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Photo by Kevin Ponce.<\/p>\n
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The famed American mythologist Joseph Campbell was a passionate advocate of sacred spaces \u2014 i.e., \u201csymbolic environment[s] where spiritual life is possible, where everything around you speaks of the exaltation of the Spirit\u201d; places not only where one can \u201csimply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be,\u201d but also spaces of \u201ccreative incubation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now, with the opening of The Sound Library<\/a> in Coral Gables, Miami has its own accessible, welcoming sacred space.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe universal language of the world is love \u2014 and the most effective, impactful, profound, pure and intentional way to express that language is music,\u201d co-owner Bryan Andrew Medina tells New Times, the hum and bustle of a couple dozen creatives, musicians<\/a>, and culturally engaged people in cross-pollinating conversation providing a backing soundtrack<\/a>. \u201cWe created The Sound Library to provide a home for the lacking communities in art, music, film, and in every single creative and independent contractor business that gets wronged and abused within this city. We are here to lift up the residents of Miami, who are in need of a real cultural hub.\u201d<\/p>\n In practice, this means The Sound Library will serve as equal parts cultural salon, high-level botanicals\/coffee bar (it is, after all, revamping the space once occupied by Vice City Kava), performance space (Open Mic Mondays, Jazz<\/a> Wednesday, a slew of other planned and impromptu jams and themed art events) \u2014 a \u201cthird place\u201d designed to replenish the soul. It takes inspiration from the most human-centered parts of the festivals Medina and co-owner Steven Delgado performed at around the globe. (New Times covered the pair\u2019s collaborative EP, Electric Glue, here<\/a>.) Think of it, Medina says, as \u201cthat really chill, vibey, unique and experimental tent situated in that middle ground between festival stages that exists only because the community demanded it.\u201d<\/p>\n