Indigo Arts Alliance
Indigo Arts Alliance staff alongside the presenters of The Welcome Table, an intergenerational symposium presented in June 2024 by Indigo Arts Alliance to celebrate the traditions of worldwide historical social justice movements. Photo: Mia Del Bene
When Daniel and Marcia Minter met in a karate class in Atlanta more than three decades ago, they shared more than an interest in martial arts: They both dreamed of one day creating a space where artists of color could work and collaborate with other artists from across the globe. They made that dream a reality in Maine.
Founded in 2018, the Indigo Arts Alliance on Cove Street in Portland is like many of Maine’s artist residency programs: It seeks to foster the creative spirit by giving artists space and time and access to other creatives. But it is the only multidisciplinary artist residency program in the state that is Black-led and focused on connecting global Black and Brown artists with local artists of African descent.
Since its founding, Indigo Arts Alliance has connected artists from more than 20 countries and has formed partnerships locally and nationally with organizations such as the Portland Museum of Art, Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, the Kennedy Center, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.
In only a handful of years, the Minters’ dream has not only become a reality, but continues to grow. The organization added a fellowship in honor of one of its advisors, the artist David C. Driskell, after his death in 2020, and more recently launched its first out-of-state program, a curation and research fellowship based in New York City. In 2025, it purchased its Cove Street home, confirming its place among the organizations that have helped make Maine a destination for artists.
Author: Stephanie Bouchard
