Background
The Kiki Arts Collaborative (KAC) was established in 2025, emerging from an innovative series of events and programs initiated by co-founder and Executive Director Colby “Reign” King, with Jaileen Pierre-Louis. What began as organic support rooted in care, culture, and community has grown into a formal initiative designed to support young adults and emerging artists from the Kiki ballroom scene as they navigate careers in the creative industries.
KAC exists to bridge the immense talent of this community with the vast resources of New York City’s cultural infrastructure. By cultivating partnerships with leading arts, media, and cultural institutions KAC is building a living network dedicated to the advancement of queer and trans artists of color. KAC also supports archival and research efforts that affirm the intellectual and cultural contributions of the Kiki scene. Together, these collaborations ensure that the legacies of those often erased or overlooked are not only preserved but amplified and honored.
Mission
The Kiki Arts Collaborative exists to leverage the transformative power of Kiki ballroom culture, arts, and knowledge to radically expand access, visibility, and opportunity for LGBTQ+ young adults and emerging artists of color.
Our mission is rooted in a belief that creative expression can be a path to economic justice, collective healing, and structural change. Through career development, artist support, adult education, and institutional partnerships, we seek to open doors that have historically been closed—and to build new ones where none previously existed. KAC is committed to nurturing the brilliance that already exists within the Kiki scene, while dismantling the barriers that too often limit the lives and futures of those within it. We believe in a world where our communities do not have to choose between survival and self-expression—where art, agency, and autonomy co-exist in harmony.
Vision
We imagine a world where every young artist—regardless of gender, background, or circumstance—can access the tools, resources, and platforms they need to thrive. We envision a future where trans and queer people are not just included, but celebrated; where their stories are not only told, but treasured. Our vision is a cultural landscape in which the contributions of the Kiki scene are recognized globally and compensated fairly, where creative labor is honored, and where our communities are seen not as subjects of study, but as architects of the future.
Photos by Dumebi Malaika Menakaya / @malaika.menakaya
Contact us
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