Arts and Public Life, Chicago, IL Videos

HOMECOMING on the Arts Lawn was truly a community moment. As part of Gertie’s Next Stop: Chicago, we invited Washington Park neighbors and passersby to unwind and reconnect. With Ben Lamar Gay's soundscape setting the vibe, Big Bros Ice Cream and Southern Grown Watermelons keeping us cool, and Call and Response Books gifting over 100 books, the day was full of love and care. We also have to shout out the talented teens of APL’s Design Apprenticeship Program II, who designed and built three tables and six chairs featured at the event! These young artisans, ages 16-18, incorporated intricate weaving techniques and arches that connected to a sound sculpture “ode to rhumboogie” by Chicago artists Josué Esaú and ebere agwuncha. Seeing everyone gather on the Arts Lawn felt like we were using the space exactly as it was meant to be—building community through connection Video by On the Real Film

Homecoming was an incredible two-day activation on the Arts Lawn, filled with community, relaxation, and creativity. We’re beyond thankful to everyone who made this event so special! Huge thanks to Call and Response Books, Carmenita Peoples, Southern Grown Watermelons, Ben Lamar Gay, Mecca Elevated, DAP II for their unique outdoor seating, and a special congrats to Ebere and Josué on their sound sculpture ode to rhumboogie. APL is incredibly grateful for our major partner Gertie/Next Stop Chicago for including us in their amazing series of public art activations in Chicago. Here’s to many more moments like these! photos by Natasha Moustache | @iammoustache

Meet the talented teens of APL's Design Apprenticeship Program II. Over the past 1-3 years, these young artisans, ages 16-18, have honed their woodworking skills and took on a huge challenge this summer. Our apprentices designed and built three tables and six chairs, all thoughtfully crafted to create a sense of leisure and invite users to rest and reset in a safe, welcoming environment. The furniture pieces feature intricate weaving techniques and arches that connect with a larger sound sculpture by Chicago artists Josué Esaú and ebere agwuncha. Through this project, the teens advanced their woodworking skills, mastering techniques like joinery, laminating boards, and weaving. Join us at HOMECOMING on August 20th + 21st, 4-7pm, at the Arts Lawn (337 E. Garfield Blvd) to see their work and celebrate their impact!

Arts + Public Life is thrilled to partner with @gertie.chicago for the Next Stop: Chicago Campaign! Washington Park residents and commuters, discover your new "third space" – the Arts Lawn at 337 E Garfield Blvd. Unwind between work and home with: 🎶 Unique soundscapes 🍹 Refreshments 🃏 Card and board games Reclaim leisure on Chicago's South Side! Experiment with the sound sculpture by local artists Ebere Agwuncha and Josué Esaú, and relax on custom outdoor furniture crafted by APL's Design Apprenticeship Program II. Join us on August 20 and 21 from 4 PM to 7 PM! @mesofuturos + @ebere_iwantcha

Due to the extreme heatwave, we have to cancel Community Yoga on the Arts Lawn on June 21 and 22. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience it may cause. We prioritize your safety and well-being, and practicing yoga in excessive heat could compromise that. We'll actively explore alternative options for future sessions in case of extreme weather. In the meantime, stay cool and hydrated!

Odyssey: Film screening and conversation Monday, May 20, 2024, 7-9pm Green Line Performing Arts Center 329 E Garfield Boulevard After the screening of Jess Atieno's film Odyssey, she will be in conversation with filmmaker Raja'Nee Redmond. Additionally, excerpts from Raja'Nee's film: A Long Way from Holmes will be shared. The two will explore intersecting themes of aesthetics, trauma, resilience, experiences of the African & Black Diaspora, and the ethics of storytelling and archives. A Long Way from Holmes Through a deep dive into her ancestry, a Black woman discovers the will of a slave owner awarding her fourth great grandmother over 200 acres of land in Lexington, Mississippi. During her visit, she grapples with the complex themes of reparations and systemic harm. She takes us on a journey of rediscovering, reassembling, and rememory, encouraging us all to go back and fetch what’s at risk of being lost. Raja'Nee Redmond is a memory worker, oral historian, and artist who is dedicated to documenting and archiving Black stories. Register through the link in our bio.

