The Legacy Building, a brand-new Black-owned business located in South Minneapolis, had its grand opening on Friday, June 17th. Founded by Emmanuel Duncan and Sarah Lanier-Duncan of the group iLLism, The Legacy Building’s mission is to foster growth and connect the community through music.  

Emmanuel and Sarah hope the Legacy Building will create a space for artists of all kinds to create their legacy. “We built this place out of necessity,” Emmanuel responded when asked why the building was created. As artists themselves, iLLism found it hard to find the resources needed to create. Obstacles outside of music kept them from creating.  By founding the Legacy building, they hope to eliminate some of those barriers by being the provider of necessary services for anybody in the community who needs them. 

Amenities for creatives in the Legacy Building include a natural light studio, performance space, a recording studio, and a storefront.  

“We did this for our family,” Sarah said during her ribbon-cutting speech. “This building doesn’t just secure us with a space to create, but our kids and your kids as well.” It was the belief that creators are stronger when people work collaboratively that founded the Legacy Building. 

The weekend included an in-house jam session, community forum, children’s book festival, and Black movie night. The grand finale was the Soul of the Southside festival held on Juneteenth at Hook and Ladder in Minneapolis -- A free community festival showcasing local artists and businesses. 

Artists and community members in attendance on Friday shared a sense of excitement for the new possibilities the Legacy Building represents. “It’s named Legacy Building for a reason,” Sarah said. “Today, we are making history.”