Chicago, IL
Civic Series / "HOME [House of My Experiences] PARTY"

2025​​​​

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Bridged Division(s):
Race, Ethnicity, Class, Age

 

Project Summary:
Instigated by the Chicago-based arts foundation Innovation 80, our place project brought together siloed communities on Chicago's South and West Sides to explore the First Amendment — freedom of religion, assembly, and speech — not as a debate topic but as a shared civic text. The centerpiece, HOME [House of My Experiences] PARTY, was designing a community gathering as a shared work of art — blending interactive installations, live performance, house music, food, and a mutual aid marketplace, built by and for the neighbors themselves. We are very proud of the process work, and the impact of that process work to build relationships across identity groups, but the performance event did not come to fruition due to circumstances on the ground that impacted community safety.

 

Stats:

• 13 paid local artists

• 22 partner organizations

• 780 process participants

 

Partner Organizations:
Firehouse Community Arts Center; Free Street Theater; Hyde Park Arts Center; Igniting Minds; Innovation 80; KAM Isaiah Israel Congregation; Lawndale Pop Up Spot; Mikva Challenge; Partners for Sacred Places; Theater Y; The Simple Good; 773 Dance Project; A.B.L.E. Ensemble; Africa International House; Brightstar Church; Black Ensemble Theater; Chicago Children's Theater; Chicago Latino Theater Alliance; Civic Actor Studio (University of Chicago); Congregation Rodfei Zedek; FourtuneHouse; First Presbyterian Church (plus 25+ more not individually named on site).

 

Funders:
National Endowment for the Arts (2nd NEA grant); Innovation 80; Crown Family Philanthropies.