The Foundation was founded as a response the the war Russia has waged on Ukraine and many Russians fleeing the country in protest to the war. Many musicians, writers, actors left the country as they felt it was impossible to stay silent and dangerous to speak.

At WeExist! we believe that culture shapes the world and can change it, culture is a universal language that we have in common. We also believe in the power of communities. Humankind lives and thrives through communities we create.  

Culture, whether born from individuals or communities, celebrates what makes us unique while revealing the threads that connect us all. We believe communities have the power to nurture the culture they long for — to sustain it, to celebrate it, and to make it thrive.

That’s why we’re committed to supporting the creative process in exile — for those displaced, for those rebuilding, and for those who share our belief in the transformative power of culture.