ROANOKE, Va. – A crowd on Kirk Avenue in downtown Roanoke celebrated Black culture at the first ‘Back to Black’ Art Show.
More than 30 vendors lined the streets selling art, clothes and food.
A makeshift stage was planted in the middle to give people a chance to recite poetry or sing new tunes.
Verses, a new hub that promotes self-expression through art, created the event to recognize local creatives.
“I think that this was very important for us to highlight and display local Black talent,” Verses Owner Toya Jones said. “In all forms, visual arts, fine arts, whatever the case may be. It was super important for me to do that.”
Jones said she wants to ensure the art and stories of Black people are valued.
She plans to make the event a new annual tradition.