Arts and Public Life

Arts and Public Life Arts + Public Life (APL) is a dynamic hub of exploration, expression, and exchange that centers peopl Learn more at artsandpubliclife.org

As a neighborhood platform for arts and culture in Washington Park, APL provides residencies for for local artists and creative entrepreneurs, arts education for youth, and artist-led programming and exhibitions. Arts + Public Life (APL) is an initiative of UChicago Arts, and thrives thanks to the support of a community of generous donors whose gifts have sustained the Arts + Public Life initiativ

e, Arts Incubator (+ Gallery and Woodshop), Green Line Performing Arts Center, L1 Creative Business Accelerator and Retail Shop, and the vibrant creativity happening every day on the Arts Block on historic Garfield Boulevard in Washington Park.

Have you registered for Re-Writing the Declaration? Catalyzed by the Movement for Black Lives, Re-Writing the Declaratio...
04/23/2025

Have you registered for Re-Writing the Declaration?

Catalyzed by the Movement for Black Lives, Re-Writing the Declaration is a devised, participatory play inviting audiences to center Black women, and femmes, nonbinary, and trans folx of color, in order to free us all.

A collage of time and space, a blend of character and self, the characters in Re-Writing the Declaration exist today and yesterday in order to change tomorrow. Believing that the founding fathers and documents never intended to include us, they consider the impacts of that founding on our lives today & realize it’s time to re-write the Declaration of Independence. On this journey, we visit some troubling moments in our collective past, while celebrating Blackness on the path towards freedom.

This devised theatre piece invites you to help shape the story. Your voice will directly influence the narrative through audience participation, making each performance unique and reflective of the people in the room. Together, we'll craft a Declaration that includes the voices of all people — right when your voice matters most.

This incredible work is directed by 2024/25 Performance Resident Quenna Lené Barrett.
You have two chances to view this work:
Friday, May 23rd + Saturday, May 24th at the Green Line Performing Arts Center
Show begins at 8pm.
Register via the link in our bio.

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Cohort Member Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel (she/they)Arts journalist, oral historian, cultur...
04/22/2025

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Cohort Member Yasmin Zacaria Mikhaiel (she/they)

Arts journalist, oral historian, cultural producer, and dramaturg with roots in and around Chicago. As a q***r, fat, Iranian-American femme, they endeavor to amplify and archive stories that go lost/stolen/forgotten. Mikhaiel's work amplifies marginalized voices and has been published in American Theatre magazine, the Chicago Reader, In These Times, and Teen Vogue.

✨EXPO Presents: South Side Night✨Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | 6–9PMArts Incubator | FREEIn celebration of EXPO’s South Side...
04/21/2025

✨EXPO Presents: South Side Night✨
Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | 6–9PM
Arts Incubator | FREE

In celebration of EXPO’s South Side Night, the Arts + Public Life gallery will offer extended hours on April 22. Guests are invited to explore the exhibition and enjoy a light reception with refreshments and good company throughout the evening.

Catch the free South Side Night shuttle (thanks to ) running hourly from 5–9PM—starting at Hyde Park Art Center and ending at Blanc Gallery.

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Cohort Member Nekita Thomas (she/her)Multidisciplinary experiential graphic designer, e...
04/19/2025

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Cohort Member Nekita Thomas (she/her)

Multidisciplinary experiential graphic designer, educator, and researcher harnessing design for social impact, particularly at the intersection of race, well-being, and urban design. Her work bridges graphic design, tactical urbanism, and civic engagement. Nekita is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design and Design for Responsible Innovation at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

We are thrilled that South Side Fireflies aren’t going anywhere! 🌟 The incredible Saturday morning magic is back startin...
04/19/2025

We are thrilled that South Side Fireflies aren’t going anywhere! 🌟 The incredible Saturday morning magic is back starting May 3 through July 5 — and we can't wait to welcome you and your little one.

In partnership with Music Moves Chicago — a youth-focused initiative of the Old Town School of Folk Music — we’re excited to welcome back this FREE early childhood music program! Centered around the joyful sounds of the Earth, Wind & Fire songbook, this series invites toddlers and preschoolers to explore rhythm, movement, and play. 🎶✨

Led by rotating teaching artists Shanta Nurullah, Zahra Baker, Angel Bat Dawid, and Julian Otis, Fireflies is where families gather for rhythm, laughter, and little feet learning how to move through the world with joy 💫

Join us every Saturday at 11 AM from May 3 to July 5 at the Arts Incubator.
It’s been such a gift to share music and dance with our tiniest neighbors and the loving grownups who bring them.
🫧 All families are welcome!

photos by Anjali Pinto

04/15/2025

Brandon Carlton is a Baltimore-born painter whose portraits speak volumes. With bold shapes and raw proportions, he paints into the layered, everyday beauty of Black life—capturing glances, gestures, and quiet moments that feel deeply familiar.

