PULL UP. SHOW OUT.

In an ideal world, Afro Urban Society doesn’t need to exist. Until then, we envision community-powered societies where Black folks live, breathe, and create without permission.

Mission

It's not just art for us, it's life. We felt unsupported —even in places we thought we’d be welcome. So we built a space where creators of African descent never have to think about being doubted, ignored, erased, rejected, discarded, or misused. This is your community. This is your home. Through incubation, resource mapping, production, and cultural events, we ensure that Black creatives—even those who don't yet identify as artists—have everything they need to be. It doesn't matter if no one else sees you or has your back: We do.

About US

Afro Urban Society is a non-profit organization of cultural creatives dedicated to boosting art, media, and the tough-but-necessary conversations relevant to the African diaspora. It's not just art for us—it's life. We felt unsupported, even in places we thought we’d be welcome, so in 2004 we started our own arts collective and clothing line that reflected our aesthetics and experiences. By 2009, we were working with local artists and performers in the San Francisco Bay Area to produce events where creators of African descent never had to think about being doubted, ignored, erased, rejected, discarded, or misused. Now, we've leveled up to elevate even more creatives around the world and to this day, one thing remains constant no matter the medium: We move.

Programs

Afro Urban Fest & Fellowship (FKA Bakanal de Afrique): is a multidisciplinary, multi-city festival of Pan African Urban arts & culture inviting artists and co-producers to create or present projects based on the stated theme. AUF includes a 6-month artist and co-producer fellowship, commissions of artists, call for submissions, and a month-long hybrid (online & in-person) presentation/exhibition of artists works, events, performances, workshops & more.

Gbedu Town Radio: is our multidisciplinary dance and music performance company featuring performers of African descent, GTR explores social and political themes through Pan Afro-Urban music and dance including Afrobeats, Dancehall, Coupé-Décalé & varieties of Hip hop. Gbedu Town Radio creates original and new work for the stage and video directed by Artistic Director Nkeiruka Oruche, is available for corporate, community and private performances, residencies and workshops for schools, and community organizations, and presents various community events and activities throughout the year.

Onye Ozi: An artist fellowship program that invites diverse Black/African descent creatives to explore challenges and possibilities of cross-cultural Black experiences in the United States. Over several months participating artists engage in personal inquiry, dialogues, community conversations, and art/media creation to collaboratively produce an artistic project that speaks to the issues with the goal of providing unity and understanding across various Black/Africancommunities.

Afro Culture Kids: provides Pan-African arts, dance, music & cultural activities to African American, and African immigrant youth in East Oakland, and San Francisco Bayview neighborhoods and learning communities. Activities are facilitated by local artists native to the cultures and invoke pride and ancestral connection for participants. Throughout the year, we offer about a total of 14 weeks of artistic and cultural learning activities to 150+ youth ages 4-18 of all genders.

Lit from the Black!: Stage Lighting Design & Tech Training and fellowship for Black Womxn and Gender non-binary people. Over a year invited participants learn specific skills in the field, and culminate their training with work in a production. Over several years, they are offered referrals, training, apprenticeship and internship opportunities through our networks and program partners.

Sufferhead Academy: Workshops in a variety of art disciplines (i.e song, theater, writing) and professional development activities (social media, financial management etc) catered to our community of People of African Descent: 

One3snapshot: Commission and marketing of original apparel, accessories, publications and art for sale to the general public i.e. Notable & Notorious Nigerian women coloring book, BdA T-shirts & stickers, and more.

Black Box Oakland:  Curated box of items by local, and/or small Black-owned businesses to support and highlight Black creatives.

Programs In Development

• AUS Collective: 2-Year AUS Fellowship with artists to provide employment for artists while driving the artistic and cultural endeavors of the organization

• Wakabout Express: Travel cultural exchange project for people of African Descent

• AUS Zine/AUSverse: Online publication for the culture to present and highlight topics and artists relevant to AUS’s ecosystem.