Odyssey: Film screening and conversation Monday, May 20, 2024, 7-9pm Green Line Performing Arts Center 329 E Garfield Boulevard Odyssey, a 7 min short film by 2023 Artist in Residence Jess Atieno, narrates a brief self-portrait of a family awakening amidst tragedy and loss. The film shows glimpses of their lives and pockets of found joy as a family and women finding their voice in the face of life's uncertainty. Atieno weaves together her family's video archive with selected footage from the South Side Home Movie Project, to tell the story in a non-linear experimental fashion. Odyssey invites us into the intimate fabric of their story where resilience and vulnerability intertwine in the dance of life. The screening will be followed by a conversation between @jess_atieno and filmmaker @saymyname. Excerpts from Raja'Nee's film: A Long Way from Holmes will be featured and the discussion will delve into various points of intersection between their two films including aesthetics, matriarchy, trauma,resilience and archival work within contemporary black life.

We've got something new for you – Arts + Public Life is now on PixieSet! Check out our bio for the link and take a stroll through our past programs and events captured in images. Thanks to our incredible photographers for capturing these moments: Anjali Pinto Ji Yang Joel Maisonet Jovan Landry Natasha Moustache Seed Lynn Steven Michael Adams Visual Manifesto

NEXT WEEK! World After This One: A Performance by Benji Hart Thursday, March 14, 2024 | 7:00 PM 9:00 PM | Green Line Performing Arts Center Looking through the lenses of three Black art forms—the queer street style of vogue, the Afro-Boricua dance and drumming tradition of bomba, and gospel music—World After This One is a 45-minute solo piece that uses movement and spoken word to examine how Black people have historically reclaimed the materials of empire to construct portals to impossible futures. Blurring the lines between the secular and the sacred, celebration and mourning, the past and the yet-to-pass, World After This One imagines Black liberation not as a metaphor but as a possibility. A talkback with Kemi Alabi will follow this performance. Online registration is currently closed, but all APL seating is first come first serve. Walk up before doors open and you may get in! 🎥: Jovan Landry Jovan Landry Venue for filming: Poetry Foundation Video originally by @chicagodancemakersforum

This Saturdays Community Yoga with Latipha Rivers is cancelled. Please join us on Friday for class! More information will be shared soon about our March classes.

Introducing the 2024 Cohort for Artists-In-Residence, Performance Residency, and L1 Creative Business Accelerator Fellowship! Artists-in-Residence: Candace Hunter, Ayanah Moor, Johnaé Strong Performance Residency: Quenna Lené Barrett, Sea Michell Miller, Roy Kinsey L1 Creative Business Accelerator Fellowship: Oluwaseyi Adeleke, Joli Chandler, Twjuana Simone Robinson Each of these incredible individuals will embark on a 10-month journey filled with creativity, collaboration, and growth which include monthly stipends, access to top-notch spaces and materials on the Arts Block, and the wealth of academic and research resources from the University of Chicago. Plus, a tailored syllabus to guide them every step of the way! Save the date! Join us on March 7th for the Residency + Fellowship Welcome Reception. It's your chance to meet these extraordinary talents and discover their aspirations for the year ahead. Register now through the link in our bio.

Attention Performers! Applications close on October 31st for the 2024 Performance Residency. This residency prioritizes Chicago-based artists and collectives, particularly those whose work is relevant to the South Side, promoting cultural transformation and change through community participation. Each Performance Resident will receive a stipend and support from a stage manager, light and sound board operators, and theatrical designers. Link in bio to apply! Got questions? Send us a message and we will get back to you.