What's Next? HIP Soul Fest 2025!
- Jessica GGB Holter
- Apr 9
- 3 min read
Our Invitation / Proposal for HIP Soul Fest, Fall 2025
Join Us for Something Extraordinary: The HIP Soul Festival Workshop! 🎶✨
We are thrilled to invite you to be part of an inspiring journey of creative expression and community building.
The HIP Soul Festival Workshop is part of our ongoing Young Adults Production Program (YAPP), which focuses on providing young artists with unique, hands-on opportunities to build their skills, foster creativity, and execute meaningful projects. Each YAPP initiative has a specific goal tailored to inspire and challenge participants.
For example, during the inaugural HIP Soul Fest in 2023, one of the YAPP initiatives was called The Electric Stage, where Atlanta’s Ascension Collective worked together to design a backline, form a band, and produce a dynamic outdoor event.
This year, the YAPP initiative is called The Coffy Shop Band, with a goal to audition, cast, rehearse, and produce a show on the final day of the 8-Week HIP Soul Festival Workshop. This performance, "Love in the Upper Room," will debut The Coffy Shop Band and showcase the incredible talent and dedication of our participants.
What makes The HIP Soul Fest unique is its ability to cater to the skills, interests, and goals of its participants.
Take Avalon, for example—a 2023 YAPP participant whose journey shows the festival’s impact. Initially participating in an art retreat at D'Wayne Wiggins’ Electric Church (his Georgia acreage), Avalon painted a stunning mural on the Coffy Bus that included a likeness of Tony! Toni! Toné! While he was there, Avalon’s musical talents as a singer-songwriter were discovered, leading to him performing on stage during the Hampton, GA HIP Soul Fest.
This tailored approach ensures each participant can explore their passions and reach new heights in their creative journey.
Honoring D'Wayne Wiggins: A Legacy of Generosity and Vision
This workshop and Sweetest Day production honor a life well-lived and a man well-loved. D'Wayne Wiggins was not only a legendary musician, producer, and songwriter but also a selfless supporter of creative and community initiatives. He was best known as a founding member of the iconic R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, whose timeless hits like "Feels Good," "Anniversary," and "If I Had No Loot" blended jazz, soul, and modern R&B, earning multiple platinum albums.
Beyond his artistry, D'Wayne was deeply committed to nurturing new generations of artists. His vision and selflessness played a pivotal role in shaping the HIP Soul Festival Workshop and the inaugural HIP Soul Fest held in Hampton, GA in 2023. He generously provided access to his Georgia acreage, laying the foundation for our success in bringing creative dreams to life.
Further extending his support, D'Wayne donated the Coffy Bus to Holter Intellectual Property, Inc. (HIP Inc), our nonprofit organization. His innovative idea for Karaoke for Literacy continues to inspire us, blending music, education, and empowerment in a way that fosters confidence and community.
We proudly carry his legacy forward with hearts full of gratitude and determination to honor his contributions to our journey.
Save the Date: Love in the Upper Room
The HIP Soul Festival Workshop kicks off this Summer-Fall season, culminating in our spectacular showcase, "Love in the Upper Room," on October 18th, 2025 (#SweetestDay).
Location: Indoors
Dress Code: Semi-formal
This debut performance of The Coffy Shop Band will feature elements of Singing, Poetry, Comedy, and Dance, creating an unforgettable experience of artistic expression.
Vendor opportunities are available to showcase your products and services during the event.
Auditions Are Open for The Coffy Shop Band! 🎤🕺
This year’s creative challenge: Forming The Coffy Shop Band, featuring:
2 Singers
1 Rapper
1 Dancer
Eligibility Requirements:
Age: 18–30 years old
Background: Current college student, recent graduate, or recently emancipated from the foster care system
Audition Guidelines:
Rappers, singers, and poets must perform alongside the band.
Poets must perform memorized pieces (off-book).
Participants must commit to the full 8-week HIP Soul Festival Workshop, with sessions held in Chicago, Hammond, IN, and online.
This is your chance to unleash your creativity, build connections with fellow artists, and be part of something truly unforgettable. #AuditionsAreOpen, so step into the spotlight and claim your moment to shine!
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