FAQ

General

The Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums (BTA) is a nonprofit membership organization founded by and for Black trustees of art museums in North America. BTA crafts and commissions programming, research, and communications to help trustees increase the inclusion of Black perspectives and narratives in their institutions.

BTA is a fiscally sponsored project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) that provides support in governance, management and operational infrastructure to charitable organizations.

A museum’s board of trustees is responsible for the oversight of the institution’s management and operations. Along with legal and fiduciary responsibilities, trustees have a material role in shaping an institution’s direction and may be accountable for such decisions as executive hiring, policy making, resource allocation, and strategic planning. BTA is helping Black trustees direct their institutions toward a more equitable and inclusive future so that these cultural leaders can better hold art museums accountable for embracing the full and complex histories of the visual culture that they represent.

There are several ways to get involved with BTA:

  • Become a member to receive access to member-only programs and digital resources
  • Donate to support BTA’s programming and operations
  • Email admin@blacktrusteealliance.org if your organization may be interested in building an institutional partnership with BTA
  • Subscribe to the BTA newsletter (coming soon) to stay up to date on the organization’s work

BTA brings members together through programming and digital discussion platforms. Black trustees can connect by attending the organization’s virtual and in-person events (examples of which include confidential member conversations, lectures by leaders in the field, and the BTA Annual Convening) and by directly messaging one another in the BTA Member Community (coming soon).

BTA is open to partnerships with organizations whose values align with our own. If your organization is interested in partnering with BTA, send an inquiry to admin@blacktrusteealliance.org.

The BTA Job Board exists to facilitate the recruitment and hiring of BIPOC professionals in the museum field. Given that purpose, the Job Portal is intended for two primary audiences:

  • BIPOC professionals seeking museum opportunities
  • Recruiters seeking BIPOC candidates for museum opportunities.
  • If either of these categories is relevant to you, visit the BTA Job Board to learn more.

Membership

During BTA’s inaugural year, 2021, we have been delighted to offer free membership to all eligible individuals--Black trustees of North American art museums. BTA membership will continue to be free until the spring of 2022, at which time BTA will launch our paid membership program for all subsequent enrollments and renewals. To enroll as a member or to learn more about the upcoming changes in our membership structure, see Become a Member.

Donations

BTA relies on donations to support our programs and initiatives. If you would like to support a specific element of our work, please send us an email at admin@blacktrusteealliance.org. We would love to talk.

BTA’s fiscal sponsor, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, is a 501(c)(3) public charity that accepts donations on the organization’s behalf. Donations to BTA are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law and will be processed by Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.

Scroll to Top