Come celebrate the opening of Brandon’s first solo exhibition, the undercommons, this Friday from 6–8PM at the Arts Incubator. Chicago legend Jesse De La Peña will be on the decks, so you already know the vibe will be right.

the undercommons Opening Reception
Friday, April 18 | 6PM–8PM
The Arts Incubator | 301 E. Garfield Blvd

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Maira KhwajaWriter, educator, multimedia producer, and human rights reporter. Ba...
04/14/2025

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Maira Khwaja

Writer, educator, multimedia producer, and human rights reporter. Based at the Invisible Institute, Khwaja's curatorial practice has emphasized interactive installations to make space for difficult conversations on Chicago Police policy and practice. She is the editor of the Chicago Police Torture Archive. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, South Side Weekly, and The Funambulist.

🎨🔥 A summer of creativity starts now! Applications for APL EDU’s Summer Session are officially OPEN! If you’re a South S...
04/14/2025

🎨🔥 A summer of creativity starts now!
Applications for APL EDU’s Summer Session are officially OPEN! If you’re a South Side teen looking to build your skills, find your crew, and create something real—this is for you.

✨ Choose your creative path:
🛠️ Design Apprenticeship Program (DAP): Build a community-based design project from the ground up—yes, with real tools in a real woodshop.
💡Teen Arts Council (TAC): Dive into all things art, community, and event planning with a crew of other creative teens.
🔌 Backstage Production Program (BSP): Go behind the scenes and learn lighting, sound, and stage production with hands-on training.

📍APL EDU programs center you—your creativity, your leadership, your future. Don’t miss out on an unforgettable summer.

🔗 Apply now via the link in our bio.

04/11/2025

Saturday mornings have been magical with South Side Fireflies — full of rhythm, laughter, and little feet learning how to move through the world with joy. It’s been such a gift to share music and dance with our tiniest neighbors and the loving grownups who bring them.

We’re excited to share that South Side Fireflies isn’t going anywhere — we’re keeping the magic going! ✨

Mark your calendars: new dates drop April 19. Stay close for all the details, and get ready to join us again for more movement, music, and community care.

Last Call, Creatives!Applications to be a vendor at this year’s Vends + Vibes Arts Marketplace close Monday, April 14th ...
04/11/2025

Last Call, Creatives!
Applications to be a vendor at this year’s Vends + Vibes Arts Marketplace close Monday, April 14th — don’t miss your chance to be part of this beloved South Side tradition!

If you’re a maker, artist, or creative entrepreneur with work that deserves the spotlight, now’s the time to apply.

Why Vends + Vibes?
🔸 Zero vendor fees — keep 100% of your profits
🔸 Priority given to South Side vendors
🔸 Be part of the summer kickoff on the Arts Lawn
🔸 Celebrate and sell your work in the heart of Washington Park

We’re looking for vendors with:
🛍️ Beautifully crafted goods (jewelry, homewares, self-care, vintage, food + more)
🌍 South Side roots or community
💡 Strong storytelling and online presence
⭐ A commitment to creativity, quality, and connection

Apply by Monday to be part of the vibes.
We’d love to see you out on the lawn this summer!

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Jen Torwudzo-StrohFreelance writer and nonprofit administrator. Torwudzo-Stroh i...
04/10/2025

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Jen Torwudzo-Stroh

Freelance writer and nonprofit administrator. Torwudzo-Stroh is committed to documenting contemporary moments authentically, with a focus on artists of color in the Midwest, particularly those across the African diaspora, ensuring their voices are part of the historical record. Her writing has appeared in Sixty Inches From Center, Chicago Reader, Newcity Magazine, and Hyperallergic.

Brandon Carlton’s practice is rooted in self-definition and a commitment to honest representation. His guiding philosoph...
04/09/2025

Brandon Carlton’s practice is rooted in self-definition and a commitment to honest representation. His guiding philosophy—“You gotta love yourself”—is not just a personal mantra but a framework for engaging with the world. For Carlton, self-acceptance is foundational to his artistic process, shaping how he portrays the nuances of identity, intimacy, and personal evolution.

Born in Baltimore, Carlton’s early exposure to construction work alongside his mother introduced him to the materials and textures that continue to inform his practice. His paintings challenge narrow representations of Blackness by embracing the full spectrum of skin tones and lived experiences, moving beyond simplistic binaries. Merging figuration with his background in streetwear and modeling, he constructs portraits that exist between memory and imagination. His work draws from a wide range of influences, from the stylized realism of Alex Katz and David Hockney to the everyday humor and surrealism of animated television.

For Carlton, painting is both a creative and existential necessity—an ongoing process of self-determination. His work resists easy categorization, instead offering layered narratives that reflect the complexity of contemporary Black life.

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Felicia HolmanInterdisciplinary artist, cultural facilitator, arts programmer, a...
04/08/2025

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Felicia Holman

Interdisciplinary artist, cultural facilitator, arts programmer, and writer. As a co-founder of Honey Pot Performance and as an independent artist, Holman has performed both nationally and internationally. Holman's work, grounded in critical thought and community building, has been featured in publications such as Sixty Inches From Center, The Quarantine Times, and Performance Response Journal.

