Artivism with Artist and Former Imagineer Nikkolas Smith

Join us for a special presentation by artivist Nikkolas Smith as he shares his work at the intersection of art and activism, creating illustrations for films, books, apparel, and campaigns for social change. Smith created illustrations that were used in Marvel Studios' film Black Panther Wakanda Forever (2022) and designed movie posters for Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018) and Disney and Pixar’s Soul (2020). He is the creator of the 2023 Marvel Artist Series in collaboration with Target for an apparel line featuring Black superheroes. Prior to his current work as an illustrator and children’s book author, Smith designed theme parks at Walt Disney Imagineering for 11 years. Smith also illustrated the children’s book, Black Panther Wakanda Forever: The Courage To Dream (2022, published by Marvel Press), currently available for purchase in our Museum Store.

Tickets for Artivism with Artist and Former Imagineer Nikkolas Smith will be available as follows:

• Walt’s Circle Donors: Purchase tickets beginning Tuesday, April 2 at noon PST by emailing membership@wdfmuseum.org.
• Supporter, Founding, and Friend-level members: Purchase tickets beginning Wednesday, April 3 at noon PST by emailing membership@wdfmuseum.org.
• All member levels: Purchase tickets beginning Thursday, April 4 at noon PST via the Member Portal.
• Public (non-members): Purchase tickets beginning Friday, April 5 at noon PST via the Public Programs ticketing page.

Nikkolas Smith is an artivist, concept artist, and children’s books author. Smith’s illustrations have been featured in several films including Warner Bros’ Judas and the Black Messiah and Space Jam: A New Legacy (both 2021), Marvel Studios’ Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and Netflix’s They Cloned Tyrone (2023). He designed film posters for Miramax’s Southside With You (2016), Boom’s Stranger Fruit (2017), Marvel Studios’ Black Panther (2018), and Disney and Pixar’s Soul (2020). Smith received a Master of Architecture from Hampton University and designed theme parks at Walt Disney Imagineering for 11 years. He has written and illustrated the picture books such as  The Golden Girls of Rio (2016, nominated for an NAACP Image Award), My Hair Is Poofy And That's Okay (2017), World Cup Women: Megan, Alex, and the Team USA Soccer Champs (2019), and the USA Today bestseller The Artivist (2023). He is also the illustrator of #1 New York Times bestseller The 1619 Project: Born on the Water (2021), in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize®-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and award-winning author Renée Watson; I Am Ruby Bridges (2022), written by civil rights icon Ruby Bridges; Black Panther Wakanda Forever: The Courage To Dream (2022), authored by New York Times best-selling author Fred Joseph; and That Flag (2023), written by Tameka Fryer-Brown.

He is a proud 2016 White House Innovators of Color Fellow and the creator of the 2023 Marvel Artist Series in collaboration with Target for an apparel line featuring Black superheroes. As an illustrator of color, Smith creates captivating art that sparks important conversations in today's world and inspires meaningful change. Many of his viral and globally-published sketches are included in his book Sunday Sketch: The Art of Nikkolas (2018), a visual journey on life and a collection of more than 100 sketches.

His works have been featured and shared worldwide, and have been a part of important campaigns for social justice and health equity organizations. Smith has been featured in pieces by TIME, People, BBC, CNN, The Washington Post, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, ABC, Buzzfeed, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, The Guardian,  NBC, KCET, CBS, Elle Italy, GQ Italy, Rolling Stone Japan, and many more. His art has been shared on social media by First Lady Michelle Obama, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Van Jones, Shaun King, Rihanna, Colin Kaepernick, Janet Jackson, Viola Davis, Jamie Foxx, Erykah Badu, Lupita Nyong'o, Kendrick Lamar, Tracee Ellis Ross, Ava Duvernay, Common, Simone Biles, Miley Cyrus, Mark Ruffalo, Amy Schumer, and many others. Smith also speaks at conferences and schools all over the country, and leads workshops in digital painting and character and movie poster design. Smith was born in Houston, Texas, and currently lives in Los Angeles, California.