Q&A with Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara of Griot Arts

Take a moment to meet Nicole Nfonoyim-Hara, founder of Griot Arts and current participant in our first incubator program!

Q: Share a bit about your business and who your target customers are!

A: Griot Arts is a community arts hub that celebrates and centers Black art, joy, and cultural expression. We are opening a gallery and bookstore that will showcase art and literature by BIPOC artists and writers.

Q: What do you hope to learn from the incubator program? 

A: I hope to learn how to design and operate a business that connects with community members. I'm also looking forward to connecting with and learning from fellow  entrepreneurs in the incubator program who are building their businesses. 

Q: What is your motivation and inspiration for pursuing your business idea? 

A: I love the arts and have been working as an arts writer for several years. I have a passion for amplifying the voices and work of BIPOC and emerging artists. Much of my work in this space has been in other parts of Minnesota. I wanted to create a space and opportunities for community members and artists right here in my community in Rochester to engage with, learn from, and be empowered and inspired by Black art and culture. Often, people of color leave Rochester feeling like they are not reflected in the city-- can't see themselves in our civic, arts, and cultural life. Instead of leaving, I wanted to see what it would look like to really commit to and dedicate myself to growing something beautiful and intentional right here that might be a small part of changing the narrative around how communities of color can thrive and feel seen in the arts and cultural life of our growing city. I believe art connects and heals. Art is for everyone. Centering BIPOC communities in our city's arts and cultural life cultivates spaces where we can ALL engage, grow, and transform. 

Q: Share a little bit about yourself, your background, and your hobbies and interests!

A: I'm the founder of Griot Arts as well as a writer and anthropologist. Originally from New York City, I've lived in Rochester for almost a decade and am raising my two children here with my husband. I hold a BA from Swarthmore College and a graduate degree from Oxford University. I'm currently working on my first novel, an historical fantasy epic based on ancestral myths from the Cross River region of Cameroon and Nigeria.