BLACK AND LOUD FEST PRE-EVENT

5pm-10pm | September 4th | at the Taswira Art Gallery
120 1st Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

Open to the public, free and all ages.
Free access to this event is supported by 4Culture.

Allied Arts Foundation, with support from 4 Culture, ArtsWA, and the National Endowment for the Arts, invites you to an evening celebrating three of Allied Arts Foundation’s treasured fiscally sponsored arts projects – Taswira Gallery, King Youngblood, and Black & Loud Fest 2025.

Step into the vibrant heart of Seattle’s art scene in historic Pioneer Square for an unforgettable evening at the Taswira Art Gallery, as we gather our most passionate supporters to champion Allied Arts Foundation's active support of the musical group King Youngblood and their project Black and Loud Fest.

This Event offers a rare acoustic performance by Cameron Lavi-Jones and cellist Chet Peterson of King Youngblood, the co-founding band of Black & Loud Fest. The King Youngblood string players join Cameron and Chet as an additional exquisite audio treat.
 
Surrounded by art, music, and community, you’ll be among the first to toast the 2025 Black and Loud festival season in Taswira’s intimate gallery setting. Founded in 2020 by Avery Barnes, Taswira began as a collective that shared story-driven, handcrafted works, inspired by initiatives at The Bamburi Women's Empowerment Center in Kenya. It has since flourished into Seattle’s only Black owned dedicated African art gallery.  Avery once again is curating the Taswira pop-up gallery at Black & Loud Seattle in the main stage room, where such great artists as Living Colour, Cyril Neville, King Youngblood, Nikki D & the Sisters of Thunder, and of course, co-founder emeritus Anthony Briscoe with his band Down North will perform.  

Your presence directly fuels the Allied Arts Foundation’s mission to support BIPOC and other underrepresented community members in accessing events produced by the Allied Arts Foundation, such as Black & Loud Fest in Seattle and Taswira Art Walk events.

“Having Living Colour, one of the first Black alternative rock/punk rock/Afro-Punk bands, and the Uptown Ruler himself, Cyril Neville, who paved the way for bands like King Youngblood and Down North to develop and thrive, is a dream come true, says Lavi-Jones. “Along the way with Allied Arts producing this pre-fest reception, allowing it to be open to the public and putting a spotlight on all these amazing artists, we are fulfilling our mission and purpose to bring BIPOC artists in King County to the forefront. 4 Culture, ArtsWA, and the National Endowment for the Arts’ financial support is the only way Allied Arts can make this happen, and we are so grateful to be part of this.”

Evening Highlights:

• Live acoustic set by King Youngblood’s Cameron Lavi-Jones and Chet Peterson, supported by the King Youngblood String Trio

• Keywords by Allied Arts Foundation President Lydia Aldredge

• a special feature exhibition of artists by Taswira Gallery for Art Walk

• First look at the vision for Black & Loud Fest 2025 and 2026 sneak peeks

• Networking with fellow patrons, sponsors, and community leaders