Marques Redd collaborated with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Mikael Owunna Studios, and 1Hood Media to create the event Art as Liberation. Held on June 18, 2022, outside of PNC Park, this event featured the work of 25 Black visual artists, in addition to a live DJ, free food, interactive workshops, and musical performances. In addition to highlighting the wealth of artistic talent in Pittsburgh, the event also served to celebrate Juneteenth, which commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans and became a federal holiday in June 2021.

Art as Liberation also marked the first public exhibition of works from the Redd Family Collection of Black Art in over 20 years. Preserving and celebrating the depth of Black artistic expression, this collection showcases a rich array of paintings, prints, and mixed-media works by Black artists. Bringing these works into a public setting for the first time in decades reinforced the event’s mission of cultural reclamation and visibility, allowing attendees to engage directly with pieces that reflect the resilience, creativity, and historical narratives of the Black experience.