Lead Partners

Since its founding in 2020, The Building Fund has worked with lead partners ConnCORP, The New Haven Free Public Library, and Long Wharf Theatre to produce nine contemporary art exhibitions, seven community programs, six artist talks, four educational workshops, and one community audit and action plan. Read below to learn more about each initiative and to view the virtual exhibitions.

ConnCORP

In the fall of 2023, Erik Clemons–Founding CEO of ConnCAT and ConnCORP–contracted nico w. okoro of The Building Fund to design, develop, and operationalize a dedicated space for art and artists on ConnCORP’s Hamden campus. In the spring of 2024, Orchid Gallery was born and it has since become a destination for emerging art and Black culture in New Haven.

Orchid Gallery–a new exhibition space showcasing artworks by early-career artists of color who call the Greater New Haven Area home–was established to meet the following community needs: to invest in artists as visionary yet economically marginalized creative entrepreneurs; to build accessible, culturally-specific space in Greater New Haven; and to mobilize the power of Black art in cultivating an engaged local arts community. Orchid Gallery is powered by a spirit of innovation and experimentation, and celebrates artists who boldly question and envision creative solutions to the socio-economic issues that disproportionately impact our communities.

Orchid Gallery is located at 496 Newhall Street and shares a floor with Recess Café and Orchid Hall, a large event rental space. Orchid Gallery is open to the public Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm and by appointment. To book an appointment, please email the@bldg.fund.

 

Image from the opening reception of Beholder, which is on view at Orchid Gallery through October 3, 2025. (C) Kamilla Bork, The Narrative Project

The New Haven Free Public Library

Over the past five years, The Building Fund has partnered with multiple branches of The New Haven Free Public to both produce and present community programs, educational workshops, and contemporary art exhibitions. These artist-powered platforms for community engagement provide informal opportunities for neighbors off all ages and from all backgrounds to engage visionary art and artists, on their own terms. Building upon the generosity of Diane Brown, Branch Manager at Stetson Library, and Marian Huggins, Branch Manager at Mitchell Library, The Building Fund has enhanced our city’s public learning environments, connecting readers to important, living sources of inspiration.

 
 

Image from the installation of Shaunda Holloway: Abstract Rebel, which was on view at Mitchel Library January 23 - March 31, 2025. (C) nico w. okoro, The Building Fund

Long Wharf Theatre

In 2022, nico w. okoro was contracted by Jacob Padrón, Artistic Director at Long Wharf Theatre, to support the organization in mobilizing its community stakeholders through the transition from a traditional brick-and-mortar production model to a community-powered, itinerant theater for the people. 

Padrón's radical vision for the future of the organization aligned with work okoro supported as co-lead of the Studio Museum in Harlem’s, inHarlem initiative which empowered the museum to continue evolving its program in partnership with civic and cultural organizations while under construction.

Sharing Long Wharf’s values of artistic innovation, radical inclusion, and revolutionary partnerships, The Building Fund supported a cross-departmental team of leaders in developing high-level strategy for the development of Long Wharf Theatre’s Inaugural Community Cabinet, a collaborative initiative aimed at inspiring co-creation between the theatre and its neighbors.

 

Long Wharf Theatre’s Homecoming Parade in October 2022. (c) Lotta Studio

  • "The Orchid Gallery offers a uniquely inclusive and affirming space that uplifts the voices and work of Black and Brown artists from across generations. It serves as a vital platform for both emerging and established artists to share their work in a setting that honors their creativity, lived experiences, and cultural narratives. The gallery brings together a beautifully diverse audience—racially, economically, and across age, gender, and identity lines—fostering meaningful dialogue and connection through art."

    — Tagan Engel, Founder & Producer/Host, The Table Underground & Enroue Halfkenny, Babaláwo Onígbọ̀nná

  • “The Orchid Gallery in a community space does more than exhibit artwork—it creates a gathering place where culture is shared, Artists are amplified, and creativity becomes a bridge between people.”

    — IfeMichell Gardin, Founder & Executive Director, Kulturally LIT

  • “Orchid Gallery is quite an experience—a multi-sensory experience! It has deepened my appreciation for contemporary art and its ability to foster connection and dialogue within the community.”

    — Alisha Crutchfield, Owner, BLOOM

  • "What sets Orchid Gallery apart is its deeply welcoming and accessible environment. Housed in a former school building that is Black-owned and operated, and located in a community of color, the space itself challenges traditional notions of who belongs in the art world. It replaces intimidation with invitation. The curatorial vision of nico w. okoro is particularly noteworthy; her commitment to thoughtful, artist-centered curation is evident in every detail—from studio visits to the poignant questions she asks during artist talks."

    — Tagan Engel, Founder & Producer/Host, The Table Underground & Enroue Halfkenny, Babaláwo Onígbọ̀nná

  • “Orchid gallery brings artists and their artwork to an exhibition space that did not exist prior to its creation! ConnCorp showcases excellence in business, entrepreneurship, community engagement and most importantly now the arts!”

    — Babz Rawls Ivy, Editor-in-Chief, The Inner-City News