![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037627/zzvinsuwdp4awrrpyyha.jpg\")
Exterior view of South Side Community Art Center renovation and addition, at night, from S. Michigan Ave. Courtesy SSCAC & Future Firm.
VIA PR
CHICAGO – The South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC), the country’s oldest, independently run, and continuously operating Black arts institution, today announced its planned rehabilitation and expansion. An official Community Design Unveiling will be held on February 22 at 1:00 pm at Apostolic Faith Church, 3823 S Indiana Ave. SSCAC invites those interested in learning more about the project to attend. SSCAC’s mission is developing and showcasing Black artists at every stage of their careers.
The addition and rehabilitation project is estimated to cost up to $15M. Designed by Future Firm (architect), wrkSHäp kiloWatt (historic preservation architect), and to be built by a joint venture of general contractors Brown & Momen, Inc. and Berglund Construction, with the advice of URBAN ReSOLVE (development advisor), the project will add over 10,000 square feet of space to the Center, which will expand visitor capacity by 398%, and provide accessibility to people with disabilities. The development team is diverse and local.
The project will expand the Center’s capacity for exhibitions, art practice, research, and community engagement. Upon completion SSCAC will be able to facilitate many more exhibitions and interactions with Black artists while increasing access for community members, researchers, arts administrators, historians, and educators.
The Center is working closely with the development team, including consultants and contractors, to ensure that the project aligns with SSCAC’s values and it advances equity and community-based development opportunities. Project-enabling work continues over the next few months, with plans to begin construction of the addition and rehabilitation of the historic house later in 2025, and plans to complete the project in late 2026.
![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037628/cpnrzjvflaizlfuyukwd.jpg\")
Exterior aerial view of South Side Community Art Center addition, including universally accessible entry ramp. Courtesy SSCAC & Future Firm.
The rehabilitation and expansion are supported by the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Arts Council, the Driehaus Foundation, Terra Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Commonwealth Edison, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation (Climate Initiative) as well as other generous private donors.
The rehabilitation and expansion plan utilizes design approaches that honor the building’s historic character while introducing new spaces and upgraded building technology to meet the needs of the next generation of artists and visitors, and the Center’s significant on-site archives.
The addition, planned for the rear of the original building, will provide a backdrop to SSCAC’s historic facade, creating a clear dialogue between the past and future. State-of-the-art systems, including a geothermal well field and solar-ready roof, will support the project’s LEED Silver goal, reflecting SSCAC’s commitment to sustainability and efficient operations for decades to come. New museum-grade galleries will provide spaces to preserve and exhibit SSCAC’s collection and loaned works. New flexible classrooms, improved archival storage areas, and updated office spaces will equip the center to support artists, educators, and staff. A rooftop gathering space will provide much-needed event space.
A new stepped terrace, evoking the original and iconic front stoop of the Center, will further connect SSCAC to its neighborhood, welcoming Bronzeville residents and visitors alike. The project will both expand and modernize the Center, while honoring its rich legacy. The building’s facade will celebrate the pattern of nail holes found in the historic Margaret T. Burroughs Gallery, through the implementation of a custom perforated exterior panel system. Evocative of the nail holes created by previous generations of artists’ exhibiting in the gallery, the exterior panel system creates a symbolic link to the past, while allowing dappled natural light to enter the Center, creating an ethereal space and place to celebrate the work of Black artists for generations to come.
SSCAC was named a Chicago Landmark in 1994, a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2017, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018. The Center's transformation builds on its 85-year legacy as a hub for Black visual art and culture, creating a space that honors its storied history while embracing a sustainable and inclusive future.
![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1748037628/z2zrtrf99mlxmfccfxxh.jpg\")
Interior view of historic ballroom in South Side Community Art Center. Courtesy SSCAC & Future Firm.
Founded in 1940 by preeminent Black artists of the day, the South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) is where both established and emerging creators find their voice. At that time, Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs was one of the center's youngest members, and she would go on to leave an indelible legacy upon Chicago's art ecosystem. As it has for over eight decades, the center accomplishes its mission through dynamic educational programs, exhibitions, talks, and always a focus on community. It has stood as a beacon for the arts, serving as a vital resource locally, nationally, and internationally.
“Sitting on the shoulders of those who came before us, we are thrilled to be able to preserve the legacy of the South Side Community Art Center, while creating space to celebrate and inspire the next generation of Black artists,” said Monique Brinkman-Hill, Executive Director of the SSCAC. “As we celebrate over 85 years in operation, we look forward to continuing our work with the development team and members of our community to ensure our historic home and expanded campus will continue to serve this community for the next 85 years.”
