The Black Front's Mission & Vision
The Black Front Gallery’s mission is to provide a gallery venue for emerging and established artists and to promote professional artistic growth and community appreciation.
The Black Front Gallery represents artists who exemplify contemporary art and forward thinking. The work exhibited comprises an array of styles and subject matter. These artists stand out for their imagination and distinctive personal approach. All reflect The Black Front Gallery’s commitment to art based on individuality and a subjective style.
Our aesthetic goal is to show the best and freshest work available and to exhibit it for the community. We strive to display visual art based on our aesthetic preferences that expands the art experience for Olympia.
We are not a commercial gallery in the strictest sense. Displaying works of artistic value supersedes profit. The Black Front takes a modest 40% commission on sales and all commission income is allocated directly to the following year’s budget. Although sales are steady, they make up less than half of the annual budget. Fundraising is our primary source of income. There are also no salaries and there is no profit. However, we do not, at this time, qualify for (501c3) nonprofit status. Instead, we share the altruistic ideals common to many nonprofits while maintaining a simple and workable structure based on the same freedom we support in our artists.
At The Black Front Gallery, we aim to have fun with art while maintaining a professional approach. We want to show work the way our artists intend it to be seen, preferring to encourage a collaborative process. Because we’re not driven by the profit motive, we feel free to present works of merit that a traditional commercial gallery might consider difficult to market or sell. We believe that this freedom is vital to a fresh art culture and a philosophy we are proud to build upon.
Our vision for The Black Front Gallery is to establish a robust gallery that is an integral part of the cultural life of the Olympia area. Our vision includes a broad range of art-based initiatives including: workshops and educational outreach programs. We are a young and energetic gallery with high, yet strategic aspirations for what we can offer Olympian’s. With community support, we’ll continue to contribute to the variety and vitality of art in downtown Olympia and the Northwest region.