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.

What an incredible evening exploring the roots of South Side dance! 📸✨ Swipe through to see the energy, joy, and movemen...
08/06/2026

What an incredible evening exploring the roots of South Side dance! 📸✨ Swipe through to see the energy, joy, and movement from Generations of Groove.

This summer, young dancers in our Choreographic Arts Program (CAP) collaborated with the South Side Home Movie Project (SSHMP) to bring history to life. Drawing inspiration from Ramon Williams’ rare 1940s–1960s films of the Bud Billiken Parade, our students worked with a powerhouse lineup of choreographers to create contemporary performances rooted in decades of Chicago dance culture.

A massive congratulations to all the students and their instructor Kierah King ! Thanks you to the guest performers and mentors
🎧 DJ Tre Daniels
💃 Taraja Mumbeja, Aaliyah Christina, Praise Mother Squad
👟 Stylez & Prophecy Footwork Crew

The celebration isn't over! 🎉
Don't miss the chance to see this intergenerational story hit the streets THIS SATURDAY, August 8. SSHMP and APL are marching in the 97th annual Bud Billiken Parade! Look out for our rolling LED truck, broadcasting rare historical scenes from the Ramon Williams Collection along the route—paired with footage of the newly created choreography by those talented young dancers!

See you on MLK Drive! 💜

Sunset Yoga today! 🌅Tonight’s practice, led by certified instructor Rhya Moffitt .source, features a special guest: soun...
08/05/2026

Sunset Yoga today! 🌅

Tonight’s practice, led by certified instructor Rhya Moffitt .source, features a special guest: sound artist and meditation facilitator Mecca Elevated . Together, they will guide us through a sensory journey of intentional breathwork, slow sun salutations, and transformative sound meditation.

📍 Location Note: Tonight's session will be held inside the Arts Incubator Flex Space (301 E Garfield Blvd)
⏰ Tonight, August 5 | 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Come root deeply into yourself and connect with our community. See you tonight! 🌿🧘🏾‍♀️

TOMORROW NIGHT! ✨Are you ready for First Monday Jazz featuring the powerhouse Chicago Soul Jazz Collective ? As a specta...
08/02/2026

TOMORROW NIGHT! ✨

Are you ready for First Monday Jazz featuring the powerhouse Chicago Soul Jazz Collective ? As a spectacular highlight, the ensemble will feature vocals by the amazing Dee Alexander! 🎤🎶 You absolutely cannot miss this one.

🗓️ Tomorrow: August 3
🕧 Setup: 6:00 PM | Music: 7:00 PM
📍 Where: The Arts Lawn (337 E. Garfield Blvd)
✨ Bring: A blanket or low-profile chair!

More about the artists:
Chicago Soul Jazz Collective returns with No Wind & No Rain, their fourth album and most fully realized artistic statement to date. A seven-piece ensemble led by saxophonist John Fournier, CSJC has spent years seeking that elusive sweet spot where Chicago soul and jazz converge with blues, gospel, and folk. Under the expert production of guitarist Larry Brown Jr., they’ve crafted a sound that is as sophisticated as it is gritty, and as gripping as it is grooving—perfectly capturing the history, present, and heartbeat of the Windy City.

A Few Quick Tips:
-To ensure everyone has a beautiful evening under the stars, we encourage you to bring a blanket or a low-profile lawn chair to relax in the front seating area on the grass.
-Need a quick break? Restrooms are fully accessible and available just inside the Green Line Performing Arts Center.

07/31/2026

WE’RE MARCHING! 🎺🎉
Catch SSHMP at the Bud Billiken Parade!

Catch our mobile LED truck rolling along the parade route on August 8th between 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM!

We’re hitting the streets with incredible, rare throwback footage from the Ramon Williams Collection alongside stunning clips of our CAP students debuting brand-new choreography. You have to see this in action—come catch the vibe live! 🎉👏

What happens when Chicago’s next generation of artists takes the lead? They turn bold ideas into real-world impact. Here...
07/29/2026

What happens when Chicago’s next generation of artists takes the lead? They turn bold ideas into real-world impact.

Here + Now is more than a summer teen arts showcase—it’s a celebration of South Side culture, local history, and community action. Come experience how our teen artists are shaping shared spaces, preserving history, and bringing serious talent to the stage:

🌱 DAP × Urban Growers Collective — Functional art for the block! Check out custom handcrafted planters and benches designed to bring beauty and utility to neighborhood spaces.

💃 Choreographic Arts Program — Pure energy on stage. Catch a high-octane original dance performance celebrating the legendary rhythm, history, and spirit of the Bud Billiken Parade.

🎨 Teen Arts Council × South Side Home Movie Project — Wearable history. Preview original merch and swag that connects today’s youth with the timeless stories and memories of our community.

Whether you're here to get inspired, support local youth culture, or just experience incredible grassroots art, Here + Now is where you want to be.

HERE + NOW
Wednesday, August 5 | 6:00 -8:00 PM
Green Line Performing Arts Center | 329 East Garfield Boulevard

Space is limited!! Register today so you do not miss this moment!

