‘Girls Trip’ Producer Will Packer To Be Honored At National Black Arts Festival Gala

Will Packer, the producer of films such as Girls Trip and Think Like a Man, will be honored Oct. 7 at the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) Gala.

“NBAF is excited to honor critically acclaimed film producer Will Packer as our 2023 NBAF Trailblazer in the Arts Honoree,” NBAF’s executive director Stephanie Owens said in a statement. “We are thrilled to celebrate his success in elevating Black actors and Black culture on screen at this year’s Gala.”

Packer’s films have amassed over $1 billion at the box office, with his eponymous production company also producing digital and televised content. The Florida A&M University alumnus produced the 2022 Academy Awards.

In a statement, Packer, a resident of Atlanta, where the NBAF is headquartered, said he was “in awe” of the NBAF for its work that “impacts, supports, and amplifies Black arts.”

He added, “I am thrilled and humbled to receive this honor from the NBAF.”

The NBAF is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to highlighting and celebrating the achievement of artists, including media professionals in the Black community. The 2023 theme for its annual gala is “Mahogany.” The affair will seek to curate an immersive night of vintage glamour, with a setting encompassing an array of brown hues.

The gala will not only spotlight Packer and his groundbreaking efforts in media, but also feature another Black trailblazer, famed chef Marcus Samuelsson, who will curate the event’s menu. The eight-time James Beard Foundation winner has owned and operated many acclaimed restaurants, including Red Rooster in Harlem and MARCUS Montreal.

The NBAF is celebrating 35 years of uplifting Black arts and those who create it. Tickets to and reservations for the commemorative event at Atlanta’s Southern Exchange Ballroom are available now.

Support for the NBAF Gala is provided by Fulton County Arts and Culture, Georgia-Pacific, and Georgia Power. Major funding is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.