With experience working on Chicago’s South and West sides, Future Firm has a strong commitment to the power of architecture to contribute to a more equitable and thriving community combined with a focus on arts and culture projects. Their recent projects include the Bronzeville Winery, Justice of the Pies, The Silver Room, Revolution Workshop, and the new Korean Art Gallery at the Art Institute of Chicago.
\"We are excited and honored to collaborate with South Side Community Arts Center, to use architecture and design to support the organization's mission of creating space for Black artists and their work,” said Ann Lui, principal of Future Firm. “We describe ourselves as architects for changemakers and are so excited to help provide flexible, functional, and memorable spaces for SSCAC that will serve the organization and its community at large. It's an exciting opportunity to look for ways a building can help to do that work: from the scale of a single wood panel to a spatial vision for growth and change in the coming decades.\"
As the oldest Black art center in the United States still operating with its original mission in its original location, the SSCAC and Future Firm are working closely with wrkSHäp | kiloWatt to preserve its legacy while creating space to support the artists of the future.
“As a little girl growing up in Chicago’s South Side and South Suburbs, I learned about Dr. Margaret Burroughs’ incredible legacy as an SSCAC founder from my parents and maternal grandmother who lived near SSCAC,” said k. kennedy Whiters, RA, principal of wrkSHäp | kiloWatt. “Decades later, as a preservation architect, I am excited to support the SSCAC community in ensuring that the future of its Bronzeville home is a sustainable one that honors its historic fabric and meets the needs of the present and the future.”
“I am thrilled that the City of Chicago has joined the State and many foundations and individuals to make this project a reality,” said Third Ward Alderperson Pat Dowell. “I am also excited that the entire project team is committed to ensuring that this project benefits our community - both during construction and long into the South Side Community Art Center’s future.”
\"As a longtime advocate for minority contractors in Chicago, I’m proud this project creates meaningful opportunities for diversity while supporting the cultural growth of the South Side Community Arts Center,\" said Ernest Brown, President & Founder of Brown & Momen, Inc. \"For me, this project represents more than just construction—it’s an opportunity to enrich the cultural fabric of the Bronzeville community,” said Hansel Whiteurst, Senior Vice President of the building division of Berglund Construction. “It’s a privilege to be part of a project that will provide a space for artistic expression and create lasting opportunities for local engagement and growth.\"
“We are thrilled that after 85 years, we can build on the vision of Margaret Burroughs and so many other artists in our community to create a space that will inspire the next generation of artists, celebrate Black art, and create real impact not only in Bronzeville but across Chicago and beyond,” said Twyler Jenkins, Co-President of the South Side Community Art Center Board.