The final week of July is officially here, and we’re taking a moment to send a huge thank you to everyone who shared spa...
07/27/2026

The final week of July is officially here, and we’re taking a moment to send a huge thank you to everyone who shared space with us on the Arts Block this month.

Summers at APL are powered by our community—and July was no exception. Before we turn the calendar page, we’ve got one more week packed with creative energy.

Tap into what’s happening, and help us close out the month strong.

July 29 | Committed Knitters
July 29 | Sunset Yoga
July 30 | Generations of Groove: A Pre-Parade Celebration

Summer nights, soulful sounds, and the magic of the Arts Lawn. ✨We are thrilled to welcome back First Monday Jazz for it...
07/24/2026

Summer nights, soulful sounds, and the magic of the Arts Lawn. ✨

We are thrilled to welcome back First Monday Jazz for its landmark 13th season! This year's incredible lineup is curated by the immensely talented Clif Wallace II, and our August showcase is one you absolutely cannot miss.

Please join us in welcoming the powerhouse Chicago Soul Jazz Collective to the Pavilion Stage! 🎷🎶

About the Artists:
Chicago Soul Jazz Collective returns with No Wind & No Rain, their fourth album and most fully realized artistic statement to date. A seven-piece ensemble led by saxophonist John Fournier and featuring the acclaimed vocalist Dee Alexander, CSJC has spent years seeking that elusive sweet spot where Chicago soul and jazz converge with blues, gospel, and folk. Under the expert production of guitarist Larry Brown Jr., they’ve crafted a sound that is as sophisticated as it is gritty, as gripping as it is grooving—perfectly capturing the history, present, and heartbeat of the Windy City.

Event Details
When: Monday, August 3rd
Setup starts at 6:00 PM | Music begins at 7:00 PM
Where: The Arts Lawn | 337 E. Garfield Blvd

A Few Quick Tips:
To ensure everyone has a beautiful evening under the stars, we encourage you to bring a blanket or a low-profile lawn chair to relax in the front seating area on the grass.

Need a quick break? Restrooms are fully accessible and available just inside the Green Line Performing Arts Center.

We can't wait to groove with you. See you on the Arts Lawn!

Take a break from the heat and join us tomorrow for our final Cultural Stewardship Reading Room! Housed in the Arts Incu...
07/22/2026

Take a break from the heat and join us tomorrow for our final Cultural Stewardship Reading Room!

Housed in the Arts Incubator, this warm and welcoming space is the perfect spot to pause and recharge. Enjoy light snacks and cool refreshments while exploring our curated collection of books, magazines, and archival materials celebrating South Side culture, art, and history.

Come browse the resources that inspire Arts + Public Life and take home one featured book while supplies last.

Scroll to preview a few titles on our shelves!
Cultural Stewardship Reading Room: Summer Open Hours
Thursday, July 23 | 3:00-6:15 PM
Arts Incubator | 301 East Garfield Boulevard

Chicago is, and always has been, a city of poets. Tomorrow evening, meet us on the Arts Lawn at golden hour for the retu...
07/22/2026

Chicago is, and always has been, a city of poets.

Tomorrow evening, meet us on the Arts Lawn at golden hour for the return of Poetry at the Pavilion—our monthly celebration of Chicago’s contemporary voices and the South Side legends who paved the way.

Here is what’s on deck for tomorrow: we’ll start the night with intimate readings from two incredible local forces, followed by selections from the Chicago legacy artists who inspire them. Afterward, they'll lead a guided writing session right there on the lawn. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or have never written a stanza in your life, this creative space is for you.

Meet Tomorrow's Featured Poets:
E’mon Lauren () — Chicago’s very first Youth Poet Laureate, author of Commando, and a brilliant educator and organizer. She’ll be reading her own powerful work and sharing selections from the legendary Jamila Woods.

Harlem West (.west) — A sonic griot, archival image maker, curator, and Brooklyn Poets Fellow from Out South Chicago. They’ll be sharing their deeply rooted poetry alongside selections from Venus Ayalani.

Come listen, get inspired, and put your own pen to paper under the summer sky. See you there!

Join us for an expansive live conversation held in conjunction with Jess Atieno's exhibition Sightlines, Ghosts, and Oth...
07/21/2026

Join us for an expansive live conversation held in conjunction with Jess Atieno's exhibition Sightlines, Ghosts, and Other Stories of the Impossible.

We are bringing together artist Jess Atieno, art historian Leslie Wilson, and designer/educator Nekita Thomas to dive deep into the "afterlives" of architecture and the futures we project through it. Starting with themes from Atieno’s exhibition—like speculative space, projection, and the instability of imagined histories—the panel will explore how the environments we build continue to shape our memories, representations, and lived experiences today.

📅 Program Schedule:
6:30 PM – 7:45 PM | Public Program
📍 Green Line Performing Arts Center Theater

7:45 PM – 8:30 PM | Reception
📍 Arts Incubator Gallery (301 E. Garfield Blvd)

Come for the conversation, stay for the community. We can't wait to see you there!

🔗 Click the link in our bio to RSVP and learn more about each artist.

Address

301 E Garfield Boulevard
Chicago, IL
60637

Opening Hours

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

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Arts and Public Life posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Arts and Public Life:

Shortcuts

Share

Category