Studio KIN is BlackSpace’s national entrepreneurship accelerator providing technical assistance and capacity building for place-based ventures and organizations at the intersection of culture, community, and the built environment. We work with founders reshaping cities from the inside out through historic preservation, cultural infrastructure, gathering spaces, and more. Every founder in this cohort will be bringing a specific project with an active phase they are ready to move forward. That project is the through-line of everything we do together.

Applications for the Studio KIN pilot cohort will open on June 26 – August 10, 2026.

The program is 6-month long hybrid program with virtual and in-person commitments. The program will run from October 2026 – March 2027.   

Yes, we will accept applications from businesses of all ages. However, we will prioritize businesses that are 3-5 years old.

We encourage all nonprofits and businesses that contribute to the improvement of our community to apply. 

Urbanist: anyone who cares for the city or town they are in and works to make it more just. Think the architect redesigning a park, the planner rezoning a block, the grandmother who’s attended every community board meeting for 20 years, the librarian who knows every family on the street, the shop owner who’s watched the neighborhood change. 

When you apply to Studio KIN, you’re applying as a founder with a specific project you are ready to advance.  The project should be a solution that improves the quality of life for community members within a specific neighborhood or city. This could include:

Physical improvements: Architecture, urban planning, landscape design, or public art projects that enhance public spaces.

Community engagement: Programs or initiatives that foster connections between people and their neighborhoods, such as community gardens, neighborhood associations, or cultural events.

Environmental sustainability: Products or services that promote eco-friendly practices, such as green building materials, renewable energy solutions, or sustainable transportation options.

Social impact: Businesses that address social issues, such as affordable housing, job training, or healthcare access.

A clear phase you’re working through: research, community engagement, design, building, programming, or launch

A place-based, culture-first orientation: your project is rooted in a specific neighborhood or geography, and cultural heritage is why it matters

A milestone you can name: something concrete you want to achieve or complete by the end of 12 weeks.

Urbanist business meaning your business is providing place-based solutions benefiting residents, businesses and/or community members. These include but are not limited to:

• Architecture
• Landscape Architecture
• Interior design
• Urban Design
• Public Art
• Product Design
• Community Engagement / facilitation
• Environmental Conservation
• Historic Preservation

Studio KIN 2 welcomes nonprofits, cooperatives, fiscally sponsored projects, LLCs, S-Corps, C-Corps, and social enterprises. All applicants must bring a specific place-based, culture-first project. The project is the through-line of the program.

Your Organization or Venture:

• Legal structure: Legally established organizations and businesses of any type are welcome, including nonprofits (501(c)(3)), cooperatives, fiscally sponsored projects, LLCs, S-Corps, C-Corps, and social enterprises.
• Has been operating up to three years*
• Open to any city, with preference for our legacy cousin cities: New York, Chicago, Indianapolis, and Oklahoma
• Track record: Has at least two place-based* bodies of work or urbanist projects (at least two projects, programs, products, or services) that demonstrate place-based or urbanist community impact, with at least one delivered to the public.
  • For for-profit businesses: Have at least two urbanism-related products or services brought to market
• Is committed to equitable neighborhood investment and co-design practices that center justice and joy

Your project:

All applicants must enter with a specific project they are ready to advance during the  6 months. This is a project-based program.

• Is focused on liberatory design for place-based heritage. Think historic preservation, cultural infrastructure, public exhibitions, brick-and-mortar community hubs. Other urbanist work with a clear neighborhood impact is welcome too
• Has an active project phase you’re ready to grow such as research, community engagement, design, building, or programming
• Serves a direct community benefit rooted in a specific place
• Is culture-first: the project’s primary orientation is cultural preservation, community expression, or heritage not purely commercial development

Your representative:

• Is a founder or legal representative of the organization
• Can share a portfolio or resume that speaks to their liberatory design and place-based heritage work
• Demonstrates familiarity with Black/African diasporic lived experiences through their work
• Is ready to show up for required online sessions every Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM ET and our in-person culminating Pitch Night in NYC

Unfortunately this year we cannot invite fiscally-sponsored organizations to apply, but we will keep that organization status in mind for future years as we grow.

October 2026 – March 2027

Participation modes will vary over the 6 months but include: virtual monthly group learning sessions and 1:1s, along with one in-person full group gathering for Pitch Night. Full schedule with dates will be released with offers in August 2026.

You may have one leadership representative participate in the program, selected participants must be able to commit to the full year. Please only submit one application per organization/business.

Program session formats will include guest speakers with Q&A, interactive panels and workshops, small group discussions, 1:1 conversations.

The program is hybrid. Virtual sessions will take place virtually via Zoom, with one in person event in February.

The 6 months hybrid programming includes:

• Organizational Foundations (virtual)
• Business Development Trainings (virtual) 
• Service and Product Development Coaching (virtual)  
• Strategic Branding
• $5000 Philanthropic Micro-Grant (for org and business) 
• Pitch Event at our annual Collective Convening (in-person)
  • with a chance to win up to $15,000 in cash/in-kind prizes 
• 1:1 coaching and mentorship (virtual and/or in person)
• A dope network of urbanists, (and hopefully) life-long connections and collaborators

The Collective includes an active board circle, hired support, alumni, and affiliate groups we affectionately call Cousins. Together, we’re able to bring the core principles of the BlackSpace Manifesto to life and grow our vision.

All Collective circles are represented on our board and use a consensus model to make decisions about how the organization cultivates our time, talent, and treasure.

Our ecosystem is ever-evolving and we work with neighborhood partners, our Slack community, BlackSpace alumni, Black brands and vendors, and many others! We’d love to meet you!

