Black Photographers Union

We are a 501c3 organization committed to uplifting LA's Black storytellers through community, educational programming, and job opportunities. Our mission is to reclaim stories, establish pipelines to the creative industry, and build ongoing legacies by preserving LA's Black history. Black Image Center (BIC) is a community space for Black photographers and storytellers, designed for the freedom, development, and growth of the Black imagination. Serving the Los Angeles Black community, BIC provides a hub for archive, education, and inspiration. Our programming affects 3,000 people in our community and includes the Free Film Fridge which has distributed over 10,000 rolls of film for free, Black Family Archive which has digitized family photos for over 300 Los Angeles families, Heirloom Portrait Sessions that have provided free family portraits to over 100 individuals, an Artist Residency program with an alumni network of over 30 artists, teaching artists, and gallerists, Jazz Nights, Black Film Screenings, and Community Co-Working Hours that provide intentional, accessible space for hundreds of Black creatives to network and co-create. BIC boasts a diverse community, including esteemed photographers and creatives such as Kern Samuels, Adam Davis, Atiba Jefferson, Carrie Mae Weems, and Dawoud Bey. Partnerships with local galleries such as Vielmetter, Band of Vices, Webber, and other Los Angeles neighbors facilitate stronger organizational and community exchanges between established artists and art workers, serving as mentors, teachers, and inspiration through Artist Talks and Curator Walkthroughs tailored for our community, opening doors to fine arts that were previously inaccessible.