","published_at":"2025-01-22 22:30:16.7","state":"published","slug":"south-side-community-art-center-announces-15m-expansion-and-rehabilitation","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2025-05-23 22:00:29.761","updated_at":"2025-05-23 22:00:29.761","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'00':74B '000':164B '1':73B '10':163B '15m':7A,122B '1940':736B '1994':660B '2017':672B '2018':684B '2025':296B '2026':305B '22':71B '3823':80B '398':178B '85':692B,888B,925B,1403B 'abl':214B,849B 'access':181B,227B,318B 'accomplish':801B 'across':1446B 'add':161B 'addit':21B,112B,287B,315B,417B 'administr':233B 'advanc':262B 'advic':152B 'advisor':157B 'advoc':1299B 'aerial':307B 'alderperson':1260B 'align':255B 'alik':557B 'allow':628B 'also':1265B 'alway':811B 'ann':1028B 'announc':6A,55B 'apostol':77B 'approach':379B 'architect':127B,132B,1038B,1197B 'architectur':947B,1009B 'archiv':415B,503B 'area':505B 'art':4A,17B,39B,52B,203B,232B,313B,348B,448B,701B,728B,748B,790B,824B,859B,962B,986B,990B,1005B,1106B,1292B,1325B,1436B,1461B 'artist':104B,224B,404B,516B,611B,648B,740B,873B,1023B,1143B,1387B,1418B,1433B 'attend':95B 'ave':27B,83B 'backdrop':429B 'ballroom':723B 'base':267B 'beacon':821B 'begin':283B 'benefit':1279B 'berglund':148B,1369B 'beyond':1449B 'black':51B,103B,223B,647B,699B,739B,872B,1022B,1105B,1435B 'board':1463B 'brinkman':877B 'brinkman-hil':876B 'bronzevill':553B,971B,1213B,1356B,1444B 'brown':144B,1329B,1333B 'build':383B,393B,425B,573B,689B,1075B,1366B,1407B 'built':136B 'burrough':589B,768B,1166B,1413B 'came':841B 'campus':915B 'capac':176B,200B 'career':110B 'celebr':577B,643B,865B,886B,1434B 'center':5A,18B,40B,171B,198B,238B,314B,409B,513B,544B,566B,635B,686B,729B,749B,773B,800B,860B,1006B,1107B,1293B,1326B,1462B 'chang':1097B 'changemak':1040B 'charact':386B 'chicago':34B,335B,657B,788B,931B,993B,1154B,1241B,1304B,1447B 'church':79B 'citi':333B,1239B 'classroom':501B 'clear':437B 'climat':363B 'close':241B,1129B 'co':1454B 'co-presid':1453B 'collabor':1000B 'collect':495B 'combin':957B 'come':480B,652B,1100B 'commerc':342B 'commit':471B,942B,1273B 'commonwealth':357B 'communiti':3A,16B,38B,63B,207B,229B,266B,312B,727B,747B,815B,858B,907B,921B,956B,1004B,1062B,1205B,1281B,1291B,1324B,1357B,1421B,1460B 'community-bas':265B 'complet':210B,300B 'connect':547B 'construct':149B,284B,1284B,1344B,1370B 'consult':247B 'continu':49B,274B,896B,917B 'contractor':143B,249B,1302B 'contribut':949B 'cost':119B 'council':349B 'countri':43B 'courtesi':28B,321B,730B 'creat':435B,606B,620B,636B,704B,862B,1019B,1138B,1310B,1390B,1423B,1438B 'creator':757B 'cultur':703B,964B,1318B,1352B 'custom':596B 'dappl':629B 'day':743B 'decad':478B,798B,1101B,1192B 'depart':340B 'describ':1035B 'design':64B,123B,378B,1011B 'develop':100B,156B,187B,244B,268B,901B 'dialogu':438B 'director':880B 'disabl':185B 'divers':190B,1314B 'divis':1367B 'donor':371B 'dowel':1262B 'dr':764B,1164B 'driehaus':351B 'dynam':805B 'econom':344B 'ecosystem':791B 'edison':358B 'educ':236B,517B,806B 'effici':475B 'eight':797B 'embrac':713B 'emerg':756B 'enabl':272B 'engag':208B,1395B 'enrich':1350B 'ensur':251B,909B,1207B,1275B 'enter':633B 'entir':1269B 'entri':319B 'equip':511B 'equit':953B 'equiti':263B 'ernest':1328B 'establish':754B 'estim':117B 'ether':638B 'event':529B 'everi':106B 'evoc':601B 'evok':535B 'excit':996B,1044B,1068B,1200B,1266B 'execut':879B 'exhibit':202B,219B,492B,612B,808B 'expand':174B,196B,562B,914B 'expans':8A,60B,328B,375B 'experi':928B 'express':1388B 'exterior':11B,306B,598B,617B 'fabric':1223B,1353B 'facad':434B,575B 'facilit':216B 'faith':78B 'februari':70B 'feet':166B 'field':454B 'find':758B 'firm':31B,126B,324B,733B,938B,1033B,1126B 'flexibl':500B,1048B 'focus':813B,960B 'forward':894B 'found':583B,734B 'foundat':352B,354B,356B,362B,1248B 'founder':1172B,1331B 'frankenthal':361B 'front':540B 'function':1049B 'futur':30B,125B,323B,443B,718B,732B,937B,1032B,1125B,1146B,1210B,1233B,1295B 'galleri':485B,590B,615B,987B 'gather':522B 'general':142B 'generat':402B,609B,650B,870B,1431B 'generous':369B 'geotherm':452B 'girl':1150B 'go':780B 