INDABA: A Black Arts Conference 2025
Schedule
Fri, 15 Aug, 2025 at 06:00 pm
UTC-04:00Location
The Howard School | Chattanooga, TN
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Join us on August 15th - 17th at The Howard School as we reclaim Unity Through Art, History, and Shared Purpose.INDABA (ɪnˈdɑːbɑː)—a powerful Zulu word meaning “a gathering to discuss important matters”—is more than just a conference. It is a call to action.
Launched as a pilot initiative of the Chattanooga Festivals of Black Arts & Ideas, INDABA is where conversation becomes collaboration and ideas become impact. It is a dynamic, - three day convening designed to celebrate Black creativity, preserve cultural memory, and foster economic, artistic, and communal empowerment.
This pilot seeks to explore how a structured, principle-based arts conference can become a replicable model for cultural healing, cooperative growth, and Black-led innovation. By placing the arts at the center of this gathering, we affirm that art is not just a form of expression—but a strategy for change.
This pilot program will bring together artists, educators, entrepreneurs, organizers, and thought leaders from the Greater Chattanooga Area to socialize, network, discuss, and collaborate—ensuring this program’s success in benefiting the entire Black creative community.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE OVERVIEW
FRIDAY, August 15th – Screening of Six Triple Eight Film
• 6:00 PM - Opening Mixer & Networking at the Walker Theatre
• 6:30 PM - Pre-Show Talk with Shanice Williams - an American actress and singer, best known for playing Dorothy in The Wiz Live! and Johnnie Mae in The Six Triple Eight. REGISTAR: http://tivolichattanooga.com/Bobby-Stone-Film-Series
• 7:00 PM - Film Screening Begins
• After the Film - Gathering at Home Bar
SATURDAY, August 16th – Building the Foundation
• 10:00 AM – Meet & Greet with light refreshments
• 10:30 AM – Welcome & Statement of Purpose
• 10:45 AM – Performance by Marsha PoeticDiva
• 10:50 AM – Mission & Vision Statement
• 11:00 AM – Introduction of Speaker: Dr. Micheal Williams, Director of the Africana Studies Program & Professor of History at UTC
• 12:00 PM – Lunch Break (provided) and Arts Leader’s Roundtable
• 1:00 PM – Information Gathering
• 1:45 PM – State of Black Arts in Chattanooga Panel with Local leaders of Black owned or managed arts organizations.
James McKissic, President of Arts Build
Carl Cadwell, Producer, Composer, and Audio Engineer
Jamar “Crown Vibes” Harden, Co-founder, Community Arts
Summit.
Shane Morrow, Co-Founder and Executive Director of RISE
LaSha Rockymore-Mitchell, Co-Owner at The SmArt Oasis &
Founder & CEO Music, Fashion, and Arts Foundation
• 3:00 PM – Introduction of B.A.N.D. and The Hubbard Group
• 3:30 PM – Collective Call to Action, guided by the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa
• 4:00 PM – Closing Pledge
SUNDAY, August 17th
• 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Closing Brunch in Celebration of Marcus Garvey's 138th Birthday at Home Bar & Restaurant
FREE REGISTRATION: https://forms.gle/Qhv2KuNBRrmz2esa9
We believe your voice and vision would add tremendous value to the INDABA experience. Please any and all Black Artists that you have in your sphere of influence and lets make a kubwa statement.
Why INDABA? Why Now?
Throughout history, the Black community has been intentionally divided—by class, complexion, geography, and access. The "divide and conquer" strategy, long employed by white supremacist systems, has sowed mistrust and fractured our unity. That legacy persists—and we must confront it with intention.
But art has always been our way through.
From spirituals sung in the fields to hip-hop that speaks truth to power, from quilting circles to murals on brick walls—art has always connected what oppression tried to separate. It reminds us of our shared brilliance, resilience, and humanity. It helps us reclaim what was stolen—our stories, our healing, and our future.
INDABA is both a celebration and a strategy. Born out of the legacy of struggle and the brilliance of Black creativity, this conference is a space for building solidarity, sharing knowledge, and constructing new paths forward.
This reimagined Juneteenth event is not only about honoring the past—it’s about using creativity to empower the present and shape the future.
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Guiding Principles: The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa
INDABA will be guided by the Nguzo Saba—the Seven Principles of Kwanzaa—each of which informs the structure and intention of our programming:
• Umoja (Unity): Deepening connection across families, neighborhoods, and the African diaspora.
• Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): Empowering each individual to define and live their own truth.
• Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): Building together and holding each other accountable.
• Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): Elevating Black-owned businesses and financial empowerment.
• Nia (Purpose): Aligning personal and community goals with long-term vision.
• Kuumba (Creativity): Celebrating innovation and using the arts to build and reimagine.
• Imani (Faith): Believing in the beauty, strength, and future of our people.
Each principle will be brought to life through keynote speeches, panel discussions, creative workshops, live performances, and community dialogues.
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Where is it happening?
The Howard School, 2500 S Market St, Chattanooga, TN 37408, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
