Wallace Center Announces Artist-in-Residence Partnership with Alabama Contemporary

The Wallace Center for Arts and Reconciliation is proud to announce a new partnership with the Alabama Contemporary Art Center through its statewide Artist in Residence program. As part of this collaboration, the Wallace Center has been selected as a host site—joining a network of organizations across Alabama that support artists engaging deeply with local histories, community voices, and place-based research. This program places artists in short-term, project-based residencies designed to respond to the unique cultural landscapes of communities across the state.

We are honored to welcome Soynika Edwards-Bush for a three-week residency in June 2026. Soynika is a self-taught artist, mother of four, and wife, born and raised in Prichard, Alabama. Her painting practice is rooted in her deep commitment to community—she is known for her dedication to uplifting others and imagining new possibilities through her work. During her time at the Wallace Center, Soynika will engage the site’s history and descendant community as part of a research-driven creative process.

Artist in Residence programs through Alabama Contemporary are designed to be immersive and responsive, with each artist developing a project guided by a central research question and culminating in at least one public-facing outcome. We look forward to sharing more about Soynika’s work, process, and opportunities for public engagement in the coming months.

Many thanks to the Daniel Foundation of Alabama for funding this project.