'goal':467B 'grade':484B 'grandmoth':1178B 'grow':1151B 'growth':1095B,1319B,1397B 'hansel':1359B 'held':68B 'helen':360B 'help':1046B,1077B 'hill':878B 'histor':130B,292B,385B,433B,586B,669B,681B,722B,911B,1222B 'histori':711B 'historian':234B 'hole':582B,605B 'home':912B,1214B 'honor':381B,568B,708B,998B,1220B 'hous':293B 'hub':697B 'icon':539B 'illinoi':339B,347B 'impact':1440B 'implement':593B 'improv':502B 'inc':146B,1335B 'includ':246B,316B,450B,969B 'inclus':717B 'increas':226B 'incred':1167B 'indel':785B 'independ':46B 'indiana':82B 'individu':1250B 'initi':364B 'inspir':867B,1428B 'institut':53B,991B 'interact':221B 'interest':87B 'interior':719B 'intern':833B 'introduc':388B 'invit':85B 'jenkin':1452B 'join':1243B 'joint':139B 'justic':973B 'k':1184B 'kennedi':1185B 'kilowatt':129B,1132B,1191B 'korean':985B 'landmark':658B 'larg':1064B 'last':1391B 'late':304B 'later':294B,1193B 'learn':89B,1162B 'leav':783B 'leed':465B 'legaci':571B,694B,786B,853B,1136B,1168B 'light':631B 'link':623B 'list':675B 'littl':1149B 'live':1180B 'loan':497B 'local':192B,830B,1394B 'locat':1121B 'long':1286B 'longtim':1298B 'look':893B,1071B 'lui':1029B 'm':1306B 'make':1252B 'mani':217B,1247B,1416B 'margaret':587B,765B,1165B,1412B 'matern':1177B 'meaning':1311B 'meet':396B,1225B 'mellon':355B 'member':230B,776B,904B 'memor':1051B 'michigan':26B 'minor':1301B 'mission':98B,803B,1017B,1117B 'modern':564B 'momen':145B,1334B 'moniqu':875B 'month':279B 'much':527B 'much-need':526B 'museum':483B 'museum-grad':482B 'nail':581B,604B 'name':655B 'nation':662B,666B,678B,831B 'natur':630B 'near':1181B 'need':398B,528B,1227B 'neighborhood':551B 'new':389B,481B,499B,532B,984B 'next':277B,401B,869B,924B,1430B 'night':23B 'offic':508B 'offici':62B 'oldest':45B,1104B 'on-sit':412B 'one':770B,1218B 'oper':50B,476B,891B,1113B 'opportun':269B,345B,1069B,1312B,1348B,1392B 'organ':1015B,1059B 'origin':424B,537B,1116B,1120B 'panel':599B,618B,1089B 'parent':1175B 'part':1377B 'past':441B,626B 'pat':1261B 'pattern':579B 'peopl':183B 'perfor':597B 'pie':976B 'place':641B,682B 'plan':57B,281B,298B,376B,418B 'pm':75B 'power':945B 'pr':33B 'practic':204B 'preemin':738B 'present':1230B 'preserv':131B,490B,670B,851B,1134B,1196B 'presid':1330B,1363B,1455B 'previous':608B 'princip':1030B,1188B 'privat':370B 'privileg':1374B 'program':807B 'project':93B,115B,159B,194B,254B,271B,302B,463B,559B,965B,968B,1254B,1270B,1278B,1309B,1339B,1380B 'project-en':270B 'proud':1307B 'provid':180B,427B,487B,525B,1047B,1383B 'ra':1187B 'ramp':320B 'readi':458B 'real':1439B 'realiti':1256B 'rear':421B 'recent':967B 'reflect':468B 'regist':679B 'rehabilit':10A,58B,114B,289B,326B,373B 'renov':19B 'repres':1340B 'research':205B,231B 'resid':554B 'resolv':155B 'resourc':829B 'revolut':980B 'rich':570B 'roof':459B 'rooftop':521B 'room':979B 'run':47B 'said':874B,1027B,1183B,1257B,1327B,1358B,1450B 'scale':1084B 'senior':1361B 'serv':825B,919B,1057B 'shoulder':837B 'showcas':102B 'side':2A,15B,37B,311B,726B,746B,857B,936B,1003B,1157B,1290B,1323B,1459B 'signific':411B 'silver':466B,978B 'singl':1087B 'sit':834B 'site':414B 'solar':457B 'solar-readi':456B 'south':1A,14B,36B,310B,725B,745B,856B,933B,1002B,1156B,1159B,1289B,1322B,1458B 'space':168B,390B,488B,509B,523B,530B,639B,706B,863B,1020B,1052B,1139B,1385B,1425B 'spatial':1092B 'squar':165B 'sscac':29B,41B,84B,96B,211B,257B,322B,431B,469B,493B,548B,653B,731B,750B,883B,1054B,1123B,1171B,1182B,1204B 'staff':519B 'stage':107B 'state':337B,445B,1111B,1245B 'state-of-the-art':444B 'step':533B 'still':1112B 'stood':818B 'stoop':541B 'storag':504B 'stori':710B 'strong':941B 'suburb':1160B 'support':330B,461B,515B,1013B,1141B,1202B,1316B 'sustain':473B,715B,1217B 