The Black School

The Black School is a community arts organization rooted in New Orleans’ Seventh Ward that equips Black, Indigenous, and People of Color and their allies to become agents of change through art, design, and activism while prioritizing locally defined community needs. The organization is building community cultural infrastructure through The Black Schoolhouse, a community arts center opening in Fall 2026.

Founded in New York City in 2016 by artists and educators Joseph Cuillier and Shani Peters Cuillier and relocated to Cuillier’s hometown New Orleans in 2021. the organization approaches design not as decoration but as a practical method for building confidence, solving problems, and strengthening civic participation.

The organization operates through six interconnected pillars:

1) art and design for liberation and activism; 

2) a safe and supportive cultural home; 

3) creative careers and economic mobility pathways; 

4) food, healing, and holistic development; 

5) sustainability rooted in Black architectural traditions and futures; 

6) and a regional creative community leadership pipeline. 

With 39 Design Apprenticeship alumni and 34 Junior Designers employed through The Black School: Design Studio, the organization has established a participant-to-mentor workforce pathway connecting creative education to professional opportunity.

To date, TBS has hosted more than 700 workshops and engagements, including 5 Black Love Fests, and 7 Design & Activism Apprenticeship cohorts. We have engaged 20K+ participants/attendees, trained and employed 39 young designers, partnered with over 75 community organizations, and over 150 artists. Our Design Studio has served 40+ clients and created 50 revenue generating professional design service projects. 

The Black School is currently more than 95 percent complete on The Black Schoolhouse, a 2,000-square-foot climate-resilient community arts center shaped by 18 months of community design research and $1.7 million in investment, including a $1.1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation. The facility is scheduled to open in Fall 2026.