Torrents: New Links to Black Futures is an artist-led program by CulturalDC that explores new territories in Black future-building through visual arts, technology, music, film, and performance. This DC-based interdisciplinary event series gathers artists, collectors, professors, and community stakeholders to participate in a week filled with engaging experiences. Torrents examines critical questions about the development of Black futures across the African diaspora by featuring innovators across industries. Through expert panels, film screenings, live music, artistic performances, and demonstrations of advancements in technology, we aim to create opportunities to build community and inspire collaboration.

Fabiola R. Delgado (b. Cabimas, Venezuela) is an independent curator and creative consultant based in Washington DC. Formerly a Human Rights lawyer and a political asylum seeker, she channels her commitment to justice through artistic and cultural experiences. Recognizing storytelling as the essence of her practice, she works on projects that challenge dominant narratives, and recenter peripheral perspectives and foster intergenerational creative learning. She’s a recipient of the first National Leaders of Color Fellowship––a collaborative program from the six U.S. Regional Arts Organizations, and has worked with prestigious institutions such as the Hirshhorn Museum, National Museum of American History, Anacostia Community Museum, Washington Project for the Arts, Times Square Arts, Brooklyn Museum, apexart NY, S.O.U.R.C.E. Studio, and The FUNDRED Project with renowned artist, Mel Chin.

Gregory Cummins is the founder of The Collaboratory, an art advisory and contemporary artist representation agency. Its focus is to nurture the strategic relationships between artists and brands. The boutique agency is responsible for negotiating countless worldwide art licensing deals. Product collaborations for its artists include commercial partners such as Nike, Microsoft, Pepsi, Jansport, Puma, Topps and many more. With a background in Art and Communications, Cummins has also gained a reputable following for his curatorial efforts in group shows and art fairs worldwide.

Hamiltonian Artists is a DC-based nonprofit organization with a mission to nurture community and increase access to space, opportunity, and resources for emerging artists, through impactful programs and exhibitions. Since its founding in 2007, they have supported over 100 artists through their professional development fellowship and many more with exhibitions and public programs. The newest addition to their offerings is five artist studios on U Street NW available at highly subsidized below market rates to artists working in the greater DC area.

Kelly Towles is a Washington DC based artist. Kelly was born in the US in Ohio, then moved to Australia to grow up in the middle of the desert in Alice Springs. Kelly had kangaroos as pets and grew up watching BBC 1. This started the love affair with anime viewing shows such as Astro Boy, Danger Mouse and Space Battleship Yamato. He returned to the US after middle school. Kelly Graduated from UMD where he met his amazing wife Virginia. They currently have 1 son and a saucy Siberian husky. Kelly Towles has painted murals in Tokyo, Taipei, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Austin, to name a few. Studio work is always pushing forward with engraved tile as a canvas. Currently based in Washington DC, Kelly Towles is the Director and Curator of DC WALLS MURAL FESTIVAL.

Founded in 2016, Social Supply is a bespoke experiential and design build shop based out of Washington, DC. Experts at creating spaces that move people towards meaningful interactions, they work with residential, commercial, and event clients to transform spaces into exceptional experiences.