Originally launched in 2023 by Sydney Frakes and Alea Brown, Threads: The Art Exchange is a platform for multicultural artists + creatives merging collaboration and accessibility within the art ecosystem.

Our platform consists of a podcast and collaborative component where we interview and feature a wide range of creatives including artists, curators, educators, art collectors, and art directors. We offer our listeners and viewers perspectives on collaboration, culture, and insight into the art sector through a BIPOC lens. Centering collaboration and community, we seek to challenge the traditional art world norms by taking an unconventional path for our art careers.

Sydney Frakes
Creator + Director

Sydney Frakes is a contemporary art professional and art historian.  After completing her BA in Art History from Wayne State University, Frakes went on to work at a range of Detroit art galleries including residency programming to commercial art spaces. In 2021, she founded THE FORME STUDIO, a sustainable homeware concept that specializes in repurposed and curated vintage furnishings.

With a strong focus in collaborating and creating inclusive spaces within the art sector, Frakes is dedicated to fostering engaging opportunities for artists and creatives.