Arts+Public Life, an initiative of UChicago Arts

As a neighborhood platform for arts and culture in Washington Park, Arts + Public Life (APL) is an initiative of UChicago Arts at the University of Chicago launched in 2011 that provides residencies for Black and Brown artists and creative entrepreneurs, arts education for youth, and artist-led programming and exhibitions.

Arts + Public Life operates on the Arts Block, a vibrant collection of cultural and commercial spaces along Garfield Boulevard between Prairie Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive in Washington Park.

APL’s community partnership model demonstrates the power of the arts to transform communities. We support a rich ecosystem of artists, youth, and entrepreneurs of color who are the cornerstones of our thriving neighborhoods and catalysts for a vibrant Washington Park and South Side.