. But I do care when propaganda is confined to one side while the other is stripped and silent.

– W.E.B. Dubois