Baobab Cultural Center, Rochester

The Baobab Cultural Center in Rochester is a vibrant community hub dedicated to celebrating African and African American heritage while promoting intercultural understanding through art, dialogue, and education. Founded in 2005 and located on University Avenue in the Neighborhood of the Arts, the center draws inspiration from the sacred African baobab tree-a symbol of gathering, wisdom, and resilience.

True to its name, the Baobab Cultural Center provides a space where people of all backgrounds can come together for exhibitions, poetry readings, book discussions, and film screenings. These programs explore the roots of African culture and its diasporic journeys through the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, weaving a narrative that connects ancient traditions with contemporary identities.

Far more than a cultural institution, Baobab functions as a social commons-hosting events that foster reflection, inclusion, and community building. Its programming is deliberately humanitarian, not racially or ethnically driven, and it invites visitors to reexamine assumptions and celebrate the richness of global cultural exchange.

The center also offers its gallery space for private meetings and events and encourages support through donations and memberships. Whether attending a documentary screening, joining a discussion, or simply exploring its exhibits, visitors to the Baobab Cultural Center experience an immersive, transformative journey into African culture and its enduring global legacy.