about us
Founded in 2025, Basic Art Girl is a New York City based growing community for women and girls in the arts navigating creativity, transition, and the realities of building a creative life. Through storytelling, community programming, partnerships, educational resources, and honest conversation, Basic Art Girl creates spaces where artists can connect, reflect, and grow together.
The community was born from a simple realization: while arts education, creative communities, and creative industries often focus on developing artists and producing finished works, they don't always nurture the human behind the work. Basic Art Girl exists to meet artists where they are, not where they're expected to be, creating space for honest conversations, self-reflection, and personal growth.
By investing in the person first, Basic Art Girl believes artists can cultivate a deeper understanding of themselves, build more sustainable creative lives, and create work that is rooted in authenticity rather than expectation.
about the founder
Basic Art Girl was founded by McKenna Kelley, a New York City based writer and creative. Drawing on a background spanning the performing arts, social impact, and years of published writing exploring art, culture, and identity, McKenna founded Basic Art Girl to build the kind of transparent, community-centered support she wished existed early in her creative journey.
Her work centers on storytelling as a tool for understanding, connection, and self-reflection, bringing artists together through honest conversations, shared resources, and meaningful community.
looking ahead
Basic Art Girl is in its early stages, with a focus on building a strong foundation for the future. The long-term vision is to create an ecosystem of support for women and girls in the arts through community programming, educational resources, creative partnerships, mentorship, and accessible opportunities that help artists thrive throughout every stage of their creative lives.
This work is designed to evolve alongside the community itself. Every step forward is guided by the voices and lived experiences of the artists it serves, ensuring that each program, partnership, and resource responds to real needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
By growing intentionally through conversation, collaboration, and community, Basic Art Girl is working toward a future where more women and girls in the arts have the support, connection, and opportunities they deserve.