Last Chance to Save on PitchBLACK Tix

Today is your last chance to purchase tickets to PitchBLACK Awards at a 50% discount from Ticketmaster. Purchase by midnight tonight, March 31, to get the best deal. Tickets will remain on sale through April 29, at the full price of $300 each. 

The 2026 PitchBLACK Forum and Awards program will take place at The Apollo Stages at the Victoria in Harlem, April 29-30. In-person and virtual tickets for the Forum are available at no cost to industry professionals and others interested in getting a glimpse into the future of Black media storytelling. If you’ve already received an invitation, register now to secure your spot before they’re gone. If you haven’t received an invitation, but would like to attend, fill out this form. Eligible applicants will be sent a registration link.

PitchBLACK is our industry’s leading event celebrating independent media makers who tell stories from across the African diaspora. If you’ve never been, this year is a great one to attend. If you’re a regular, we can’t wait to have you back.

Come Celebrate Our Trailblazers

We’re delighted to be able to present Stanley Nelson and Marcia Smith with the 2026 BPM Trailblazer Award. The co-founders of Firelight Media will be on hand to accept the award and to participate in an Artist Chat with NPR host Brittany Luse. The awards program also includes announcements of this year’s Nonso Christian Ugbode Emerging Media Fellowship and the film and immersive media winners of PitchBLACK Forum.

Considering all that’s happened in our industry and our nation since last April, coming together to share our love of and support for Black stories — as well as the artists who tell them — feels like a special privilege. I don’t know about you, but I think we could all benefit from this annual opportunity to affirm each other and celebrate the stories that matter to us and so many others across the globe. See you soon!