✨ Warm up your holiday season with treasures that celebrate artistry, love, and good vibes!
The L1 Retail Store is your destination for unique finds crafted by small businesses:
💛 Callie Decor brings uplifting energy with hand-painted wall tapestries inspired by hip-hop lyrics and soothing, custom-blended candles.
💎 Soma Gems offers stunning, one-of-a-kind jewelry made with ethically sourced gemstones—each ring, bracelet, and necklace lovingly handmade in small batches and wrapped in eco-friendly packaging.
📍 Visit us at 319 E. Garfield Blvd, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 AM–7 PM.
Shop small. Gift big. Let’s make the season shine brighter with thoughtful, handmade goods! 🎁✨
Creating a home that reflects your culture and spirit? That’s what Callie Decor is all about.
Founder Twjuana Simone saw a need for Hip Hop to take its rightful place in home decor, honoring the voices of poets like LiL Wayne and J. Cole—artists often overlooked in favor of the mainstream. With affirming lyrics hand-painted on wall tapestries and candles featuring custom scents and quotes from soul legends, every piece is infused with intention and love.
As Callie Decor continues to grow, Twjuana is setting her sights on expanding and building meaningful collaborations. She’s proving that home decor can be as vibrant, soulful, and unapologetically Black as we are.
Visit Callie Decor and our other L1 Fellows at the L1 Retail Store (319. E Garfield Blvd)
Shop handmade and shop South Side.
Ready to shop? Visit calliedecor.com or DM them to create your custom piece today!
#CallieDecor #BlackArtistry #SoulfulLiving #HipHopHome
Video shot and edited by Moll Nye
photos by Moll Nye + Jaclyn Rivas
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
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.
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
