Pigment International

What Pigment International does

Pigment International is an independent nonprofit multimedia platform and cultural brand founded in 2018 and headquartered in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The organization is purpose-built to celebrate and elevate Black fine art and artists, connecting galleries, artists, collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts through an integrated portfolio of publications and signature events. Its core product surface includes the annual Pigment Magazine (with the 2026 Issue VI themed around America's 250th anniversary), the Black Gallery Guide directory, the Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire, Black Fine Art Month programming, the Art News blog, and a weekly newsletter. Distribution is anchored by a Wix-hosted website and a Shopify storefront (weloveart2022.myshopify.com), with publications priced at $40 per copy and donations accepted via PayPal.

The organization's go-to-market is community-led: curation, editorial coverage, and live events drive engagement across the Black fine art ecosystem, with recurring gallery and venue partnerships (Zhou B Art Center, 57th Street Art Fair, Knowhere Gallery, Life in Color Gallery) extending reach within Chicago. Operational funding flows from a mix of grants, sponsorships, and donations from institutional funders (Field Foundation, Dunham Foundation, Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Humanities, CHI DCASE, IACA, CIMA, Gaylord, Blessman) and two disclosed TechRise Chicago grants totaling approximately $39,200 in 2022 and 2023. Co-founders Patricia Andrews-Keenan and Phyliss North lead a team of 1–10.

Strategically, 2026 has been a notable expansion year: Pigment International deepened its national footprint through a partnership with Ashro (Onward & Upward Artists' Showcase), entered a second editorial partnership with the European Cultural Centre covering the Venice Biennale, and co-hosted a salon talk with Adler University during Spring Art Week Chicago. The business model is nonprofit-funded and not venture-backed; there is no proprietary technology platform, and AI/ML capabilities are not in evidence.

Name

Pigment International

Legal name

Pigment International

Website

https://pigmentintl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pigment International is a Chicago-based nonprofit multimedia platform that connects galleries, artists, collectors, and curators through publications like Pigment Magazine and events like the Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire to celebrate Black fine art.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Art Curation & Cultural Programming

NAICS

Art Dealers (459920), Art Dealers (45992)

SIC

Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)

akta.pro primary industry

Visual Arts (Drawing, Painting, Illustration) (EDAAAGAA)

Keywords

• Art curation services
• Cultural event programming
• Art magazine publishing
• Nonprofit arts organization
• Black fine art platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As an independent nonprofit established in 2018, Pigment International relies on the generosity of funders, sponsors, and donors. The website prominently features a donate button linking to PayPal.
2. Publication Sales: Sale of Pigment Magazine (annual issues 2022-2024) and Black Gallery Guide at $40.00 per copy through the organization's Shopify storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Pigment International operates as an independent nonprofit multimedia platform and cultural brand that celebrates and promotes Black fine art and artists. It sells annual print publications (Pigment Magazine and the Black Gallery Guide) through its Shopify storefront, runs signature Chicago-based events including the Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire and Black Fine Art Month programming, and supports the community through editorial content, an Art News blog, and a weekly newsletter.

Product overview

Pigment International is a multimedia platform and cultural brand offering a portfolio of print publications, signature events, and digital content services. The core product offerings include Pigment Magazine (annual collector's editions in 2022, 2023, 2024, and the upcoming Issue VI: America 250), the Black Gallery Guide directory, and the Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire. These are complemented by the Black Fine Art Month initiative, the Art News editorial platform with weekly newsletter delivery, and a donation program supporting the nonprofit's operations. The organization connects galleries, artists, collectors, curators, and art enthusiasts through this integrated ecosystem of publications and events celebrating Black fine art.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pigment Magazine: Annual publication celebrating Black fine art and artists
• Black Fine Art Month
• Pigmented Black Fine Art Faire
• Black Gallery Guide

