Outlined in Black Exhibition

Date and Time

• Fri, Oct 2, 2026 - Sat, Oct 31, 2026  

Location

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Details

Now in its fifth year, Outlined in Black brings together more than 30 Black artists from across Northeast Ohio, creating a collective portrait of creativity, culture, and artistic practice within the region.

Presented by the Akron Black Artist Guild (ABAG), the exhibition centers the breadth of Black creative expression—bringing distinct voices, perspectives, disciplines, and experiences into conversation with one another. Rather than defining Black artistry through a singular aesthetic or narrative, Outlined in Black recognizes its multiplicity. Each artist contributes an individual point of view while collectively revealing the depth and vitality of a creative community continually shaping Northeast Ohio’s cultural landscape.​

At its core, Outlined in Black is both an exhibition and a gathering space. It creates opportunities for artists to be seen, for audiences to encounter new work, and for relationships to form across studios, organizations, neighborhoods, and communities. In its fifth iteration, that idea expands beyond the gallery walls to recognize not only those making art, but also the advocates, cultural leaders, and creative placemakers whose work builds the conditions in which artists and communities can thrive.

Through the exhibition, the Outlined in Black Excellence Awards, and the debut of the live podcast experience On & Off the Canvas, the 2026 program considers creativity as part of a larger cultural ecosystem—one shaped through artistic practice, collaboration, advocacy, dialogue, and investment.

Five years into its evolution, Outlined in Black remains rooted in visibility while looking toward something larger: a connected and evolving creative community in which Black artists are not simply represented, but recognized as essential voices in shaping the cultural present and future of Northeast Ohio.