AV 72 Chicago began Phase One of the Austin Beautification Initiative recently. It’s a partnership with the Westside Health Authority Youth Employment Division + the Good Neighbor Campaign. All three teams combined outreach efforts to local business and property owners.
Chicago artists are just are excited about AV 72 Chicago’s energy regarding the value of key retail properties in the area.
The 2017 Call For Artist Campaign was an application process where Chicagoans could submit their work for public display. The goal here is to create a series of rotating art installations that will swap boarded up windows and doors with commissioned works of art.
A cohesive appearance will be brought along the corridor using these art selections as the conduit. Selected pieces will also be printed on vinyl banners to be displayed through out the area.
Youth Ambassadors connect with local business owners during daily briefings to leverage resources and determine the most effective ways to improve the Chicago Ave corridor. This year’s artists theme is ‘Black Culture and Community’ There are centers throughout the world, both ancient and modern that have resulted by descent from the movement of black people.
As AV 72 Chicago is home to Mandela Road, submissions that incorporate cultural representation across continents were encouraged. The process values uniformity not monotony; while separate pieces were submitted, they needed to be unified under a central theme.
In the coming months WHA will partner with Austin Coming Together’s Vanessa Creightney Stokes on an art installation program at Chicago Ave + Mandela Road. Vanessa is the Managing Director of her family’s Photography Foundation. Her dad, Dorrell Creightney opened Chicago’s first black owned photo studio. The rich family archive has over 300,000 photos. After art exhibitions in River North and Wicker Park the family is excited for an exhibition in Austin.
These locations are in the Phase One zone of the Austin Beautification Project.
1.Second to None Barber Shop
2. Chicago Public Library Austin Branch, 5615 W Race.
3. Healing Temple Chicago 4941 W. Chicago Ave.
4. Courtesy II Livery, 4950 W. Chicago Ave.
5. The Promise Church of Chicago 4821-23 W. Chicago Ave.
6. Alderman Mitts of the 37th Ward 4924 W. Chicago Ave.
7. City Sports 5430 W. Chicago Ave.
8. Family Dollar 5410 W. Chicago Ave.
–Nkosi