Named customers5 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Adler UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Partnership for Pigment International Salon Talk during Spring Art Week 2026. Hosted at Adler University with opening Artist Meet & Greet and moderated panel featuring artists, institution leaders, policymakers, and patrons.
• AshrocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026National partnership with Ashro for the Ashro Onward & Upward Artists' Showcase, celebrating achievements and creative visions of Black artists. Part of ongoing national partnership involving Pigment Magazine content and community engagement.
• European Cultural Centre (ECC)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Media partner for Personal Structures, the celebrated parallel program presented during the Venice Biennale. Second editorial partnership with ECC. Pigment International covers Black artists navigating and reshaping prestigious cultural platforms.
• Illinois Arts CouncilminorOthersIllinois state arts council; Board Chair Nora Daley referenced at Springfield event. Relationship appears to involve advocacy and state-level arts support.
• CHI DCASE (Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events)minorOthersLogo displayed in footer. City of Chicago arts department partner for cultural events.
• Knowhere GalleryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGallery exhibiting artists covered by Pigment International. D. Lammie-Hanson exhibited work at Knowhere Gallery's EXPO Chicago booth 330, which was acquired for The Bennett Collection.
• Zhou B Art CentercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChicago art venue hosting Pigment International exhibitions including What the Eye Beholds and Glory! Glory! salon talks. Located at 1029 W. 35th Street, Bridgeport neighborhood.
• 57th Street Art FaircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChicago's longest-running art fair where Pigment International exhibits annually. Now in its fourth year at the Hyde Park institution, celebrating the country's 250th Anniversary.
• Life in Color GalleryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGallery at New Life Covenant Church in Chicago's Grand Crossing neighborhood. Pigment International participated in Art House Blessing ceremony and added inscription. Partnership for community arts programming.
• Mariane Ibrahim GalleryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGallery representing Big Chief Demond Melancon at Venice Biennale. Pigment International covering his participation as media partner of European Cultural Centre.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hyperallergic: Major independent art publication covering contemporary art, artists, and cultural criticism. Comparable as a digital editorial platform serving art enthusiasts, though operating at much larger scale and broader topical scope.
• Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: Major Chicago cultural institution programming exhibitions, educational events, and publications around contemporary art. Comparable as a Chicago-rooted institution running exhibitions and educational programming, though operating with institutional scale and resources.
• Artnet: Established art market platform providing news, auction records, and gallery listings. Comparable in serving the intersection of art media and the gallery/collector community, though much larger and more commercially focused.
• Artsy: Global online art marketplace and editorial platform. Comparable as a discovery and editorial layer connecting collectors, galleries, and artists, though at vastly larger scale and with marketplace functionality.

Direct peers

• Culture Type: Editorial platform dedicated to covering Black visual art and artists. Most direct comparable: similar mission, content-driven model, and target audience of art collectors, curators, and enthusiasts interested in Black fine art.
• Black Art Today: Online platform dedicated to Black art news, artist features, and exhibition coverage. Comparable mission of elevating Black artists and connecting them with collectors and galleries through digital content and programming.

Regional players

• Chicago Gallery News: Chicago-focused gallery directory and exhibition listing publication. Comparable in serving as a gallery-discovery resource for art collectors in the Chicago market, though serving the broader (not exclusively Black) gallery ecosystem.
• Burnaway: Atlanta-based arts magazine covering the American South. Comparable as an independently published arts media outlet producing editorial content for art communities, though regionally focused on the Southeast.
• Sixty Inches from Center: Chicago-based digital arts publication and community platform. Comparable as a nonprofit-leaning arts media outlet producing editorial content and community programming, though with broader artist-community scope.
• Newcity Art: Chicago-based art magazine covering the local and national art scene. Comparable as a Chicago-rooted art media outlet serving collectors, galleries, and art enthusiasts, though not focused exclusively on Black art.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCHkRcrVfLFfbqg3OLTYB-tQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/PigmentIntl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pigment-international-nfp
• Instagraminstagram.com/pigmentintl
• Pinterestpinterest.com/Pigmentintl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pigment International