Arté Noir reclaims space in Central District for Black arts

Vivian Phillips has a lot of experience working with nonprofits, but she is the last person she thought would start one, particularly in Seattle, a sea of evergreens and 501(c)(3)s. 

But then, she had a vision: a permanent space to showcase and welcome Black artists, and a reclamation for a community that has been priced out of its home in the Central District.

Arté Noir was born.

Phillips, a former commissioner for the Seattle Arts Commission, founded Arté Noir in 2021, first as a digital magazine and then a nonprofit. It will open its physical space at 23rd and Union this spring, including a gallery of art by Black artists, retail space for pieces made by Black creators and, eventually, a recording studio. Her goal is to reclaim physical space and help generate financial…