Culture Encounters

Eat. Talk. Connect. - A Taste of Southern Comfort
2026-05-28 17:45 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Rd, Richmond, VA, 23060, United States
This one’s gonna feel like home.

Join us this May for a night of real Southern cuisine, meaningful conversations, and the kind of energy you don’t want to miss. We’re bringing in Shrimps at 17 West to serve up dishes full of flavor, tradition, and heart at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.

It’s more than just dinner. It’s stories, culture, and people coming together around the table.

🎉 Free for Dinner Club Members

What to expect:
🍽️ Soul food that actually hits
🦐 Catered by Shrimps at 17 West
📖 Fun Line Dancing Session

💬 Circle and Sips from 5:45 to 6:15 PM with intriguing conversations that really connect over a drink

Come hungry. Bring a friend, or come on your own and leave with new connections.
Save a Seat

Week 2 | Re-imagining Culture and Cultural Engagement Webinar Series
2026-06-03 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | VA
Culture Encounters® invites you to join us for Re-imagining Culture and Cultural Engagement, a four-week webinar series designed for organizations and leaders working across cultures.
This series will explore how we understand culture, how we build cultural curiosity, and how cultural intelligence can be applied in real community settings. Together, we will examine culture not as something static or distant, but as something lived, learned, shared, and practiced in our daily work.
Series Dates:
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Time:
3:00 PM to 3:45 PM ET
Series Topics and Guest Speakers:
Week 1: Debunking Myths About Culture
Guest Speaker: Elikem Kunutsor
Week 2: Cultural Intelligence and Meaning-Making
Guest Speaker: Elikem Kunutsor
Week 3: Cultural Intelligence and Practice
Guest Speaker: Safwat Mazourk
Week 4: Cultural Engagement
Guest Speaker: Safwat Mazourk
Speaker Bios:
Dr. Elikem Kunutsor
Alfred Elikem Kunutsor is an arts educator, performer, performance maker, and project
Leader based in Ghana, West Africa. He is interested in harnessing the transformative power of performance through co-creation with natural, cultural, and societal phenomena. His work in creative arts somatic education spans Ghana, South Africa, and Germany. Elikem has lectured in Movement Studies at the Wits School of Arts, Wits University, and the Centre for Theatre Dance and Performance Studies, University of Cape Town- South Africa, where he received his PhD in Theatre. He has taught Performance Studies and Design in the Theatre Arts Department at the University of Ghana. Additionally, he served as the Head of the Creative Arts Department at Tema International School-Ghana. Elikem is also an artistic director with Meraki Arts Africa Ltd in Ghana.
Safwat Mazourk
Dr. Safwat Marzouk based in Richmond, Virginia is an Egyptian Presbyterian pastor, biblical scholar, and author whose work explores the Bible through intercultural and migration-focused perspectives. Dr. Marzouk has written extensively on themes of migration, cultural difference, and how faith communities navigate life across cultures. He is the author of several books, including Intercultural Church: A Biblical Vision for an Age of Migration, and brings both scholarly insight and personal experience as an immigrant to conversations about faith, culture, and community.
Series Coordinator:
Rachel Casali, Learning and Training Coordinator, Culture Encounters
We hope you will join us for this important conversation and invite others in your network who are working to build more connected, culturally aware, and engaged communities.
Register Here

Week 3 | Re-imagining Culture and Cultural Engagement Webinar Series
2026-06-10 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | VA

Week 4 | Re-imagining Culture and Cultural Engagement Webinar Series
2026-06-17 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | VA

CultureFest Fridays at the Children’s Museum of Richmond
2026-06-19 15:30 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Children’s Museum of Richmond Chesterfield, 6629 Lake Harbour Dr., Midlothian, VA, 23112, United States
Discover the richness of global cultures with CultureFest Fridays, a signature initiative in partnership with the Children’s Museum of Richmond! Each month showcases a new culture, providing a fun and family-friendly way to expand kids’ horizons and connect with the world.
Happening on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of every month, this fun and educational experience is designed for families and children to explore the world through performance and interactive activities.
✨ What to Expect:

Live Cultural Performances: Enjoy engaging performances that showcase the music, dance, and traditions of the featured culture.
Interactive Sessions: Dive deeper into each culture through hands-on, interactive experiences that bring global traditions to life.

📅 When & Where:

1st Fridays, 3:30-4:30 pm: Children’s Museum of Richmond – Downtown Location
3rd Fridays, 3:30-4:30 pm: Children’s Museum of Richmond – Chesterfield Location

Check out upcoming performers: https://www.childrensmuseumofrichmond.org/events

Eat.Talk.Connect - A Taste Of Ghanaian Cuisine
2026-06-25 17:45 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Rd, Richmond, VA, 23060, United States
Eat. Talk. Connect. is going to hit different as we bring an evening of authentic Ghanaian food, powerful storytelling, and real conversation. You don’t want to miss this. 🍽️
📅 Thursday, June 25 | 5:45 PM
📍 The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Rd, Richmond, VA 23060
🎉 Free for Dinner Club Members | $60 for Non-Members
It’s more than a meal. It’s culture on a plate, stories worth hearing, and a room full of people ready to connect.

Save a Seat

MultiCultural Festival
2026-06-27 13:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Richmond Raceway, 600 E Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA, 23222, United States
We’re excited to share that Culture Encounters will be at this year’s Multicultural Festival: Imagine 2026, and we’d love to see you there! Hosted by ReEstablish Richmond in celebration of Immigrant Heritage Month and World Refugee Day, this free community festival brings together cultures from around the world through performances, food, art, and cultural experiences.
Join us on Saturday, June 27, from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Richmond Raceway on Laburnum Avenue for a vibrant day of celebration and connection. Culture Encounters® will be there sharing information about our programs and upcoming events. Be sure to stop by our table, say hello, and learn how we’re creating opportunities for meaningful cultural exchange and connection throughout our community.
We’re also proud to share that our very own Amma Gatty will be serving as one of the event emcees! Be sure to catch Amma on stage throughout the day and visit us at our booth to connect with our team.
We look forward to celebrating with you! 🎉🌍✨
