Ade Olufeko

Visual Collaborative is a U.S based festival platform created to showcase and develop artists of various genres. The exhibitions feature symposium style talks, digital art, technology and live music performances. The pop-up collaborations in form of events, are made possible through joint ventures adding value to the field of art and humanities.

Visual Collaborative, a traveling exhibition, was founded by multidisciplinary designer and technologist Adé Abayomi Olufeko in the autumn of 2006. Olufeko having observed the relationship between artists and the barriers to entry towards innovation. The platform bridges the gap between creative professionals and their commercial value. Originating in Minneapolis, the group has showcased collections and talks in Minneapolis, Miami, New York City, San Francisco California, Columbia Maryland, and Washington D.C.

The group's inaugural event which headlined international artists Miko Simmons and Linda Zacks, took place in 2007 at the original Center for Independent Artists, inside Instituto de Cultura y Educacion located in a community of South Minneapolis. The event was broadcast internationally on African Independent Television (AIT).

Visual Collaborative adopting a new outreach model in 2008, partnered with foundations such as Voices for Children Miami. In its second year after a successful exhibition in the art district of Miami, momentum of the initiative slowed down due to events of the Great Recession, rebooting several years later with reassessed values. In the winter of 2015, the platform collaborated with the Arts District Hyattsville Master Association in Hyattsville, utilizing the Lustine Center to host a group exhibition themed Vanity.

Selam, an Actress, Singer-Songwriter of Ethiopian descent, performing live at ENCORE exhibition in 2013

The Visual Collaborative exhibitions occur in a traveling formatted pattern, happening as pop-ups in reputable galleries, lofts or donated spaces by private owners who include art enthusiasts and lifelong patrons of the arts. Artists, musicians, academics and guest curators serve parts of the platform, leading to the incorporation of post-digital experiences with various communities. The objectives of the platform and its communal contributions identify with the creative economy.

Representing artists and works of diverse backgrounds, past emerging and notable features include: Aniekan Udofia, Tiphanie Brooke, Dawn Okoro, Danielle Eckhardt, Eugene Ankomah and music recording artist TolumiDE.

Events held in U.S Cities: