Ghost Melon Vision Statement

The Land

We write this vision statement from unceded Anishinaabe Land, home to the Council of the Three Fires. The Ojibwe people, the keepers of the faith, the Odawa people, the keepers of the trade, and the Potawatomi people, the keepers of the fire, are among the many Native people who call this land home. Other Indigenous people who have called this land home are the Ho-Chunk, Kaskaskia, Kickapoo, Mascouten, Menominee, Meskwaki, Myaamia, Peoria, and Sac and Fox peoples. This land is also known as Chicago, Illinois.

The waters of Lake Michigan sustain all of us who live here on Anishinaabe land. We are fortunate to call this beautiful land our home. We honor the Native people of Turtle Island, past, present and future, whose land we live on. We aim to live in right relationship with all beings we live with on this land, and to make decisions in our lives and businesses that reflect this aim.

Our Mission

Ghost Melon Artist Collective exists to uplift, amplify, and establish the artwork of historically marginalized artists through sharing resources, space, educational opportunities, and community. We value equity, non-competition, avoiding burnout, strength in diversity, labor sharing, and community artmaking. We are broadly against colonial projects and authoritarianism.

The Art & Artists

Some of the most powerful, beautiful, and transformative art throughout history has emerged from those who have been oppressed, underrepresented, and excluded. Yet even today, the art world remains deeply exclusionary—defined by competition, scarcity, and narrow standards of what is considered “good” or worthy of visibility. The barriers to presenting one’s work—financial, institutional, or aesthetic—can prevent incredible visions from ever being seen.

Our Collective exists to interrupt that cycle. We are artists who have been marginalized by society in multiple ways. We are Black, Indigenous, people of color—including people of mixed heritage. We are queer and trans. We are disabled, both visibly and invisibly. We span generations. We come from different countries, different communities. We are united not by a single identity, but by shared experiences of exclusion—and a shared desire to build something better.

We reject the idea that we must compete for visibility, resources, or legitimacy. Instead, we center solidarity and interdependence. We believe every member’s lived experience is valid. We recognize that while some of us hold certain privileges that others may not, none of us are wholly privileged. We are underrepresented—and we are powerful.

Our Collective is a space to model the world we want to see. A world where difference is respected, where care is practiced, where creativity is not gatekept, and where community can truly thrive. We do not tolerate racism, colorism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism, ageism, fatphobia, sexism, xenophobia, nationalism, or any form of discrimination against historically excluded groups. We do not support colonialism or exploitation.

We commit to supporting one another even when we don’t fully understand each other’s experiences. We commit to building a culture of curiosity, respect, and mutual uplift within our Collective.

Together, we are building an artistic community that is cooperative, visionary, non-competitive, and safe— a blueprint for the future we envision. A future where our communities— both inside and outside this Collective—can shine more brightly and live in peace.