Black-Owned Art Gallery In Newark Needs Help Amid COVID Pandemic

NEWARK, NJ — A Black-owned art gallery in Newark is asking for help to keep running as it tries to survive the financial chaos of the coronavirus pandemic.

Since it opened in February 2019, Akwaaba Gallery has been making a name for itself in the city’s West Ward, featuring diverse works from underrepresented artists, including local high school students.

But now it needs the community’s help, according to Laura Bonas Palmer, who co-owns the gallery with her husband, Ray Palmer. She explains more about the situation on an online fundraising campaign, which can be seen here.

As of Thursday, the campaign has raised more than $36,000 from over 300 donors, and has been shared more than 1,100 times.

Palmer says:

“Over the last two years Akwaaba has become the art hub of the West Ward and an art destination in City of Newark. Akwaaba is not just a gallery, it's the heart of our community and a welcoming place where art lovers and artists can feel at home. We believe that artists need an outlet to sell their work and should be able to make sustainable living doing so. We have been that outlet, showcasing local, national and international emerging and established artist.”

She continues:

“My husband and I are passionate about creating and building a stronger community in the city we call home. We love Newark and the community where our gallery is located. My husband and I invested the initial capital needed to open Akwaaba. The gallery is open five days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The gallery derives its income from the sale of art and the rental of the space for events. We do not have employees, and I am responsible for all the day to day operations of the gallery.”

Like many other Brick City businesses and venues, the coronavirus crisis has hit the gallery hard, Palmer said.

“As a result of the pandemic, we were closed from March 16 through July 27, 2020,” Palmer said. “We were closed again from November 25, through December 4, 2020 [during the city’s mandatory lockdown]. Due to the closures and capacity restrictions, we had to cancel five exhibitions and all our event rentals.”

“In addition, we have been unable to rent the space for events for almost a year,” Palmer writes. “Like many small, minority-owned businesses, we were unable to qualify for the PPP loan, unemployment and most art grants (we are not a nonprofit).”

• See related article: Coronavirus PPP Loans In Newark (Where The Money Went)

“Financially we can no longer afford to sustain the gallery on our own and that's why we're asking for your help to save Akwaaba,” Palmer concludes. “Your donation will allow to remain open and continue to elevate the arts in an underserved community.”

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