Noir Arthouse, LLC presents · A documentary short · Washington, D.C.
I Am Art: The Redline
In a tuition-free charter school in Northeast D.C., an art teacher hangs a mirror on the wall and tells her students what a 1930s map told their grandparents they could never be.
Press and platform partners: web-ready MP4, 2:30, H.264.
Teaser transcript
My definition of redlining is: how deep are we going? As deep as you gotta go.
Something that was intended to be a silent killer in our community, however, is so loud.
If I were to explain it to a student, I’d tell them it was an intentional separation of you from resources. The constant struggle of what you can be versus what society wants you to be.
Redlining to me is about zip codes. The marginalization of people.
I think redlining can go from anywhere to churches being segregated, to housing being segregated, to schools being segregated, but also third spaces. Redlining is every ism and schism you can think about. Redlining is intentional.
It’s like quicksand, something you can never get out of. They give you the illusion that it’s something you can escape, but in reality you’re fighting for your life and you can’t.
So redlining to me is the intentional deprivation of resources and access. It’s an old demon with a new face and a new name.
And so it continues to build upon a legacy where we lose our ability to choose for ourselves, confined to lines that we never drew.
I think the idea that giving more and taking away from, just because of what you look like, is evil. So my definition of redlining is evil.
I am art. I am art. Me, I’m the masterpiece.
My name is Blu Murphy and I’m a work of art, because I have the ability to see art in everyone and in everything, but particularly Black people, but especially in the youth.
The focus of my work is redlining. My premise as an artist is to be a storyteller. Hopefully through my art and advocacy, more of us see ourselves.
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The film
A line drawn generations ago is still grading these kids.
Redlining was a federal housing policy. Its consequence, ninety years on, is an education policy nobody voted for. I Am Art: The Redline follows artist and educator Blu Murphy inside Perry Street Prep, a tuition-free public charter school in Washington, D.C., as she turns her students into the subject of her work and her work into a case against the line that was drawn around them.
The Redline series began with a camera and a question. Blu Murphy started photographing her own students in black and white, then built around each portrait the history no one had taught them — paint, fabric, leather, salvaged frames, and a quilted band stitched across the eyes, the blinding trap redlining makes of a childhood. The film watches those pieces come together from studio floor to gallery wall, and it watches the students watch themselves: teenagers who have been called a statistic, a test score, and a zip code, seeing their own faces treated as the main character of a work of art. What the film asks of the viewer is the same thing Murphy asks of the kids — look long enough to stop seeing a category and start seeing a person.
What is at stake is not history. It is the Title I classroom running right now, where the funding formula, the property-tax base, and the school a child is allowed to attend all trace back to a map drawn before their grandparents were born. Black and brown children inherit that line as a ceiling nobody admits to building. We tell this through an art classroom rather than a policy hearing because a hearing produces testimony and a classroom produces evidence — the work on the wall, made by the children the policy was written about, is the argument no one can table until the next session.
“I want people to see redline people as valuable. Every single one of them are valuable.”Blu Murphy, PBS NewsHour, August 2026
A Noir Arthouse, LLC production in association with The Black Art & Culture Project initiative · Executive Producer: Ian Swain
Ian SwainExecutive Producer
Executive producer statement
Ian Swain
Executive Producer
I have collected Blu Murphy’s work for years. Long before there was a film, there was a portrait: a child, painted with care, with a red line across the eyes. That line is not decoration. It is a record of a decision made on paper, decades before that child was born, about what their neighborhood and their schooling were worth.
Redline exists because those stories deserve to be told with the resources, care and reach that legacy demands. Too often our history is told cheaply, or told about us rather than by us. This film is owned by Noir Arthouse, LLC, and presented through The Black Art & Culture Project initiative, so that the people inside the story keep authorship of it.
I am committed to educating the next generation and to building lasting wealth in the Black community. I am a husband and a father. This work is for the children watching.
“Our stories deserve to be told with the resources, care and reach that legacy demands.”
Terry Dillard Jr.Director · Filmmaker · Storyteller
Director statement
Terry Dillard Jr.
