Soomaal House of Art (Soomaal) is a Minnesota-based Somali artists collective that works with students, emerging, and established artists find artistic community, mentorships, and opportunities. Soomaal provides a platform for Somali visual artists who want to create and use art to shape and frame critical discourse around vexing local and global issues of our time. Soomaal’s mission is to create more equitable experiences for Somali-American artists in the greater arts ecosystem and amplify their voices in the Somali community of Minnesota and beyond.

Founded and co-led by Khadijah Muse, Mohamud Mumin, and Kaamil A. Haider, Soomaal House of Art was founded by Somali artists for Somali artists to amplify the lived experiences of the Somali-American community in Minnesota. Through programming that creates opportunities for artists to exhibit their work and engage interpersonally with their audiences, Soomaal aims to create sustained partnerships with Minnesota institutions and to inspire all Minnesotans, especially Somali Minnesotans, to harness the power of art as a tool for intellectual and civic engagement. Soomaal House of Art envisions a future where a career in the arts is accessible and viable for their youth, and the scope of the arts, archives, and cultural sectors in Minnesota includes contemporary Somali-American art(ists).

Jerome Foundation supports Soomaal House of Art’s Aragti Wadaag Residency for early career Minnesota-based Somali-American visual artists. Soomaal’s work with Somali early career artists centers on providing quality arts programming because access to professional development has historically been disproportionate; the state of Minnesota has one of the worst racial disparities in the nation, and the arts are no exception. To create more equitable experiences for these artists and amplify their voices, Soomaal provides them with opportunities to gain skills, create, connect, and share their stories. The Aragti Wadaag Residency provides four selected artists annually with a stipend; access to Soomaal’s facilities, including equipment and materials; guidance from established artists; writing workshops; an exhibition at the Soomaal gallery; opportunities for community engagement; and a catalog including images and text on each artist’s work.