Bisemi began its mission dedicated to developing strategies that ensure positive systemic changes in the way African and African Diaspora cultural arts, artists and arts leaders are advocated for and engaged. Aimed at meeting this vital need Bisemi offers programs and services centered on – Professional Development, Capacity Building, and Preservation.

Bisemi’s professional development programs are designed to work in collaboration with other organizations, leaders and professional development offerings by providing deeper training and networking opportunities, seed capital and access to social capital for aspiring cultural artists and arts administrators of diverse ethnic and migrant backgrounds.

Addressing the historic lack of investment in culturally specific artists and arts administrators, Bisemi works to empower participants to be at the vanguard of thinking about the role of artists as world citizens, how to give voice to silenced immigrants, and how to create new systems for stronger, more equitable and more vibrant communities.

Bisemi achieves these goals by providing emerging leaders with not only the skills they need to succeed but also with a community of homegrown consultant mentors whose experiences in culturally specific communities mirror their own. This community connectivity reflects how many historically marginalized communities come together to share resources and learning in the absence of significant financial investment.

In cultivating a new class of culturally-competent arts leaders, Bisemi aims for nothing short than the complete shift of the arts field to create a level play field for cultural artists and uplift the crucial role that cultural arts play in strengthening communities and connecting generations to shared cultures.