Director · Filmmaker · Storyteller
Redline was born from a truth I’ve felt for a long time: history doesn’t simply disappear because time has passed. It lives in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our bodies, and in the quiet ways systems continue to shape how people move through the world.
What drew me to this story was the power of one teacher using art to make that truth visible. Her portraits are not just beautiful images — they are acts of witnessing. Each student she paints carries a presence, a future and a history, and the red line that appears in every piece serves as both a symbol and a confrontation.
As a filmmaker, I wanted Redline to feel intimate, reflective and grounded in care. I hope audiences leave both moved and challenged: moved by the humanity and brilliance of the children and the artist at its center, challenged to recognize that systems like redlining are not relics of the past, but part of the architecture of the present.
Most of all, I hope Redline reminds people that art is not decoration. Art is preservation. Art is evidence. Art is a way of telling the truth when the world would rather look away.
“This film is not about history as an abstract concept. It is about history as something living.”
About the film
An independent documentary about a line that never disappeared.
A Noir Arthouse, LLC production in association with The Black Art & Culture Project initiative · Executive Producer: Ian Swain
I AM ART: The Redline explores the lasting impact of redlining, racial boundaries, inherited systems and generational trauma through the lens of education, memory and visual art.
The film examines
How historical systems continue shaping communities.
How children internalize the narratives handed to them.
How art becomes an act of remembrance and resistance.
Blending
Documentary realism
Educational insight
Social commentary
Emotionally driven visual symbolism
Themes
RedliningEducational inequityBlack identityGenerational systemsCultural memoryCommunity storytellingArt as resistance
This is more than a documentary. It is a public humanities project exploring redlining, education, memory, identity and art as resistance.
The Redline series
Quilted fabric over the eyes.
HOLC residential security grades, 1935-1940
A“Best”
B“Still desirable”
C“Definitely declining”
D“Hazardous”
Grade D neighborhoods were outlined in red. HOLC never mapped Washington, D.C. In 1937 the Federal Housing Administration graded D.C. neighborhoods for investment, and its reports named race as a criterion.
Blu Murphy’s Redline series pairs black-and-white photographs of her students with paint, textiles, leather and repurposed frames. Across the eyes of each subject she stitches a band of quilted fabric: her visual stand-in for what she calls the blinding educational trap that redlining creates.
The portraits do two things at once. They place a child inside Black history, surrounded by the figures and patterns that tell them where they come from. And they make visible the thing that is hardest to see from inside a redlined neighborhood: that having less was decided, on paper, before anyone in the room was born.
In Blu Murphy’s classroom there is a mirror with three words on it. Students stand in front of it before they pick up a brush. I am art.
Murphy is a mixed-media artist, educator and photographer based in Washington, D.C. She combines striking black-and-white photography with acrylic paint, fabric and upcycled frames as canvases. Her artwork features her students and celebrates them as living pieces of art: the photography is them, the subject matter is always them, placed deliberately inside Black history so the past and the present teach each other.
Her work is a tribute to the Black community — its essence, beauty, magic and resilience. Using a collage method, she connects her students to figures and happenings of the past, teaching Black history visually while commenting on the present state of the community, and speaking to and for the youth and educators working in Title I schools.
Her “Le Drip” series paints her graffiti tag in jumbled letters, an invitation to see words the way she does as a person with dyslexia; the drip is allowed to ooze outside the frame as the uncontainable sauce of Black essence — pain, triumph, joy, strength and swag combined. The Redline series extends that purpose through texture: leather, collage, textiles, fabric and photography, with a red line of quilted fabric across each subject’s eyes as a visual representation of the blinding educational trap redlining creates in low-income Black communities.
The upcycled, hand-painted and fabric-wrapped frames speak to the emotional trauma of people who have been made to feel discarded, unnoticed and invaluable. Her work showcases them — their stories and experiences — as the masterpieces they truly are.
