SOUTH SIDE COMMUNITY ART CENTER'S BEAM RAISING HERALDS NEW ERA

Mayor Brandon Johnson was part of the Beam Raising for the South Side Community Art Center.

Dignitaries, community leaders, and supporters gathered Friday, October 23rd, in front of the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) to celebrate a major milestone: the beam raising for the nearly $13 million reimagining of the 86-year-old institution.

Among those in attendance were U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Alderman Pat Dowell, Alderman Lamont Robinson, and DCASE Commissioner Kenya Merritt, joined by center executives, board members, and the team bringing the project to life, including architects Future Firm and construction firm Brown & Momen. Guests had the opportunity to sign the ceremonial beam, which will remain a permanent part of the center.

The project, in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, includes the rehabilitation of SSCAC’s landmarked home and a 10,000-square-foot, three-story addition. The expansion will provide new galleries, archive and collection storage, meeting and classroom space, and a new accessible entrance.

Speakers paid tribute to the center's illustrious founders, including Dr. Margaret Burroughs, Eldzier Cortor, Charles White, and Elizabeth Catlett, whose vision established one of the nation's most important cultural landmarks. Dedicated in 1940 by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the SSCAC has long served as a cornerstone of Black artistic excellence in Chicago.

The rehabilitation aims to restore and retain the center's historic elements while preparing the institution for the future. Phase one of the project is scheduled for completion in Spring 2027.