The Soul City Exchange is a global arts program dedicated to connectivity from one soul of the city to the next. We aim to support the movement of artists and youth between major U.S. cities and creatively booming international locations. Our first site was established in Cape Town, South Africa and we hope to expand our network to include Lab spaces on every continent.
Art has become increasingly under-represented in education around the world, and yet, creative expression has proven to exist at the source of all human achievement. At its root, the imagination is a thread that moves through all people, regardless of their unique identities or global affiliations. Art is a powerful source for human development: individually, collectively and communally
Many students do not have access to experiences outside of their own neighborhoods let alone abroad. Our mission is to provide a selected group of young people with an opportunity to explore new places, be exposed to new people and be inspired by what is unknown to them. Our program is developing as an opportunity for young people to engage with the beauty that is artistic expression while simultaneously being challenged by academia in exciting new ways.
Our workshops are focused on empowering youth through creativity, identity development, spiritual exploration, social justice, critical thinking and cross-cultural communication with a diverse local and international peer group. Soul City Exchanges give students the opportunity to engage in a shared experience with unknown others in a creatively stimulating environment.
We believe that self-growth is maximized when people venture outside of their comfort zones- Soul City moves with a desire for absolute human understanding across all social, economic and cultural lines to create work that is equally confrontational, honest and effective.
