The Black Iris Project

Image credit | Stephanie Williams & Daniel Harder, photo by Matthew Murphy for The Black Iris Project.

Founded in 2016 by award-winning artist Jeremy McQueen, The Black Iris Project (BIP) is an Emmy® award-winning ballet collaborative and education vehicle which creates new, relevant classical & contemporary ballet works that celebrate diversity and Black history. Based in New York City, the project hosts a team of predominantly Black artists delivering cross-discipline and wholly original works. Championing individuality, the collaborative harnesses the Black community’s inherent creative spirit to encourage and inspire youth of color to pursue art, movement, and music as an expressive outlet and a means for collective healing. The BIP has performed for audiences around the country and has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times, Elle Magazine, Out Magazine and more. During the Juneteenth celebration, The BIP will present an excerpt from their forthcoming evening-length ballet “Blood in the Soil”. Set to original score by Alabama-rooted classical composer Brian R. Nabors, “Blood in the Soil” honors the rich history and legacy of Black & indigenous farmers and agriculturalists. www.blackirisproject.org