Hagen said Atlantic City is a diverse community and there are other creative ways to express King’s work.
“I hope what he created will stay with the kids in the community, and they will take up the concepts of Martin Luther King Jr. and live their lives in a stronger way through the artwork,” Hagen said.
Tanger Outlets also plans to further support black art, artists and cultural organizations by donating to both the Black Artist Fund and the Black Art Futures Fund, according to Hentschel.
The Black Artist Fund is a national nonprofit organization founded by black creatives to address inequity in arts funding, according to the organization’s website.
The Black Art Futures Fund provides support to small businesses that are “black-led” and “benefit black” and community-based arts and culture organizations across the United States, according to its website.
Hentschel said Tangier doesn’t have any other specific projects with the Arts Foundation planned at this time, but if the opportunity arises his organization would “love to be a part of it.”
“Speeches have their place, marches have their place, art has its place. We’re not good at speeches, but we’re good at art,” Hagen said.
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