“Cousins” is our nickname for nationally affiliated BlackSpace groups. Formally speaking, they’re autonomous entities that create local gatherings, events, and artifacts that explore Black urbanism aligned with the Manifesto. In short, “affiliates” is their “government name,” but to us, they’re our Cousins.

We find that a general term like “urbanist” helps our group unify across people working or passionate about urban infrastructures, public systems, or the built environments around us. Some of the folks in BlackSpace are: architects, designers, artists, planners, and more. And no, we don’t only work in cities. We work in neighborhoods, towns, buildings, etc., that invite our collaboration. As Black urbanists, we explore ways to preserve and amplify Black culture in built environments regardless of profession or location.

Within each of our work pillars (Urbanist Experiences, Neighborhood Strategy, and Customized Learning) we co-create bespoke projects based on how it meets our goals to acknowledge and amplify Black contributions to public spaces. Things we’ve done in the past include memory mapping, building re-design, lectures, walking tours, design workshops, celebrations, and more.

Absolutely! You can subscribe to it via the sign-up in the website footer or via the link below. You can also stay up to date on our progress by following us on social media. We’re active on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The BlackSpace newsletter is a quarterly feature of original content for Black urbanists! The NWSLTR will produce and disseminate thought leadership on issues including (but not limited to) urban design, planning, the arts, architecture, landscape architecture, and community development.

Our alumni are past organizers with BlackSpace. Their institutional knowledge and backgrounds in various urbanist fields enable them to cheerlead our growth from any platform, even after their time in the Collective.

Afiya Wilkins, Ajamu Brown, Aldea Coleman, Aleiya Evison, Aly Hassell, Amanda Colon-Smith, Amina Hassen, April Hurley, Ashley Dickens Oso, Beryl Briane Ford, Breanna Robles, Brittney Drakeford, Brysan Brown, Camille Applewhite, Charlemya Erasme, Cheria Caldwell, Chloé Greene, Chopp Stewart, Christina Harris, Christina Beatty, Christopher Rice, Cinthia De La Rosa, Corey Henry, Dalaeja Foreman, Danicia Malone, Danielle Kavanagh-Smith, Dariella Freed, Diane Wesh, Dominique Williams, Ethan Lassiter, Etienne Jackson, Euneika Rogers-Sipp, Ifeoma Ebo, Gina Sofola, Jasmine Graves, Jenneh Kaikai, Jeremiah Ojo, Jessica Smith-Peterson, Joyous Pierce, Joshua Broadway, Julia Jannon-Shields, Justin Garrett Moore,  Justine Johnson, Kenyatta McLean, Kethia Joseph, Krystin Hence, Kyra Assibey-Bonsu, Laurel Brown, Ladipo Famodu, Lillian Webb, Lorryn Young, Michael Williams, Nathalie Jolivert, Natt Slober, Nicholas Forest, Nick Forest, Nmadili Okwumabua, Quardean Lewis-Allen, Rafael Smith, Raquel Vasquez, Rasheed Lucus, Ravon Ruffin Feliz, Ron Romi Morrison, Rosanna Valencia, Sabea Evans, Sarah Rege, Shady Radical, Shawn Whitehorn, Dr. Sophonie Joseph, Sumayyah Súnmádé Raji, Tawkiyah Jordan, Ujijji Davis Williams, Walter Cruz

If you identify as a Black urbanist, you can sign up to join the Slack via the link below. We ask our co-conspirators who do not identify as Black to help us curate a safe virtual space by not joining the Slack community. We invite you to sign up for our newsletter via the Contact Us page and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter to keep in touch.

  I identify as a black urbanist

Join our slack

Our board members largely have a longstanding relationship with us and are chosen by the Collective. If you or someone you know is interested in starting a conversation with BlackSpace about joining the board, please reach out via the Contact Us page to start a conversation.

We’re a small team that’s constantly growing! We’re regularly looking for full-time and contract support. Our open positions are announced in our newsletter and social media accounts.

We are not currently accepting new Coucins city locations.

Visit the Contact Us page and choose “Book a workshop” from the dropdown menu to start the conversation. Sharing which workshop(s) you like, estimated group size, and timeline helps us meet you where you are!

We partner with non-profits, community groups, universities, and more on events and special projects. Visit the Contact Us page and choose either “Collaborate on a neighborhood strategy project” or “Collaborate on an urbanist experiences event” from the dropdown menu to start the conversation.

Donations are a big part of how we fund our staffing, programming, and general operations.

For all media requests, visit the Contact Us page and choose “Press” from the dropdown menu.

Visit the “Contact Us” page to speak with us directly. And of course, if you identify as a Black urbanist, you can sign-up to join our Slack community.

Participating in a Customized Learning Workshop is a great way for people from all backgrounds to collaborate with BlackSpace and explore the practical applications of our design-principles and lessons we can all extract to make our built environments inclusive of the cultures, histories, and creative expressions of the people there today. We encourage all to donate, subscribe to our newsletter, and follow us on social media to stay updated and to support long-term organizing.

Visit our Donation page or use the Contact Us form to find out how to send a check.

We use donations to expand our programming and operational capacity. Your support helps build our organization and are tax deductible!

We encourage you to use the Manifesto in all of your work and relationships. The 14 principles took a year to to craft so, to honor the collective work, we ask that BlackSpace is credited or cited. And we’d love to hear how you used the Manifesto in the link below!

Yes! We are a federally recognized 501(c)3 organization (EIN: 83-4620589) and registered NY State Charity!

Go to “Who We Are” at the top of the page. You can filter profiles based on city and their role in the Collective.

The 14 principles are featured on our Homepage and in the footer of all our pages. Get the full Manifesto via the link below.

The “Who We Are” page links out to each Cousin page. Each city has their own page with its history, current projects, organizers, and more.

Get the downloadable report via the link below. We also provide the link in the footer of all our pages.