Art & Soul Volume One

The "Closing Reception" of Art & Soul features a "Fireside Chat / Artist Talk" with Paul Branton, produced by Kenard Karter of Culture and Collabs (Culture and Collaborations).

Kenard Karter brings 20 years of corporate media and marketing experience in various roles, including on-air talent, business development manager, music director and program director. He founded Culture and Collabs in Cincinnati, Ohio, during the George Floyd protests. In 2025, he returned to his hometown of Chicago to share meaningful cultural stories through collaborations that educate, brand, and serve as promotional vehicles for individuals, causes, artists, and brands, all while promoting purposeful work.

Art & Soul Volume One is a reception series that combines the impactful artwork of visual artist Paul Branton with music by DJ Akari and video documentation. This content will be showcased on the Culture and Collabs platform to build a reputation for uniquely elevated in-person experiences.

About Paul Branton

Paul Branton was born in 1973 in Chicago. He was influenced at an early age by the sights & sounds of the South Side’s urban environment. Writing short stories & putting on plays with his sister quickly became a passion and a means of expressing himself. It was this passion that guided his education, which ultimately guided his career.Choosing visual art as his main focus, he entered Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, majoring in Commercial Art with a strong emphasis in painting. It was at Millikin where he also discovered a love for poetry, a strong desire for painting, eventually putting on a one man art exhibit displaying his works.

During these same years, he also helped his college buddy Skee Skinner with several student film projects, opening another doorway from which to express himself. Not only taking on writing & production credits, Paul spent much of his time on both sides of the camera playing supporting and lead roles.The art of Paul Branton is/has been exhibited throughout Illinois, including Millikin University, Elmhurst Art Museum, DuSable Black History Museum, Saint Xavier University, South Side Community Art Center, Gallery Guichard, University of Illinois at Chicago, Gallery D’Estee, Phoenix Gallery, NYCH Gallery, Chicago Truborn, Legendary Gallery, Galleryna 19 and Hyde Park Art Center. His work hangs in the homes of private owners from New York to Los Angeles.

Paul Branton - Visual Artist

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Epiphany Center for the Arts, 201 South Ashland Avenue, Chicago, United States