About Colman Commons
A home for Black art in Seattle
Colman Commons is a Black woman-owned art gallery in Seattle’s historic Colman Building, where Pioneer Square meets the waterfront. Through rotating exhibitions, we center Black artists and make room for their work to be seen, discussed, and collected.
Beyond the exhibitions, we bring people together through creative workshops, community wellness experiences, public programs, and unforgettable experiences. We also open the gallery for private events, offering a setting for gatherings surrounded by art.
Our Mission & Story
Our Leadership
Our Partners
Journal
Our Mission & Story
Art, rest, and belonging.
Our mission is to champion Black artists, expand access to art, and create space for rest, creativity, and connection.
Founder Ashleigh McCurdy opened Colman Commons with a question shaped by her work in interior design and cultural programming: What would it feel like to walk into a place and immediately know you belong there?
That question still guides us. We make space for artists to share their work on their own terms, for visitors to spend time with art and meet the people who make it, and for neighbors to gather across generations. Sometimes that looks like an exhibition opening or an artist conversation. Other times it’s a guided wellness session, a hands-on workshop, or a celebration with the people you love.
Our Leadership
Meet the Team
Ashleigh McCurdy
Founder | Executive Director Ashleigh McCurdy founded Colman Commons to give Black artists a place to share their work and Seattle a welcoming place to experience it. With more than a decade of experience in interior design, event production, and creative strategy, she brings an eye for how a room feels and a belief that the way we welcome people matters. She leads the organization’s vision, partnerships, and development.
We count on this visionary to define strategic priorities, allocate resources responsibly, and ensure every decision reinforces long-term value creation.
Takiyah Ward
Creative Director & Gallery CuratorTakiyah Ward is a Seattle-born multidisciplinary artist and curator whose work spans painting, installation, fashion, and public art. As founder of The Re-Sole 206 and organizer of Seattle’s 2020 Black Lives Matter street mural, she grounds her practice in collaboration and the stories people carry through everyday objects.
At Colman Commons, she leads the gallery’s curatorial direction, working with artists to develop exhibitions and programs that bring their work into conversation with the community.
Colman Commons
Co-DirectorOS plays a key role in the day-to-day operations. Coordinating logistics, he brings together the resources the gallery needs and follows through on the details that keep Colman Commons running smoothly. His work helps turn plans into well-organized exhibitions, wellness programs, and private events.
We trust his leadership to align production, logistics, and support functions and build reliable processes that uphold our service commitments.
Our Partners
Colman Commons Collaborators.
Colman Commons is better because of the people we build with. Our partners help us bring exhibitions to life, create space for community wellness, and welcome more people into the gallery. We’re grateful for what each partner brings and what we can do together.
Interested in partnering or collaborating with Colman Commons? We’d love to hear your ideas.
Anchored in Partnership with Converge Media
Colman Commons partners with Converge Media to amplify the stories of the people who come through our doors. That includes the artists whose work we exhibit, the businesses and organizations that gather here, and the individuals who choose the Commons to celebrate a milestone or bring an idea to life. Through select interviews, event coverage, and community storytelling, we share the people and purpose behind these moments so their stories can reach audiences beyond our walls.
Partnership with Veronica Vary & W.O.W International
Our work with Veronica Very and WOW builds on a shared belief that art can make room for reflection, rest, and connection. Veronica’s mentorship, curatorial work, and the WOW Gallery's legacy help shape how we bring art and community wellness together at Colman Commons.
Together, we carry the vision of creating a space just for US, focused on healing, belonging, and thriving in this community and beyond.
Join the Movement
Whether you are looking to book an event, attend a live broadcast taping, explore a gallery opening, or simply pull up and be part of the vibe, our doors are open for you.
Welcome home.