'symbol':622B 'system':449B,600B,619B 'talk':809B 'taylor':767B 'taylor-burrough':766B 'team':188B,245B,902B,1271B 'technolog':394B 'terra':353B 'terrac':534B 'third':1258B 'thrill':846B,1236B,1400B 'thrive':955B 'time':763B 'today':54B 'transform':688B 'treasur':663B 'trust':667B 'twyler':1451B 'unit':1110B 'univers':317B 'unveil':65B 'updat':507B 'upgrad':392B 'upon':209B,787B 'urban':154B 'us':843B 'use':1008B 'util':377B 'valu':259B 'ventur':140B 'via':32B 'vice':1362B 'view':12B,308B,720B 'vision':1093B,1410B 'visitor':175B,406B,556B 'visual':700B 'vital':828B 'voic':760B 'ward':1259B 'way':1073B 'welcom':552B 'well':366B,453B 'west':935B 'whiter':1186B 'whiteurst':1360B 'wineri':972B 'wood':1088B 'work':240B,273B,498B,645B,898B,929B,1026B,1081B,1128B 'workshop':981B 'would':779B 'wrkshäp':128B,1131B,1190B 'year':693B,889B,926B,1404B 'youngest':775B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/f_auto,q_auto/v1737606873/curwcm5lfi2jkooyqviz.jpg","editor_pick":false,"category_name":"Announcements"},"related":[{"id":14456,"title":"Illinois Holocaust Museum to Reopen November 11 Following Renovation","excerpt":"","body":"![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084737/qrikvx76nvvt5agq24rq.jpg\")
By CGN STAFF
Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center will reopen its Skokie location on November 11, 2026, following a renovation that expands visitor spaces, updates its core Holocaust exhibition and adds a new reflection gallery. The reopening is timed to coincide with Veterans Day. Active military personnel, veterans and their families will receive free admission that day.
The project includes a redesigned Lillian & Larry Goodman Auditorium and Gallery, an enlarged lobby in the Shapiro Family Foundation Welcome Center, and a refreshed Resilience Hall with an expanded stage for presentations and public programs.
Updates to the Zev & Shifra Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition include additional material on the roots of antisemitism, the story of Chicago resident Leo Edelman, and the experiences of other groups targeted by the Nazis. A new reflection gallery, accessible from the exhibition, offers visitors a quiet space during and after their visit.
“Every visitor’s experience now begins differently and runs deeper,” said Kelley Szany, the Museum’s senior vice president of education and exhibitions. “The new welcome center sets the tone from the moment people arrive, the enhanced core Holocaust exhibition brings the history and the voices of survivors into sharper focus, and our new auditorium gives us a place to gather, listen, and talk about what it means for our communities today.”
Existing attractions, including the virtual reality theater, the interactive Survivor Stories Experience holographic theater, the Take A Stand Center and the Voices of Genocide Exhibition, will remain part of the Museum’s offerings.
Following the reopening, Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare will open November 15 in the special exhibition gallery. Created by and on loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee, the exhibition examines the intersections of politics, antisemitism, freedom of speech and national security during the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s. It will remain on view through March 2027.
The Museum’s satellite location in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, Experience360, will remain open through December 31, 2026. The downtown space opened during the Skokie renovation to provide continued access to the Museum’s immersive exhibitions.
For information and ticket reservations, visit ilholocaustmuseum.org.
