Ali Center Partners with BRC Imagination Arts
11.10.2026
The Muhammad Ali Center Partners with BRC Imagination Arts to Inspire Future Generations
Shaped by listening to the Louisville community and global perspectives, the reimagined Center will carry Muhammad Ali’s values into a new era
LOUISVILLE, KY (November 10, 2026) – The Muhammad Ali Center announces a partnership with BRC Imagination Arts to reimagine the Center. Based in Burbank, California, BRC strategizes, designs, and delivers story-led museums and cultural destinations that shape how people feel, think, and act. Its portfolio includes the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, The Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The project is led by Lonnie Ali, Co-Founder and Interim President & CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center.
The announcement comes a decade after the passing of Muhammad Ali, the three-time world heavyweight champion and humanitarian. Founded in 2005 by Muhammad and Lonnie Ali in his birthplace of Louisville, Kentucky, where the airport also bears his name, the Center is the only place in the world dedicated to preserving and teaching Muhammad Ali’s legacy and principles. The Muhammad Ali Center welcomes more than 80,000 visitors and 8,000 students each year. The partnership builds on that legacy, looking toward the next 20 years and beyond.
The Center and BRC have already done significant groundwork, including more than 30 hours of listening sessions with 20 community and stakeholder groups in an effort to align with the sentiment of those it impacts most. The collaboration with the community will continue as the Center’s vision develops. The work builds on Muhammad Ali’s Six Core Principles of Confidence, Conviction, Dedication, Giving, Respect and Spirituality. The reimagined Center will aim to inspire greatness in everyone who walks through its doors. Its learning programs will cultivate curious and courageous young leaders, and its community work is aimed to help grow a more compassionate world.
BRC was selected through a competitive process in 2025 and will guide the project end to end, from visioning and design through to delivery.
“Muhammad opened his door to everyone, and he believed the surest way to find your own greatness was to believe in something greater than himself”, said Lonnie Ali. “We chose BRC because they share our belief that a story told with heart can change how people live, and because they understand that the Center should carry Muhammad’s values into everyday life. We want this message to reach young people everywhere and to travel further than it ever has. We invite Louisville, and everyone Muhammad has inspired, to help shape what comes next.”
“Muhammad Ali was one of one,” said Christian Lachel, Chief Creative Officer at BRC Imagination Arts. “Ask the people you admire most in sports and in public life who their hero is, and so many of them come back to Muhammad Ali, because he stood up for his convictions and for what was right. At a moment when we all need a little more Muhammad Ali, our job is to help the Center become a living expression of that conviction and compassion, for the next generation and for visitors from around the world.”
“Muhammad Ali gave his time and his home to other people, and the Center carries that spirit forward,” said Carmel Lewis, President of BRC Imagination Arts. “It is a privilege to work alongside Lonnie Ali and her team, and all of us at BRC feel the responsibility that comes with it.”
“Muhammad Ali’s story still asks every visitor what they believe in and what they are willing to do about it,” said Matthew Solari, Vice President of Story and Creative at BRC Imagination Arts. “The further we move from his lifetime, the more that question matters. Our job is to create a place where people experience it from the moment they arrive.”
“Growing up in Nigeria, I’ve seen how deeply Muhammad Ali was, and remains, a source of hope and inspiration across Africa.” said Anthony Onibon, Studio Lead, Planning at BRC Imagination Arts. “People there embraced him as their own, and we want the Center to reflect that connection and to welcome visitors from every continent.”
The announcement comes in a week of global attention on Muhammad Ali’s story. On Saturday, November 7, the Muhammad Ali Center held the 13th annual Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Awards in Louisville, honoring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick as Humanitarian of the Year.
In the coming months, the Center will share more about the vision and invite the people of Louisville, along with partners and supporters beyond the city, to take part in shaping it.
About the Muhammad Ali Center
The Muhammad Ali Center is a 501(c)(3) that prides itself on being much more than a museum. As an athlete, a humanitarian, a global voice and man guided by faith, Muhammad Ali embodied a pursuit and belief in the greatness found in all people. Founded in 2005 by Lonnie and Muhammad Ali in his hometown of Louisville, the Center is dedicated to inspiring greatness, cultivating curious and courageous leaders and growing a more compassionate world.
About BRC Imagination Arts
BRC Imagination Arts is a full-service strategy, experiential design, and production company that transforms how people feel, think, and connect. For 45 years, BRC has turned cultural and brand stories into destinations built for lasting change, powered by Deep Story™ and guided by a creative philosophy called Magic with Heart: the belief that imagination and precision belong together, and that the best work moves hearts and moves numbers in equal measure. Our portfolio includes the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, Savannah College of Art & Design, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and California Science Center. Proudly independent, with more than 500 international awards, BRC remains the most trusted name in transformational experience design.
Media Contact: Â
Dustin Vogt
Muhammad Ali Center
[email protected]
502.992.5330
Media Contact on behalf of BRC Imagination Arts:
Alan McGarrie
Founder, Smiddy Marketing
[email protected]
+44 (0)793 339 4393