CULLMAN, Ala. – Karma’s Coffee House is inviting the community to anonymously share their secrets this January through an interactive art installation inspired by the community mail art project, PostSecret.
The installation, which runs through the end of January, encourages people to decorate a postcard and write an anonymous secret on it, then submit it for display in the coffee shop. Craft supplies and postcards are provided in the shop, and participants may also take postcards home to complete before returning them.
PostSecret was created by Frank Warren, who began the project by distributing blank postcards and inviting people to mail back a secret. Over the years, millions of postcards from around the world have been submitted, ranging from humorous confessions to deeply personal reflections. Selected submissions are shared weekly on the PostSecret website.
Karma’s Manager Magan Bartlett said she first discovered PostSecret more than a decade ago and has been following the project ever since. She said the installation felt like a meaningful way to bring people together during a quieter time of year. “This is something interactive and creative that gives people space to express themselves,” she said. “Everyone has secrets, and you never really know what someone else is going through.”
Once the installation concludes, all collected postcards will be mailed to Warren in California. Participants may later see their submissions featured in a future Sunday PostSecret post, though inclusion is never guaranteed. Bartlett said she hopes the experience reminds visitors that they are not alone in their struggles and encourages empathy within the community. “It shows that we all carry things with us, and often, we’re not the only ones.”
The installation is open to the public during regular business hours at Karma’s Coffee House through Jan. 31. To view some of the project’s secrets and art pieces, visit www.postsecret.com.
Karma’s Coffee House is located at 103 First Ave. NE #140, Cullman.
