Cooper Carry's Experiential Graphic Design (EGD) studio has completed the design for The People's Game: Soccer and Human Rights at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights (Center). Opening in time for the global soccer event in Atlanta, the landmark exhibition uses immersive experiences, emotional storytelling and original artifacts to explore soccer’s role in human rights activism across the world.

Cooper Carry's EGD Studio partnered with the Center's Director of Curation, Daniel Fuller, to translate a sweeping global narrative focused on the power of soccer fans, into a cohesive physical experience. The exhibition is designed across seven chapters, starting with “The Field of Resistance” and ending with a hands-on foosball activity about teamwork.

"The most meaningful exhibits don't simply communicate information; they invite people into a story," said Paul Bowman, Director of Experiential Graphic Design at Cooper Carry. "Our goal was to create an experience that allows visitors to see how soccer has served as a vehicle for change, and to leave with a deeper understanding of the human stories behind the game."

Cooper Carry's EGD Studio approached the work by combining unique artifacts from around the world with multimedia to build emotional resonance. To visually express the physical energy and expressive force for change of the fans in the stands, the team employed a vibrant color palette, energetic angles and stenciled letterforms.

The result is an exhibition that moves visitors through narratives spanning decades and continents: the Afghanistan Women's National Team defying oppression to compete on a global stage; Didier Drogba and the Ivory Coast national team brokering a ceasefire during civil war through the unifying power of a World Cup qualifying match; the FLN Team, composed of Algerian players who walked away from their French clubs to represent their nation's fight for independence; and prisoners on Robben Island who organized soccer leagues to preserve dignity and community in the darkest of circumstances.

At the heart of the exhibition, a larger-than-life-dimensional soccer ball creates an immersive "Audio Dome" where voices of players, activists, refugees and community leaders from around the world reflect on soccer's role in shaping social movements. Visitors are able to step inside and pause to absorb the powerful stories of these individuals. 

"Experiential design has the power to make abstract history feel immediate and personal," added Bowman. "When a visitor stands inside the Audio Dome and hears the voices of players, activists and refugees talking about what soccer has meant to their lives, they feel deep empathy. That's what we designed for."

The exhibition also traces how soccer has been a platform for collective action closer to home, such as the U.S. Women's National Team's decades-long fight for equal pay, and the Atlanta communities of support built around Soccer in the Streets and the Atlanta United Unified Team.

The People's Game: Soccer and Human Rights is presented with support from Gallagher and the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation in partnership with Atlanta United. The exhibition is open now and on view for one year. For tickets and information, visit civilandhumanrights.org/soccer-and-human-rights.

To learn more about Cooper Carry's Experiential Graphic Design studio, visit coopercarry.com.