How The Redline Venice and DCDG.co Are Creating Space for Black Artists
The story of Venice cannot be told without including those of Black creatives who left their mark in spite of the barriers. Today, the Redline Venice honors that history by providing space for expression, celebration, and connection.
And that includes one of our powerful initiatives: the Artist-in-Residence program, in partnership with DCDG.co.
Creating Space for Artists
The Redline Venice was designed as a space to connect, belong, and be inspired. That vision made collaboration with DCDG.co a natural fit.
DCDG.co is a fine arts and creative agency dedicated to curating transformative experiences, building brand partnerships, and designing impactful art activations. Like Redline, the agency is committed to celebrating Black excellence.
That belief has led us to offer free stays at The Redline Venice to selected artists across various disciplines. The goal is to give artists the time, space, and inspiration to create, while honoring the cultural significance of Venice and those who came before.
Each artist receives:
A 1-week complimentary stay at The Redline Venice
Access to a creative and inspiring hospitality space
The opportunity to engage with the local art scene and community
Our aim is to offer the Redline Venice as a sanctuary for expression. A place where artists can reflect, produce, be seen, and feel inspired.
Spotlighting the Voices of the Residency
Upendo Taylor
Biomorphic Surrealist-Abstract Artist | Watts, California
As the very first artist-in-residence at The Redline Venice, Upendo Taylor set the tone for what the program could be.
Upendo’s journey began in graphic design and print production, working across everything from t-shirt graphics to apparel design. But it’s his fusion of street art, soul music, funk, hip-hop, and visual abstraction that defines his signature style—what he calls graphic poetry.
Upendo describes his process as deeply personal, where he channels rhythm into bold shapes and abstract forms. He allows one sense to inspire another, in phenomenon he refers to a synesthesia.
Learn more at upendorart.com or on Instagram @upendo_
Chipo Kandake
Performance Artist, Dance Ethnographer, Filmmaker | New Orleans, LA
Chipo Kandake describes herself as a modern-day Josephine Baker. Her work fuses performance, film, and cultural storytelling rooted in Black liberation and ancestral memory.
A graduate of Dillard University with a degree in filmmaking, Chipo has curated public exhibitions, edited historical documentaries, and collaborated with Grammy-winning artists like Big Freedia and Anderson .Paak. She aims to bridge the past and present through Afro-Diasporic dance, ritual, and narrative.
During her residency, Chipo found clarity.
“This experience helped me realize a lot of the big ideas I’ve been dreaming up are actually possible,” she shared. “Connecting with other artists and OGs in the game reminded me that our visions aren’t too big, they just need support.”
Chipo is currently developing The Chipo Kandake Revue, a touring multidisciplinary performance, and a documentary film chronicling her journey as a Black femme artist across borders and generations.
Follow her work at @chipokandake.
Derek Simon aka Sky Welkin
Illustrator, Contemporary Artist | Virginia → Colorado
Drawing under the name Sky Welkin, Derek Simon blends illustration, introspection, and imagination into his art. His work is whimsical and witty, inspired by the likes of Calvin & Hobbes and Dr. Seuss.
During his stay at The Redline Venice, Derek found a different kind of inspiration—rest.
“The residency impacted me mentally, creatively, and spiritually by giving me the opportunity to relax while also giving me the opportunity to create.”
What stood out most was the diversity of artistic practices around him.
“Every artist that I was able to talk to about their practice had a different approach to how they did things, they had a different perspective on what their work means to them and it just reminded me that there's more than one way to illustrate or render the creative projects and paintings that I want to make.”
Discover more at skywelkin.com or follow @sky_welkin
Stay Connected
The Artist-in-Residence program is ongoing, and new calls for applications are released at least twice a year in collaboration with DCDG.co.
If you’re a creative looking for a supportive, culturally rich space to grow your practice—or if you know someone who could benefit—contact us to learn more and be sure to follow The Redline Hotel Group and DCDG.co for updates.