“I paint outside the frame because I don’t believe that my people were meant to be inside boxes. Our sauce cannot be contained.”Blu Murphy, blumurphyart.com
“None of this leaves the classroom without the people who carried it: Terry Dillard Jr. and the crew who filmed with such care, the staff and families of Perry Street Prep, my students most of all — and executive producer Ian Swain, who believed in this work and made it possible to put it in front of the world. Thank you.” — Blu Murphy
Executive producer · Art collector
Ian Swain
RoleExecutive Producer, Redline
OwnershipOwned by Noir Arthouse, LLC, and presented through The Black Art & Culture Project initiative.
Also foundedNoir Arthouse, film development and art publishing
PreviouslyExecutive Producer, A Time to Yell: More Than a Statue, winner of Webby, Anthem, Emmy and Bronze Lens awards — the fight to remove the Confederate statue, led by Dr. Wes Bellamy
BasedBorn and raised in Washington, D.C.; based in Maryland
Ian Swain is an entrepreneur, art collector and the executive producer of Redline. He has built and operates multiple businesses across industries, including noted AI platforms that enhance user experience and operational efficiency.
Redline is owned by Noir Arthouse, LLC, and presented through The Black Art & Culture Project initiative. He is the founder of The Black Art & Culture Project initiative; of Swain’s (swainsauction.com), a technology-enabled fine art exchange; and of Noir Arthouse, a film development and art publishing company. He previously served as one of several executive producers on A Time to Yell: More Than a Statue, winner of Webby, Anthem, Emmy and Bronze Lens awards, about the fight to remove the Confederate statue, led by Dr. Wes Bellamy.
A longtime collector of Blu Murphy’s work, Ian’s connection to the Redline series was the inspiration that brought this documentary into being. His work as a producer is grounded in a single conviction: that our stories, the weight of what our communities have endured, and the brilliance, laughter and resilience that define us anyway, deserve to be told with the resources, care and reach that legacy demands.
Ian is committed to educating the next generation and building lasting wealth creation in the Black community. He is a husband and a father, and his work is for the children watching.
“Our stories deserve to be told with the resources, care and reach that legacy demands.”Ian Swain, Executive Producer
The director
Terry Dillard Jr.
Terry Dillard Jr.Director · Cinematographer · Producer
RoleDirector · Cinematographer · Producer
CompanyFounder, Authentic Ave Media
Experience15+ years in film and entertainment
CreditsExecutive Producer, It Takes a Village
HonorsWinner, International Documentary Short (WILLiFEST 2026); Official Selection, Greenwood Film Festival 2026; Semi-Finalist, Best Documentary Short, Independent Shorts Awards 2026
BasedWashington, D.C.
Terry Dillard Jr. is a Director, Cinematographer, Producer and founder of Authentic Ave Media, a film production company, with more than 15 years of experience in the film and entertainment industry.
With a background in television and film, Terry brings a dynamic visual perspective to storytelling across documentaries, short films, feature films, commercials, and social media campaigns.
Terry served as Executive Producer of the documentary It Takes a Village and continues to create compelling, authentic stories that connect with audiences and represent an authentic perspective.
Through Authentic Ave, Terry develops and produces projects across film, television, commercial, and digital platforms.
“When you overlay a 1937 redlining map onto modern city demographics and educational funding data, the correlation is undeniable. The lines drawn nearly ninety years ago are still actively governing lives.”Terry Dillard Jr., Director
The team
Who made it
Subject · Artist · Educator
Blu Murphy
Mixed-media artist, photographer and educator based in Washington, D.C., with a BFA in Painting from Morgan State University and 15 years teaching art in Baltimore and D.C. She teaches at Perry Street Preparatory Public Charter School, where her students become the subject of her work. Creator of the Redline series and the I Am Art teaching philosophy at the center of the film.
Entrepreneur, art collector and executive producer of Redline. Redline is owned by Noir Arthouse, LLC, and presented through The Black Art & Culture Project initiative. Founder of The Black Art & Culture Project initiative; of Swain’s, a technology-enabled fine art exchange; and of Noir Arthouse, a film development and art publishing company. Previously an executive producer on A Time to Yell: More Than a Statue, winner of Webby, Anthem, Emmy and Bronze Lens awards. A longtime collector of Blu Murphy’s work, his connection to the Redline series inspired this documentary.
