Speaking & Writing

An international speaker and cultural influencer, with over two decades of creative business experience, Malene Barnett has presented at numerous events drawing on her professional journey through Black art, the history of African design and art as investment. She has shared her powerful story with entrepreneurs at universities, design conferences and entrepreneurship forums.

There’s nothing like a crisis to show us, that even as creatives, the importance of being able to adapt, change and pivot our businesses is more essential than ever. With over a decade of experience Malene Barnett has honed her skills as a resourceful and resilient business leader—responding to change is second nature. Malene’s an artist who finds innovation, energy and purpose in every challenge. 

Reserve a date to have Malene speak at your next event. Hire her to contribute to your next publication.

Engagement Highlights

  • American Craft Council

    The Future of the Creative Economy talks explore how artists become more nimble in an ever-evolving market and how we create a more equitable creative economy.

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  • Africa Center

    As part of NYCx Design week, The Africa Center presents a conversation among an exciting group of designers of African descent.

    Watch the presentation

  • The Savannah College of Art and Design

    Examine the cultural traditions and practices of art in the African Diaspora and how they translate into Malene Barnett's vision of the modern Black experience.

    Watch the presentation

  • Friedman Benda

    Malene is always seeking new ways to define the black narrative and experience for a new generation. Equal parts artist, anthropologist, and activist, Malene joined us to discuss her creative journey.

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  • 92nd Street Y

    Affordable Art Fair

    Africa Miami

    Brit & Co

    Caribbean Summit, Barbados

    Cocktails & Conversations, Trinidad & Tobago

    Design Caribbean, Dominican Republic

    Goldman Sachs 10KSB/Tory Burch Foundation

    Greenwich House Pottery

    High Point Market

    ICFF

    In the Company of Women Book Tour

    International Interior Design Association

    KBIS

    Meredith Corporation

    MV Talks @ Michele Varian

    New York School of Interior Design

    Pratt Institute

    Richmond Craft + Design

    Society of Illustrators

    Ted X Talk

    Texas A&M University

    Town&Country Designer U

    University of the West Indies, St. Augustine

    United Nations

    We Connect Mentor Program

    WOW (Women of the World) Festival

  • Carpet Design Award

    CodaWorx

    Designer of the Year 2019

    NYCxDesign

    The Design Festival

    The Other Art Fair Curation

    RADD (Real Estate, Architecture, Design and Award)

    WE NYC

    Where It Ats Entrepreneurial Excellence

  • CAA Honorable Mention Visual Arts

    Dean’s Grant

    Future Faculty Fellowship

    NCECA Graduate Fellowship

    NCECA Multicultural Fellowship

 

Speaking Topics

When you book Malene as a speaker, your group will be moved to improve their creative goals and be equipped with practical tools to take their creative businesses to the next level. She is available for lectures and group sessions, to share her practical knowledge and insights. 

 

  • Future proofing your business.

  • Using art as a tool to reimagine black diasporic experiences.

  • Reimagining your creative calling as an essential response to the future.

  • Bring a racial and economic equity lens to the design industry.

Writings

  • FEATURED IN THE AMERICAN ARTS COUNCIL

    What is home? Is it a place or a feeling or something else? As a child of the African diaspora in America and daughter to Caribbean immigrants, I find that I’m engaged in a constant personal search for the meaning behind the word. Trying to feel as though you belong in lands you are not akin to is like piecing together fragments of history. It is a continuous reinvention, and it can be exhausting. So I find comfort by seeking out objects crafted by hand. I come from a lineage of makers: my grandmother was a gifted fashion designer, and as a child I watched my mother turn jute yarn into intricate macramé wall hangings. These women’s lives set the stage for my appreciation for archival materials, craftsmanship, objects, and the collective memory held within each. Handcrafted pieces spark memories of the past and offer proof that home is more than a place… Read Article

  • Chapter 8

  • FEATURED IN ADPRO

    Before becoming the sole proprietor of my artisan business, I was the principal of a carpet design business. In 2009, I launched Malene B Carpets with a focus on selling to professional designers and exhibiting in trade shows. It required frequent and significant financial investment, as well as space to house all of the products I needed as the business scaled up. But more importantly, the business model did not fit with the lifestyle I had always envisioned for myself… Read Article

  • FEATURED IN DESIGN MIAMI

    Modern and contemporary ceramics are certainly having a moment, as more galleries and collectors than ever are engaging the medium, smashing auction records along the way. The recent buzz around ceramics, however, underscores the deficiency of representation in the market and the urgent need to fully value the rich legacy that Black artists working in clay have built in the U.S. since the country was founded… Read Article