City of Chicago

Pigment International artists Marlon Tobias, Brenda Dickerson and Jeff Koonz guided residents through an exercise that will inform creative placemaking in Summit. On Saturday, April 25th, the Summit Community Network's creative placemaking initiative came alive with color, conversation, and community. Approximately 30 Summit residents gathered for a preliminary visioning session — painting, crafting mosaics, and assembling collages that will directly inform the design directi

Pastor John Hannah's New Life Covenant Church is actualizing the creation of Life in Color Gallery in the city's Grand Crossing neighborhood. A House Blessing ceremony marks the beginning of a new cultural chapter on Chicago's South Side Before a single painting is hung or a sculpture placed, the floor of Life in Color Gallery was already carrying something sacred. In a special ceremony, community members gathered at 7644 S. Greenwood Avenue in Chicago's Grand Crossing neighb

Pigment Salon Talk Glory! Glory! at Adler University. From left Phyliss North, Patricia Andrews-Keenan, Jane Carpenter-Rock, Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM); State Rep. Kimberly du Buclet; Lisa Coleman, PhD. President of Adler University; Artist D. Lammie-Hanson; Patrica Jones Blessman, PhD.; Valerie Francis, Knowhere Gallery, and Allison Casselberry. Spring Art Week Chicago 2026: A Roundup We go deeper on specifics in later issues — this week, let the photos do the

Martha Wade at William Blair, her 3D chair, and work by Briana McNeil Scott. On Wednesday, at William Blair , Martha Wade debuted not just new work, but her work took new form when she created a chair. Wade's calm, consistency and commitment to community shone through in her interview with Blair’s curator Isidora K. Lagos under the theme Expressive Journeys: The panel of self-taught artists also included Grace Federighi, Briana McNeil, and O’Neil Scott.

Sonja Henderson and Sadie Wood's Lakefront installation. Sadie Woods and Sonja Henderson’s We Still Here is a temporal monument response situated along Chicago’s lakefront at Lake Shore Drive and Belmont, in the shadow of General Philip Sheridan. The installation reclaims space through an evocative assembly of bones, metal, and feathers, honoring layered histories while challenging dominant narratives. A diverse crowd gathered in celebration of spirituality and environmental

As the United States stands on the threshold of its 250th Anniversary, Pigment International® invites Chicago’s cultural community to a landmark gathering during Spring Art Week 2026. The Pigment International Salon Talk will convene artists, institution leaders, policymakers, and patrons for an intimate morning of dialogue, reflection, and celebration—timed to coincide with Spring Art Week in the city. Pigment International continues its focus on national identity, ancestr

Ra Joy, Executive Director Bronzeville Center For The Arts (BCA) This year America will celebrate its semi-quincentennial and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. As the nation reflects on its founding, it also finds itself wrestling with fundamental questions around what we choose to remember, who we choose to honor, what we collectively celebrate, and why it all matters. With America’s 250th birthday rapidly approaching, the stakes are high. Poli

Artwork Orbiting by Alma Thomas Curators, artists, and arts professionals gather for a landmark series of conversations during Spring Art Week Dialogues, presented by Northern Trust, brings together curators, artists, and arts professionals for a series of panel discussions, forums, and artistic discourse on the themes defining contemporary culture. Highlights include a reflection on the legacy of Alma Thomas featuring artists Lindsay Adams and Amanda Williams alongside cur

Photo by Barrington Darius When Frieze tapped Essence Harden to curate the Profile section of Expo Chicago 2026, it wasn't simply a curatorial appointment — it was a statement about what the fair intends to become. Multi-generational Bay Area roots, an academic foundation in African Diaspora Studies, and a practice built on long-term relationships with artists: Harden arrives in Chicago as someone who understands what it means to belong to a place before you've ever lived t

Pigment International will present Women of the Wall , a Pigment Salon Talk marking the closing of the Glory! Glory! exhibition on Friday, February 20 from 6–8 pm at the Zhou B Art Center . The panel will feature artist Arlene Crawford, Janice Bond , Executive Director of the Chicago Public Art Group ; interdisciplinary artist Dorian Sylvain , whose work is part of the public art program at the Obama Presidential Center ; and Brenda Dickerson , an arts advocate dedi

Rush Baker IV, Monica Haslip, and Vicki Heyman were in conversation with Rufus Willaims at Zhou B Art Center as Glory! Glory! continues. On Friday, March 13, Zhou B Art Center became a sanctuary for honest, searching dialogue when Glory! Glory! — the exhibition celebrating the nation's 250th anniversary through the lens of Black artists — hosted a panel discussion as powerful as the work on its walls. WVON radio host Rufus Williams set the tone immediately, inviting the

From top left: Pigment founders Patricia Andrews-Keenan and Phyliss North, work by Candace Hunter, artist panel Robert Lewis Clark, Reggie McFly, Paul Branton, and Nnaemeka Ekwelum; Middle row: work by Candace Hunter, Patricia Jones Blessman, and former U.S. Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun, and champagne toast. Bottom row: Pigment merchandise, Vicki and Bruce Heyman, former Ambassador to Canada, with grandson Levi, Sylvia Ewing, and Pat Everett. Photos by Thought P

Opening Night of Glory! Glory at Zhou B Art Center Pigment International continues the momentum of Glory! Glory! with an evening of critical dialogue and cultural inquiry. On Friday, March 13 at 6:00 PM , Glory! Glory! Salon Talk will convene artists, civic leaders, and political voices for a moderated conversation examining the intersection of art, civic engagement, and politics. Panelists will explore how creative practice can function as civic discourse—how visual langua

CHICAGO NAMED BEST BIG CITY IN AMERICA NINTH YEAR IN A ROW Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson join Choose Chicago to celebrate an amazing year for tourism in the city. Named the Best Big City in the U.S. for an unprecedented ninth consecutive year by Conde Nast Traveler, Chicago is recognized for its world-class art, dining, iconic architecture, and vibrant culture. Pigment International, a Choose Chicago partner, attended the celebration. HAPP