DJ ANNOUNCEMENT! The Chicago icon Jesse De La Pena will be spinning at the undercommons opening reception on April 18th!...
04/08/2025

DJ ANNOUNCEMENT! The Chicago icon Jesse De La Pena will be spinning at the undercommons opening reception on April 18th!

Jesse De La Pena is a foundational force in Chicago’s music scene, with a career that spans from the mid-1980s to the present. As a DJ, musician, event promoter, music retailer, and co-founder of the Grammy-nominated Acid Jazz band Liquid Soul, Jesse has helped shape the sound and spirit of Chicago’s Hip-Hop, House, and Dance music communities. His signature style—genre-fluid, fearless, and deeply rooted in love for the craft—has taken listeners on unforgettable sonic journeys for decades.

His talents have earned him tour support slots with artists as diverse as A Tribe Called Quest, James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Common, Bootsy Collins, Jamiroquai, and Teena Marie—performing everywhere from Madison Square Garden to the United Center.

On the airwaves, Jesse has been a consistent voice in the culture—spinning on 106 Jams, Smoothbeats.com, and most recently Vocalo Radio 91.1FM (WBEZ’s sister station), where from 2011 to 2024 he produced and hosted standout programming like the Friday Night DJ Series, the 5 O’Clock Mix, and De La Pena Live.

Today, Jesse continues to amplify the voices shaping the Urban Alternative experience through his Know Chicago music series and his weekly livestream DELAPENA LIVE! every Thursday on Twitch and Mixcloud Live.

Mark your calendars so you do not miss seeing some incredible artwork by Brandon Carlton and hearing an incredible set by Jesse.

the undercommons Exhibition Opening Reception
Friday, April 18 | 6pm-8pm
The Arts Incubator Gallery | 301 E. Garfield Blvd

Join us as we celebrate the power of perspective—how design influences community engagement, how books become more than ...
04/07/2025

Join us as we celebrate the power of perspective—how design influences community engagement, how books become more than just words on a page, and how the unseen magic of backstage production brings stories to the stage.

Shifting Perspectives is more than a showcase; it’s a glimpse into the young creative minds shaping the future of the arts. See you on the Arts Block to celebrate our creative teen artists!

Shifting Perspectives: Spring 2025 Teen Arts Showcase
Tuesday, May 6, 2025 | 6-8PM
Green Line Performing Arts Center | 329 East Garfield Boulevard

We are so excited to share performance dates and info for our 2024/2025 Arts + Public Life Performance Residents, Quenna...
04/07/2025

We are so excited to share performance dates and info for our 2024/2025 Arts + Public Life Performance Residents, Quenna Lené Barrett and Roy Kinsey.

Re-Writing the Declaration
May 23 + 24 | 8pm
Green Line Performing Arts Center
*Registration open now

The Legacy Project
June 27th | 8pm
*Registration opening on April 30th

Head to our website to learn more about each project and our residents!

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Cortlyn KellyFilm and culture critic, personal essayist, and art enthusiast. Kel...
04/05/2025

Meet 2025 Chicago Critic's Table Member Cortlyn Kelly

Film and culture critic, personal essayist, and art enthusiast. Kelly, who holds a Master of Arts in Humanities from the University of Chicago, is the creator of the publication The Art Idiot. She is also a co-host of Kaveh & CK’s Screening Room and Co-Chair for the Black Harvest Film Festival Community Council.

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301 E Garfield Boulevard
Chicago, IL
60637

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 12pm - 5pm

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Arts + Public Life (APL), an initiative of UChicago Arts, provides platforms for artists and access to arts programming through artist residencies, arts education, creative entrepreneurship, and artist-led programs and exhibitions. APL advances and promotes a robust, collaborative, and evolving relationship between the University of Chicago and the South Side’s vibrant civic, cultural, and artistic communities.

Chicago’s South Side is rich in cultural history and continues to sustain an arts community made up of individuals, small to mid-size organizations, and large institutions. Nestled within this framework is the University of Chicago with a thriving arts landscape in the form of curricular and co-curricular programs, interdisciplinary research centers and committees, presenting organizations, and student-run programs. The Arts + Public Life initiative addresses the ways in which university arts can best engage their communities, form alliances, expand their audiences, create and share knowledge, and offer their students, faculty, and staff life-changing experiences beyond campus while also creating opportunities to significantly invest in a uniquely local creative community in surrounding neighborhoods and the city at large. By implementing and supporting creative and innovative programming, the Arts + Public Life initiative inspires dialogue and fosters community partnerships based on creative endeavors that serve the diverse population of the city of Chicago with a specific concentration on the South Side. The Arts + Public Life Initiative focuses on the following: Advancing Artistic Ambition Amplifying Cultural Assets Revitalizing Neighboring Communities