Soul and Soil: A Creative Wellness Showcase in Philly

All good things must come to an end, and such is the case with our inaugural creative wellness residency. Over the past six weeks in The Green Room, we’ve worked with the best and brightest among Philadelphia’s creative community. On Sunday June 7, we celebrated the culminating accomplishments of our diverse programs, led by local facilitators and artists, with our final residency showcase in Philly, Soul and Soil.  

DJ Reezey providing music and good vibes during Soul and Soil. Captured by Arekusn.

For this multimedia experience, the Green Room was designed to immerse people in the power of creative wellness. Plants from our friends at Plant and People lined the walls, and a mini greenhouse filled with poems, collages, and other artistic creations from six weeks of events were arranged on a beautiful display for all to enjoy. Visitors were treated to a live dance performance choreographed by Crux to an original DJ Reezey production, featuring Karina McKenna, Sylvie Dent, and Kevin “Azari” Harris. As guests looked over the highlights of The Green Room and found wellness resources from around the community, they were also able to create art, play games, and network with other Philly creatives. 

If there’s one thing we learned during this experience, it’s not to take the local community for granted. Everything we have been able to do, from classes, to film premieres, to the countless partnerships we’ve formed has been the result of a supportive community that believes in the intrinsic link between art and wellness. Speaking with people who attended the event, the impact of our time in The Green Room thus far was made evident. 

Elrey Belmonti, a former dancer and current jeweler and creative, spoke on the massive crossover between art and self-care. “For me, art has always been like a wellness thing,” Belmonti said, “it always helped me with mental and body stuff. I think [The Green Room] really does provide something that's more accessible.” Belmonti found Soul and Soil to be a refreshing space, especially drawing from his past experiences as a dancer. “I like the open space, art exhibit, dancing, people mingling together,” he described, “it's more organic wellness instead of, ‘Hey, we're doing this at this time.’” For him, Soul and Soil was a reminder of what's important about wellness; simply having the time and space to engage, with yourself and others. 

Soul and Soil attendees created art and viewed highlights from events during The Green Room's residency.

Dale Dumas, a poet who attended Soul and Soil to get involved within his local scene, drew a similar conclusion. “The main thing is expression,” he said of his biggest takeaways from the event. “I think sometimes when people think of art, they only think of drawing. No- art is any form of creation.” For Dumas, he found artistic beauty simply in the existence of a space where creatives could meet and engage with each other. “Being able to be in a space where you can truly be free and express anything that you truly want and desire, that's the place we should be,” he asserted. “I'm real big on energy. The minute you walk in here, everybody's all about love.”

Things wrapped up late in the afternoon with a live performance of RECEiPTS, a dance piece choreographed by Forbidden Fruit’s own Crux. The piece took place feet away from the crowd of visitors, inviting them to truly be present as the art unfurled in front of them. Once the piece concluded, the space opened up for an hour of free flowing vibes held down by live sounds from DJ Reezey. As the sun set around us, everyone basked in the collective love, beauty, and energy that emerged throughout the space.  

(Left to right) Sylvie Dent, Crux, Kevin "Azari" Harris, and Karina McKenna pose for a photo during their dance performance at Soul and Soil. Captured by Arekusn

Though the creative wellness residency came to a close, there will still be future programs and opportunities within The Green Room as the summer marches on. Forbidden Fruit is also planning our third annual Root 2 Fruit Festival on September 12th, so be sure to save the date and RSVP here.