T H A X
Building futures through creative power
WHO WE ARE
T H A X (Transformative Humanistic Arts Experiences) is a creative education and workforce organization empowering young people through theater, storytelling and leadership development.
WHAT WE DO
CREATIVE EDUCATION
We deliver arts-based programs , that build confidence, communication and critical thinking through Theatre, Music and Storytelling.
WORKFORCE PATHWAYS
Our programs prepare young people for real work careers in the creative economy and beyond, from leadership and collaboration to professional readiness.
RESEARCH & COMMUNITY
IMPACT
We collaborate with schools, cities, community organizations to design programs that respond to local needs, elevate youth voices and generate lasting community impact through creative practices.
PROGRAMS
FUTURE STARZ
(FLAGSHIP PROGRAM)
Creative Workforce Development.
(Ages 18 - 24)
STEP-UP
Performance training for ages.
(13 - 18)
LITTLE VOICES
Play based arts education for ages.
(3 - 11)
Our Approach.
T H A X operates through a hybrid model that blends earned revenue, workforce partnerships and philanthropic investment to deliver paid, equitable creative learning opportunities.
Youth Impact.
Workforce Readiness.
Leadership & Agency.
Creative Confidence.
Workforce & Employer Value.
Prepared, reliable emerging talent.
Portfolio-ready participants.
Community-rooted workforce pipepline.
Community & Systems Impact.
Reduced opportunity gaps.
Youth economic mobility.
Stronger RVA creative economy.
Leadership.
Mbali Mana Guliwe is the Founder and Executive Director of THAX. He is an experienced arts education and program leader with over a decade of designing and leading youth-centered creative workforce and applied theatre initiatives focused on leadership, employability, and equitable access to opportunity.
OUR INSPIRING YOUTH
T H A X IMPACT
Voice & Communication Growth
Creative Education.
Research in applied theatre and Creative Youth Development shows that young people who participate in ensemble-based arts programs demonstrate measurable increases in communication skills, expressive confidence, and classroom or group participation.
THAX programs are designed to activate these outcomes by centering voice, storytelling, and collaborative creative practice.
Agency & Emotional Regulation
Arts Youth Development.
Studies of arts-based youth development programs indicate consistent gains in self-regulation, decision-making, and sense of agency—particularly for youth navigating instability or restrictive environments.
Through applied theatre, THAX supports young people in practicing choice, accountability, and reflection in real time.
Workforce-Relevant Skills
Workforce Pathways & Community Impact.
Research demonstrates that arts participation strongly correlates with the development of transferable workforce skills, including collaboration, problem-solving, adaptability, and professional communication.
THAX translates creative practice into employability by explicitly connecting artistic skills to leadership and workplace readiness.
