membership application
membership application
membership application
Membership Application
Photo from BLACspace Design sprint 2023
You can expect:
BLACspace Cooperative Membership is a movement.
A first-of-its-kind initiative repping Black arts and culture in Oakland, this membership is designed for Black-led cultural leaders who are shaping the times we live in. Think mutual support with intention and integrity, business coaching that flips the script, and infrastructure support designed to build legacy. Add to that a curated network of top-tier consultants and creatives, and you’ve got a membership that’s as bold and forward-thinking as the culture it uplifts. This is where vision meets action—welcome to BLACspace.
Holistic Wellness Check
Your membership begins with a 360° Holistic Wellness Check, a deep dive into your organization’s operations, finances, storytelling, and more. This is your moment to share your strengths and needs while we help identify areas where BLACspace can provide targeted support. Twice a year, we’ll check in to ensure your progress and success.
What’s Included in Your Holistic Wellness Check:
One (1) in-depth assessment to evaluate key areas like finance & operations, narrative & storytelling, and staffing structure.
Two (2) follow-up check-ins to track progress and provide continued support.
A customized action plan that addresses your organization’s unique goals.
Coaching Pods
Once your 360° Holistic Wellness Check is complete, you’ll join a Coaching Pod—a small, curated group of peer organizations guided by a BLACspace coach. Together, we’ll tackle challenges, celebrate wins, and strategize for the future with expert guidance.
What’s Included in Coaching Pods:
One (1) 90-minute group coaching session per month (10 sessions per year).
One (1) 90-minute office hours session per month for individual support (10 sessions per year).
Access to an online learning portal with guided activities and templates to support your development.
Connections to culturally competent industry experts and helpful resources as needed through peer and BLACspace matchmaking.
Matchmaking
Our matchmaking links organizations with carefully vetted BLACspace members, consultants, or staff to address specific resource or staffing needs. This personalized approach ensures that every connection is values-driven, culturally competent, and designed to further meaningful impact. This process includes:
Tailored Matches: Organizations receive up to two customized matches per year, with BLACspace staff dedicating up to four hours per match to ensure the connection is both effective and intentional.
Expert Connections: BLACspace staff and consultants align organizations with highly skilled, culturally attuned professionals who bring both expertise and a shared commitment to Black liberation.
Offers & Needs Facilitation: During collaborative sessions, members share their resources and services, creating opportunities for peer-to-peer matches facilitated by BLACspace staff
Events
BLACspace events are dynamic spaces designed to encourage collaboration, build capacity, and cultivate meaningful connections. They create a fresh cultural environment where members can exchange resources, share expertise, and strengthen their networks within the community. Event highlights include:
Offers & Needs Sessions: Facilitated gatherings where members present what they can offer and share what they need, sparking connections and mutual support.
Learning Lab & Skill Shares: Interactive sessions led by experts and peers, focusing on practical knowledge and tools to enhance organizational impact.
Member-Only Gatherings: Exclusive in-person events that deepen relationships and celebrate the BLACspace community’s shared mission and achievements in style.
Digital Sharing & Resources
The Digital Sharing experience elevates your organization’s visibility by integrating its content into BLACspace’s expansive digital marketing ecosystem. This platform boosts your reach, strengthens your operations, and connects you to a network of resources, community musings and art news. Digital shares include:
BLACspace Member Offers & Needs Database: A curated network of member resources and opportunities.
Communication Platform (TBD): Connect and collaborate through an interactive space designed for BLACspace members to share insights, resources, and expertise.
BLACspace Newsletter: Feature your organization in our widely circulated newsletter, reaching a diverse and engaged audience.
Cross-Member Social Media Highlights: Elevate your brand through social media highlights shared across BLACspace's collective channels.
Staffing & Consultant List: Access a curated directory of top-tier professionals, including wellness practitioners and industry experts, to support your growth.