Image: Museum exterior. Photo by David Seide/Definedspace.com
","published_at":"2026-10-15 09:32:55.31","state":"published","slug":"illinois-holocaust-museum-to-reopen-november-11-following-renovation","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-15 17:18:57.712","updated_at":"2026-10-15 17:18:57.712","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'11':7A,25B '15':269B '1940s':304B '1950s':306B '2026':26B,333B '2027':314B '31':332B 'access':139B,345B 'activ':54B 'add':40B 'addit':111B 'admiss':64B 'antisemit':117B,291B 'arriv':187B 'attract':226B 'auditorium':75B,207B 'begin':158B 'blacklist':261B 'bring':193B 'center':17B,87B,179B,243B 'cgn':11B 'chicago':121B,321B 'coincid':50B 'communiti':223B 'continu':344B 'core':36B,190B 'creat':275B 'david':364B 'day':53B,66B 'decemb':331B 'deeper':162B 'differ':159B 'downtown':335B 'edelman':124B 'educ':16B,173B 'enhanc':189B 'enlarg':79B 'everi':153B 'examin':286B 'exhibit':38B,109B,142B,175B,192B,249B,273B,285B,351B 'exist':225B 'expand':31B,95B 'experi':127B,156B,236B 'experience360':326B 'exterior':361B 'famili':60B,84B 'focus':203B 'follow':8A,27B,258B 'foundat':85B 'free':63B 'freedom':292B 'galleri':44B,77B,138B,274B 'gather':213B 'genocid':248B 'give':208B 'goodman':74B 'group':130B 'hall':92B 'histori':195B 'hollywood':263B 'holocaust':2A,14B,37B,108B,191B 'holograph':237B 'ilholocaustmuseum.org':358B 'illinoi':1A,13B 'imag':359B 'immers':350B 'includ':69B,110B,227B 'inform':353B 'interact':233B 'intersect':288B 'jewish':281B 'karkomi':107B 'kelley':164B 'larri':73B 'leo':123B 'lillian':72B 'listen':214B 'loan':279B 'lobbi':80B 'locat':22B,319B 'march':313B 'materi':112B 'mean':220B 'militari':55B 'milwauke':283B 'moment':185B 'museum':3A,15B,167B,255B,282B,316B,348B,360B 'nation':296B 'nazi':134B 'neighborhood':325B 'new':42B,136B,177B,206B 'north':324B 'novemb':6A,24B,268B 'offer':143B,257B 'open':267B,329B,337B 'part':252B 'peopl':186B 'personnel':56B 'photo':362B 'place':211B 'polit':290B 'present':98B 'presid':171B 'program':101B 'project':68B 'provid':343B 'public':100B 'quiet':146B 'realiti':230B 'receiv':62B 'red':264B,300B 'redesign':71B 'reflect':43B,137B 'refresh':90B 'remain':251B,309B,328B 'renov':9A,29B,341B 'reopen':5A,19B,46B,260B 'reserv':356B 'resid':122B 'resili':91B 'river':323B 'root':115B 'run':161B 'said':163B 'satellit':318B 'scare':265B,301B 'secur':297B 'seide/definedspace.com':365B 'senior':169B 'set':180B 'shapiro':83B 'sharper':202B 'shifra':106B 'skoki':21B,340B 'space':33B,147B,336B 'special':272B 'speech':294B 'staff':12B 'stage':96B 'stand':242B 'stori':119B,235B 'survivor':200B,234B 'szani':165B 'take':240B 'talk':216B 'target':131B 'theater':231B,238B 'ticket':355B 'time':48B 'today':224B 'tone':182B 'updat':34B,102B 'us':209B 'veteran':52B,57B 'vice':170B 'view':311B 'virtual':229B 'visit':152B,357B 'visitor':32B,144B,154B 'voic':198B,246B 'welcom':86B,178B 'zev':105B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084731/ziynfdisvbupniolikjr.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":14357,"title":"As One New Fair Opens another Familiar Name Announces Its Return in 2027","excerpt":null,"body":"![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791471661/j25vt7cxeohehapkz9n1.jpg\")
By GINNY VAN ALYEA
SOFA Chicago, the longtime fair devoted to sculpture, objects, functional art and collectible design, will return to the city October 28–31, 2027, as part of Chicago Art Fair at THE MART, which opened its inaugural edition last night.
Founded in Chicago in 1994, SOFA became a popular fixture on the city’s fall arts calendar. For much of its history, collectors and visitors gathered at Navy Pier to discover works in glass, ceramics, wood, metal and fiber, alongside sculpture and design. Its focus on materials and craftsmanship gave the fair a distinct identity and cultivated a devoted audience.
The announcement comes as the inaugural Chicago Art Fair gets underway at THE MART. The new fair opened with a preview on October 7 and continues through October 10, presenting modern and contemporary art. Tim von Gal, CEO and producer of SOFA Chicago and CEO of Intersect Art and Design, was in Chicago this week for the occasion.