Director, cinematographer and producer with more than 15 years in film and television, and founder of the production company Authentic Ave Media. His work spans documentaries, short and feature films, commercials and social campaigns. Executive Producer of the documentary It Takes a Village; director of I Am Art: The Redline, winner of the WILLiFEST 2026 International Documentary Short.
A Noir Arthouse, LLC production in association with The Black Art & Culture Project initiative · Executive Producer: Ian Swain
Why now
A moment that demands truth, context and action.
The issues this film explores are more relevant than ever.
Renewed national conversations around education
Communities across the country are reexamining equity, access and the true quality of education for all children.
Housing equity
From redlining to today’s housing disparities, the fight for equitable communities continues — and history shows us why.
Public humanities
There is a growing movement to bring history out of archives and into public life, sparking understanding and connection.
Preserving local history
Local stories, maps and memories are powerful tools for preserving identity and building collective memory.
Arts education
Creative expression and arts education inspire critical thinking, empathy and lifelong learning.
Civic dialogue
In a divided time, we need spaces for honest conversations about the past to shape a more just future.
This is not just a film for today — it is a resource for generations to come.
Current momentum · 2025-2026
More than a film. A movement.
The film is building momentum across platforms, institutions and communities, rooted in education, memory, art and action.
PBSBlu Murphy’s classroom was featured by PBS News Student Reporting Labs (July 2026) and broadcast on PBS NewsHour (August 2026). Watch on PBS →
Official festival selectionsOfficial Selection of the 30th Urbanworld Film Festival (New York, October 2026), plus selections at NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, Charlotte Black, Touchstone and Greenwood, and the WILLiFEST 2026 win.
22 festivals pendingThe festival campaign continues with 22 additional festivals awaiting decisions.
University partnershipsBuilding relationships with universities to bring the film into classrooms, panels and campus conversations.
Museum conversationsEngaging museums and cultural institutions for exhibitions, programming and public humanities collaborations.
Distribution outreachPursuing broadcast, streaming and educational distribution to expand access and impact.
Community screeningsCreating spaces for dialogue, healing and collective learning in communities nationwide.
Educational programmingDeveloping discussion guides and educator resources for all learning environments.
Foundation developmentEstablishing the long-term infrastructure to sustain the mission and grow its impact.
Festival campaign
On the circuit.
The film is generating momentum on the festival circuit, recognized for its storytelling and cultural impact.
22 additional festivals pending.
Educational programming
A learning experience that connects history to today.
In development for 2026-27. The film is an educational catalyst. Our programming informs, inspires and empowers learners and communities across all ages.
K-12 programs
Age-appropriate lessons, discussion guides, activities and creative projects.
University engagement
Screenings, guest lectures, panel discussions and course integration for Africana Studies, Education, History, Sociology, Art and Public Policy.
Teacher professional development
Workshops and resources that equip educators to teach redlining, systemic inequity and art as resistance with confidence and context.
Discussion guides
Multi-layered guides for students, educators and community groups to spark meaningful, age-appropriate conversations.
Community dialogues
Facilitated screenings and dialogues that create safe spaces for intergenerational learning, healing and community action.
Artist talks
Conversations with the artist and featured voices exploring the creative process, visual storytelling and cultural memory.
Public humanities
Programs that connect history, identity and place, bridging academia, the arts and everyday life.
Historical documents & archives
Primary source materials, maps, oral histories and archives that deepen historical literacy and critical thinking.
“We don’t just show the story. We create the space for it to be understood, questioned and carried forward.”
Distribution strategy
A multi-platform, first-party release.
This is more than a film release. It is a distribution strategy designed to expand access, deepen impact and build a sustainable ecosystem around the stories we tell.
Educational licensingLicensing to schools, districts, libraries and educational organizations for classroom and institutional learning.
UniversitiesScreenings and panels to foster critical dialogue and academic engagement.
Community screeningsGrassroots screenings and conversations to spark dialogue, healing and local action.
StreamingStrategic partnerships with streaming platforms to expand national and global access.
BroadcastBroadcast opportunities on national and regional networks committed to stories that matter.
Museum installationsExhibit-based installations and film experiences blending film, art and history.