Mutual Aid
Mutual Aid at BLACspace is a human-centered model of trust and support. We are building a network where Black-led arts and culture organizations exchange resources, knowledge, and skills in ways that are intentional, reciprocal, and rooted in collective care. Our mutual aid offerings are designed to strengthen organizations by encouraging collaboration, resource-sharing, and sustainability. Mutual Aid includes:
Offers & Needs Exchange :A dynamic, member-driven network where organizations can share what they have and request what they need: from space and equipment to expertise and funding opportunities.
Cooperative Knowledge Archive : A living archive of best practices, templates, and wisdom from member organizations, designed to empower and inform.
BLACspace Collective Braintrust : Connect with a community of strategists, artists, and culture bearers to problem-solve, workshop ideas, and build power together.
Co-Operative Marketing & Visibility : Leverage our collective reach through cross-promotion, shared campaigns, and strategic amplification across BLACspace’s digital platforms.
Resource Navigation & Staffing Support : Get plugged into a curated directory of skilled professionals, consultants, and practitioners ready to support your organization’s growth and well-being.
Are You Eligible?
To be eligible for BLACSpace Cooperative membership, organizations must meet the following requirements:
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At least 2/3 of staff, board, steering committee, or other leadership bodies identify as Black (We define Black as African, African-American, Afro-Latin Afro-Indigenous, or otherwise a part of the African Diaspora)
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You serve Black communities rooted in Oakland, CA.
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Your organization has a history of offering Black arts and culture programming to the Oakland community for at least 2 years.
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You hold or aspire to hold cultural space whether through real estate acquisition, long term lease, public land projects, pop up events, third and/or hybrid spaces or other formations.
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Your group has a loyal community of participants, audience members, clients, supporters, or champions who actively take part in your programs.
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Your group is set up as some type of formal organization, like a non-profit, LLC, cooperative, sole proprietorship, fiscal sponsorship, or collective.
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$50,000 - $5m.
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Your organization/business shows clear capacity for 1-3 participants to engage fully with BLACspace’s offerings, including active involvement in coaching pods, events, and cooperative governance (see schedule below).
Membership Benefits
As a member, you’ll also gain access to a robust suite of helpful resources and opportunities including:
Skills-Based Learning Labs: Hands-on workshops designed to elevate your organization’s capacity to thrive.
Personalized Matchmaking: Direct connections to professionals, peers and partners aligned with your needs.
Vibrant In-Person Events: Celebrate and collaborate with like-minded leaders while honoring our culture and community.
Digital Resources: Access to BLACspace tools, networks, and content that expand your reach and capacity.
Membership Calendar 2025 - 2026
March 5
Application Opens
March 5, 12-1:30pm
Virtual Kickoff Event
March 5 - March 26
Application Office Hours
April 2
Application closes
April 30
Membership Decision Notification
May 7
Accept/Decline Membership and Receive Onboarding Materials
June 4
First In-Person All Member Event (required)
June 25, 10-11:30am
Coaching Pods Begin - every 4th Wednesday of the month (required)
July 9, 10-11:30am
Office Hours Begin - every 2nd Wednesday of the month (optional)
August 15, 10-11:30am
Virtual Learning Lab Event (optional)
October 3, 10-pm
In-Person Public Event
November 12, 10-11:30am
Second All Member Virtual Meeting (required)
May 13, 10-1pm
Program Close-Out + Event
Reciprocity dues
Members contribute based on a sliding scale tied to their organization’s budget. We suggest a minimum of 0.1% of your budget—so, for example, an organization with a $100,000 budget would contribute at least $100, while one with a $1 million budget would contribute at least $1,000. The full value of the program is estimated at $10,000, but during our pilot year, most costs are being subsidized by philanthropic support.
Please note that these initial rates may change in the future.
We can’t wait to hear from you!
—The BLACspace Team
Members of the Artist As First Responder collective reading BLATANT zine. Oakland CA 2025 by Sasha Kelley