FIT Launches The Art Smith Memorial Scholarship Foundation

Benefitting Black students studying jewelry design at FIT in New York City, the fund was created by a group of 50 brands in the jewelry industry, initiated by a collective $50K endowment. Spearheaded by benefactors like For Future Reference (FFR), Brent Neale, MUSE, Marlo Laz, Buddha Mama, Jemma Wynne, Sorellina, and Briony Raymond, the fund will create ongoing scholarships and mentorships to support young Black designers—a historically underrepresented population in the jewelry industry.

The Art Smith Memorial Scholarship Foundation celebrates the jeweler Art Smith, who was renowned for his wearable sculptures. Notably associated with mid-century modernist design, he often created for well-known names like Duke and Ruth Ellington. Born in Cuba and raised in Brooklyn, Smith went on to study at Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art and opened his first design studio in New York City in 1946.

Those wishing to contribute to the scholarship fund are encouraged to do so online.