The Stony Island Arts Bank

A unique cultural venue located on Chicago’s South Side, developed by artist and urban planner Theaster Gates. It serves as a hybrid gallery, library, media archive, and community center, aimed at preserving Black culture and artistic expression.

​

Re-opening with Public Hours in February - we are cooking up something special!

​

Kenwood Gardens

A community green space on the South Side whose aim is to transform vacant lots into hubs for art, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement. The garden features a sculpture park, artist studios, a permaculture food forest, and hosts educational and cultural events. 
 

Stay tuned for our upcoming 2025 Summer Programming

6929 S Kenwood Ave

Chicago, IL 60637

​

Dorchester Art & Housing Collaborative

An arts-focused residential community in Chicago's Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood. Developed with the Chicago Housing Authority, it transformed vacant public housing into a space for creativity and community. Completed in 2014, it features 32 townhomes with public housing, affordable, and market-rate units. The on-site Arts Center offers art programs and classes led by resident artists. 

​

Free weekly yoga classes by April Falcon begin in February 2025

​

Miyagi Records

As a member of our Creative Entrepreneurship Program, this Chicago record store specializes in soul, funk, jazz, hip-hop, and world music. Founded by DJs Maker and TREW in 2002, it opened its brick-and-mortar location in Hyde Park in 2023 on the University of Chicago's Arts Block. The store offers over 5,000 curated records and provides buying, selling, and trading services. It operates Thursday to Sunday, catering to vinyl enthusiasts with a focus on rare and classic sounds.

​

Tuesday - Wednesday

12:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Thursday - Sunday

12:00 PM to 7:00 PM

 

307 E Garfield Blvd
Chicago, IL 60637

​

AESOP at 95th St/Dan Ryan Station

AESOP (An Extended Song of Our People) is an interactive art installation and DJ booth at the 95th/Dan Ryan Red Line station in Chicago, created by Theaster Gates in 2019. It serves as both an artwork and a platform for live music, featuring local DJs and cultural programming. In 2024, live DJ performances returned to AESOP, enhancing the commuter experience. It is the first active radio and DJ booth in a U.S. rapid transit station, celebrating African American music and culture.

​

Resuming in the Summer of 2025  - With soul, spun with love

​

The Listening and Archive Houses

The Listening House, once a candy store, is now a cultural space with over 8,000 vinyl records, hosting music and community events. The Archive House, converted into a library and archive, serves as a resource center for music, poetry, and education. Both spaces reflect Gates's dedication to revitalizing neighborhoods through art and culture.

​

Open for intermittent programming.

Stay tuned for 2025 calendar.

​

St. Laurence Elementary School

The St. Laurence School in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood is being transformed into a cultural hub. The 40,000-square-foot space will offer artist studios, classrooms for creative entrepreneurship, and co-working areas. The project, supported by the city's Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, aims to foster arts and education while revitalizing the community, continuing our mission to support artists of color and create cultural spaces.

​

Opening in Late 2025

​