The Consortium of Black Organizations & Others for the Arts (COBA) is a community arts organization run by a 17-member, multi-cultural and diverse Board of Directors whose purpose is to promote an understanding of and support for African and African-American visual, performing and literary arts and artists. Our organization has eleven categories of membership, open to all regardless of race, gender or age. COBA has provided programs to increase the awareness and appreciation of the arts to the metropolitan and suburban areas of Phoenix, Arizona for the past two decades. The arts programming for COBA currently include:

MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ART EXHIBIT
In partnership with the Arizona Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Committee and Arizona State University for over 14 years, works of elementary and junior high school students are collected and displayed each year in January.

MADELINE HARDY INNER-CITY, MULTI-CULTURAL INVITATIONAL YOUTH ART EXHIBIT
An early partnership with Arizona Opportunities Industrialization Center (AzOIC) and The Phoenix Links, Inc. resulted in COBA initiating the Inner-City, Multi-Cultural Invitational Youth Art Exhibit which, in 2004, completed its 22nd year. Works of junior high and high school students are displayed each year at the Arizona OIC building. The event culminates in an Awards Luncheon.

YOUTH ART SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships are awarded to select high school students who have demonstrated creativity, excellence in works and the ability to follow exhibition guidelines in a timely manner.

AFRICAN HERITAGE RECOGNITION DINNER
COBA recognizes individuals and organizations that have contributed to the understanding and promotion of African and African-American arts and artists. The Dinner Program for this biennial event includes a keynote speaker from one of the visual, literary or performing arts disciplines, showcasing internationally known artists. Previous speakers have included Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte and Maya Angelou.

SYMPOSIUM ON THE ARTS
This biennial event is associated with the African Heritage Recognition Dinner and presents visual and performing artists, playwrights, novelists, journalists, musicians, critics and scholars of national critical acclaim in a panel discussion forum.

“MEET THE ARTIST” SERIES
COBA hosts events where COBA members and supporters from the Arizona community are invited to experience the works and performances of Arizona”s minority artists. The artist does a presentation or performance, displays works and may also have work available for purchase. Meet the Artist II featured Rip Woods, who was commissioned by Nieman Marcus to design its 1990 Christmas catalogue and snow globe.