Soul Box Project – Latest News & Updates

The Soul Box Project is a community-building, art-based tool that anybody can utilise to bring attention to the scourge of gun violence in America. Paper origami Soul Boxes are being folded by people all around the country to symbolise the unbelievable number of shooting fatalities and injuries.

They are connecting with other programs aimed at safer, healthier communities, counting victims in memorial exhibits, and providing compassionate comfort through art-making. The Soul Box Project is unlike any other organisation that works to prevent gun violence because of its emotional potency. Discover how, one Soul Box at a time, individuals just like you are expanding this visually striking call to action.

Soul Box Project

The Soul Box Project is a community‑driven art and awareness initiative that transforms statistics about gun violence into tangible, emotional experiences. Founded by artist Leslie Lee, participants fold small 3‑inch origami “soul boxes,” each representing a life lost to gun violence.

These boxes are assembled into large, traveling installations that have been displayed at venues such as The Madeleine in Portland, Oregon (Nov 12‑30, 2023), where a “Meet & Greet” with Lee and a hands‑on workshop allowed visitors to create their own boxes, and at multiple locations in Contra Costa County, California, including the Orinda Library and Bedford Gallery, where eight panels totaling 784 boxes were shown and a dedicated box‑making session was held on Aug 3, 2023.

Soul Box Project

By turning abstract numbers into a collective, tactile memorial, the Soul Box Project fosters empathy, raises public awareness, and offers a creative outlet for healing and advocacy, while continuing to travel to schools, libraries, galleries, and civic spaces across the United States. For the most recent information and changes, read the article through to the end.

The Soul Box Project: What is it?

  • The goal of the art-based, community-building Soul Box Project is to increase public awareness of the gun violence crisis in the US.
  • To honour and commemorate lives lost to gun violence, whether by homicide, suicide, or accidental discharge, participants make hand-folded origami boxes.
  • These boxes are also frequently used by contributors to insert artefacts, personal narratives, and calls to action. Together, the boxes create a stunning visual representation of the victims of gun violence, each of which becomes a deeply personal homage.

What does this Project Aim to Achieve for its Participants?

The Soul Box Project draws attention to an important but frequently disregarded facet of gun violence awareness. Although sensationalised headlines and mass shootings usually get the public’s attention, gun violence actually takes lives daily. The project aims to draw attention to the people behind the data and highlight the startling frequency of these deaths.

For instance, 50 gun-related deaths occurred in Anne Arundel County alone in 2023, the highest amount since surveillance started in 2016. This equates to almost one death every week on average. These numbers reflect actual people whose names might never appear in the media; they are more than just statistics.

By elevating their narratives and drawing attention to the frequently disregarded human cost of gun violence in our communities, the Soul Box Project honours these people.

Why is the Soul Box Project so impactful?

The Soul Box Project is so impactful because it turns cold statistics into something you can see, touch, and feel. Each tiny origami box represents a real person lost to gun violence, so a massive wall of boxes becomes a visual, emotional punch that makes abstract numbers impossible to ignore. Because the boxes are handmade by community members, the process itself builds empathy and ownership.

People aren’t just observers; they’re creators of the memorial. When the installations travel to schools, libraries, and galleries, they spark conversations, media coverage, and policy dialogue, turning personal grief into collective action. Therefore, it blends art, personal story, and public space to make loss tangible, memorable, and motivating.

What are the Recent highlights of the Soul Box Project?

  1. The Madeleine, Portland, OR – A full‑scale display runs from Nov 12 to Nov 30, 2026, with a Meet‑&‑Greet on Nov 18 and a “Make Your Own Soul Box” workshop on Nov 20 .
  • Contra Costa County, CA – Eight panels (784 boxes) are on view at the Orinda Library throughout August, while a single 392‑box panel shows at the Bedford Gallery from July through Sept 15, and a hands‑on box‑making session is scheduled for Aug 3 .
  • Daura Museum of Art, Virginia – This Loss We Carry” features 1,176 boxes, with a public workshop on Mar 3 and the exhibit open through Mar 10 .
  • Pump House Regional Arts Centre, La Crosse, WI – Currently displaying Soul Boxes at the School District’s Hogan Administrative Centre, and offering community groups the chance to host their own shows.

These events keep the project’s mission alive, turning each tiny origami box into a visual, emotional reminder of lives lost to gun violence, and inviting communities to create, reflect, and act.

Latest News & Update on Soul Box Project

  • What it is: A community‑art initiative where volunteers fold 3‑inch origami “soul boxes,” each representing a person killed or injured by gunfire. Boxes are assembled into travelling installations for awareness and healing.
  • Founder & start year: Artist Leslie Lee launched in 2017 from Portland, Oregon.
  • Scale: Over 166,000 boxes collected, aiming for 200,000 for a national display on the National Mall.
  • Exhibit format: Boxes mounted on 4 ft × 2 ft panels (98 boxes per panel), which can be borrowed or built by volunteers.
  • Purpose: To count and honor victims, provide a healing activity, and support gun‑violence prevention through visual displays and community dialogue.

FAQs

How many boxes have been made?

More than 166,000 boxes have been collected, with a goal of 200,000 for a national display on the National Mall.

How are the boxes displayed?

Boxes are mounted on 4 ft × 2 ft panels (98 boxes per panel), which can be borrowed or built by volunteers for exhibits.

What’s the purpose of the project?

To count and honour victims, provide a healing, hands‑on activity, and support gun‑violence prevention through visual displays and community dialogue.

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