Audience & reach
Built to educate, inspire dialogue and drive change.
Primary audience
Black audiences
Educators
Artists
Documentary viewers
College students
Social justice communities
Culturally engaged millennials and Gen Z
Film festival audiences
Secondary audience
Nonprofit organizations
Educational institutions
Museums
DEI initiatives
Cultural preservation groups
Public humanities organizations
Long-term expansion
Educational licensing
Streaming platforms
Panel discussions
University partnerships
Museum and community screenings
Public media interest
Grant-funded touring opportunities
Community screenings and dialogues
Year-one reach goals
50K-250K+Goal: cumulative organic impressions, year one
10K-50KGoal: engaged viewers across clips and social assets
Long-tailStrong educational usage potential
Goals for the film’s first year. We’ll report results here.
“This isn’t just a film. It’s a mirror. It’s a record. It’s a reckoning.”
What we’re seeking
Partners who believe story, education and community create lasting change.
Educational partners
Support screenings and youth engagement.
K-12 programs
College and university engagement
Teacher resources
Discussion guides
Museum partners
Collaborate on exhibitions, installations and public programs.
Exhibitions and installations
Archival integration
Public programming
Community access
Community screening hosts
Bring the film to neighborhoods, churches, libraries and civic spaces.
Local screenings
Panel discussions
Cultural events
Dialogue circles
University collaborators
Integrate the film into research, coursework and public humanities work.
Academic partnerships
Research support
Fellowships and internships
Campus screenings
Foundation partners
Fuel the impact, sustainability and long-term growth of the project.
Project development
Community impact
Educational programming
Preservation of history
Corporate sponsors
Align your brand with meaningful storytelling and measurable impact.
Brand visibility
CSR alignment
Employee engagement
National reach
Public humanities organizations
Strengthen civic dialogue, preservation and inclusive storytelling.
Civic dialogue
Historical preservation
Public programming
Knowledge sharing
Backpack Initiative sponsors
Directly support students through Blu’s Backpack Initiative and art access programs.
Backpack distribution
Student art supplies
Field trips and access
Creative empowerment
“We don’t just tell the story — we build the infrastructure that allows it to live, teach, heal and transform.”
Partnership opportunities
Partner with the film.
Partner with I AM ART: The Redline to amplify a documentary that connects historical truth to today’s communities through art, education and storytelling.
Sponsorship categories
Community partner
Educational partner
Cultural preservation partner
Festival supporter
Impact campaign sponsor
Executive sponsorship
Alignment
Education
Equity
Public humanities
Arts access
Community engagement
Youth development
Black storytelling
Historical preservation
Sponsors may receive
Logo placement
Screening recognition
Co-branded campaigns
Social media features
Press mentions
Event activation opportunities
Educational panel participation
Community screening involvement
“Together, we can preserve stories, educate communities, inspire change and make impact that lasts.”
Join the movement
Let’s draw a new line.
Together, we can amplify voices, preserve truth and build futures.
Why artists create, what shaped them, what they are trying to preserve and why this work emotionally matters.
Art. Education. Memory. Activism. More than a film — a movement.
New York City Premiere
I AM ART: The Redline premiered in New York at the 30th Urbanworld Film Festival
Screened Thursday, October 15, 2026 · 12:40 PM · Regal Union Square, Auditorium 1 · 850 Broadway, NYC
Our film came to New York. I AM ART: The Redline was an Official Selection of the 30th Anniversary Urbanworld Film Festival. It screened Thursday, October 15, in the shorts program Our Stories, Our Archive.
The film follows Blu Murphy, an art teacher at a tuition-free charter school in Northeast Washington, D.C. Her portrait series marks each of her students with a red line, the symbol of a housing policy that decided, decades before these children were born, which neighborhoods would get investment and which would be written off. Through her classroom and her canvases, the film asks what that line still determines today, and what art can do about it.
Urbanworld has championed films by and about communities of color for 30 years. Our program brought together four short documentaries about identity, history, art and culture. Urbanworld calls them stories that communities “refuse to let disappear.” Thank you to everyone who filled the room.
