From the earliest times that humans gathered in social groups, the seeds of culture have taken root and continue to flourish today. Every manifestation of human culture, whether in the arts, sciences or religions, has an origin that is both comprehensible and of meaning to all mankind.

Culture is inseparable from the social experience of men. No artist, scientist or religious scholar has produced or created his or her work outside of a specific cultural influence and environment. At the same time, all such human efforts have the potential to change the cultures in which they arise, as culture reflects the ongoing evolution of life.

The mission of Provenance Center is to serve as a public forum in which all dimensions of culture can be examined through the lens of artistic expression. Our vision is that with a clearer understanding of the cultural foundation and origins of the human experience, that which we share will prevail over that which keeps us apart.

As a forum for the exploration of cultural origins, Provenance Center seeks to reveal what makes each cultural perspective unique and to foster an improved understanding of what is shared by all cultural perspectives through cultural competence and communication programs and strategies.

While the diversity of cultures and their expression varies greatly across the world, there is no form of cultural expression that is so different or unique that it cannot be understood by all other human groups. Thus, that which constitutes the origin and foundation of all cultural expression is part of the collective experience of mankind.