Partners
The Black Frame is made possible by the facilitators who taught it and a partnership of organisations committed to representation, education, and contemporary art in Nigeria.
The Partners
Four organisations conceived, credentialed, taught, and hosted The Black Frame across its six days in Lagos.
Lead Organisation
The Shade Initiative conceived, funds, and delivers The Black Frame as part of its work confronting colourism and the visual erasure of dark-skinned women. It holds the programme's vision and stewards the community of Shade Storytellers beyond the masterclass.
Visit websiteCredentialing Institution
Africa's first professional development and research institution on colourism, representation, AI bias, platform governance, and ethical storytelling. The Institute certifies every graduate of The Black Frame as a Shade Storyteller, anchors the programme's curriculum in research, and leads sessions on ethical documentation and dignity-centred practice.
Visit websiteTraining Partner
The Nlele Institute leads the photographic training across the six days. Its facilitators teach advanced lighting techniques for diverse skin tones, composition and framing, the language of image, and lead the portfolio review, bringing deep technical expertise and a distinctly African photographic practice to the programme.
Visit websiteVenue Partner
CCA Lagos hosts the masterclass and the culminating public exhibition, situating the work within one of West Africa's most important spaces for contemporary art and critical discourse.
Visit websiteThe People
Two groups hold The Black Frame up: the facilitators who led the six days in Lagos, and The Shade Initiative team who produce the programme around them.
The Facilitators
The photographers and educators who taught, mentored, and sat on the Day Four portfolio review.
7 facilitatorsThe Team
The Shade Initiative team who plan and produce the programme, from the first invitation to the closing of the exhibition.
4 team membersWith the support of
The Black Frame is made possible in part by the generous support of institutions at Northwestern University committed to African scholarship, the humanities, gender justice, and civic life.
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