Organizers describe the 2027 collaboration as two distinct but complementary presentations under one roof, with SOFA’s focus on three-dimensional art and design alongside Chicago Art Fair’s broader offerings.
“Chicago has always been an extraordinary home for SOFA and a city with a deep appreciation for art, craft, architecture and design,” said von Gal in the announcement. “Joining the Chicago Art Fair at THE MART gives us the opportunity to build upon that legacy while creating an exciting new experience for collectors and exhibitors alike.”
Eric Smith, owner of Chicago Art Fair and CEO of Redwood Art Group, said the addition would broaden the fair’s scope while preserving SOFA’s identity.
“SOFA has a remarkable legacy and a distinct identity, and its return adds an important new dimension to the fair while reinforcing Chicago’s position as a destination for collectors, galleries and art lovers from around the world,” Smith said.
For those who remember SOFA as an annual opportunity to encounter ambitious work in craft and design, the return will be welcome news. The participating galleries and programming, still to be announced, will provide a fuller picture of how that legacy will take shape in its new setting.
SOFA Chicago is produced by Intersect Art and Design, which also organizes annual art and design fairs in Aspen and Palm Springs.
Additional details about exhibitors, partnerships and tickets are expected in the coming months.
Visit chicagoartfair.com for updates.
","published_at":"2026-10-08 08:42:55.758","state":"published","slug":"as-one-new-fair-opens-another-familiar-name-announces-its-return-in-2027","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-08 15:01:02.232","updated_at":"2026-10-08 15:01:02.232","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'10':145B '1994':61B '2027':13A,40B,178B '28':38B '31':39B '7':140B 'add':302B 'addit':278B,400B 'alik':262B 'alongsid':96B,200B 'also':388B 'alway':209B 'alyea':17B 'ambiti':341B 'announc':9A,118B,234B,361B 'annual':337B,390B 'anoth':6A 'appreci':222B 'architectur':226B 'around':325B 'art':28B,45B,72B,124B,150B,164B,197B,202B,224B,238B,268B,274B,322B,384B,391B 'aspen':396B 'audienc':116B 'becam':63B 'broaden':280B 'broader':205B 'build':248B 'calendar':73B 'ceo':154B,161B,271B 'ceram':91B 'chicago':19B,44B,59B,123B,159B,169B,201B,207B,237B,267B,312B,379B 'chicagoartfair.com':414B 'citi':36B,69B,218B 'collabor':179B 'collect':30B 'collector':79B,259B,319B 'come':119B,411B 'complementari':184B 'contemporari':149B 'continu':142B 'craft':225B,344B 'craftsmanship':105B 'creat':253B 'cultiv':113B 'deep':221B 'describ':176B 'design':31B,99B,166B,199B,228B,346B,386B,393B 'destin':317B 'detail':401B 'devot':23B,115B 'dimens':306B 'dimension':196B 'discov':87B 'distinct':110B,182B,297B 'edit':54B 'encount':340B 'eric':263B 'excit':255B 'exhibitor':261B,403B 'expect':408B 'experi':257B 'extraordinari':212B 'fair':4A,22B,46B,108B,125B,133B,203B,239B,269B,282B,309B,394B 'fall':71B 'familiar':7A 'fiber':95B 'fixtur':66B 'focus':101B,192B 'found':57B 'fuller':365B 'function':27B 'gal':153B,231B 'galleri':320B,355B 'gather':82B 'gave':106B 'get':126B 'ginni':15B 'give':243B 'glass':90B 'group':275B 'histori':78B 'home':213B 'ident':111B,289B,298B 'import':304B 'inaugur':53B,122B 'intersect':163B,383B 'join':235B 'last':55B 'legaci':251B,294B,370B 'longtim':21B 'lover':323B 'mart':49B,130B,242B 'materi':103B 'metal':93B 'modern':147B 'month':412B 'much':75B 'name':8A 'navi':84B 'new':3A,132B,256B,305B,376B 'news':352B 'night':56B 'object':26B 'occas':174B 'octob':37B,139B,144B 'offer':206B 'one':2A,187B 'open':5A,51B,134B 'opportun':246B,338B 'organ':175B,389B 'owner':265B 'palm':398B 'part':42B 'particip':354B 'partnership':404B 'pictur':366B 'pier':85B 'popular':65B 'posit':314B 'present':146B,185B 'preserv':286B 'preview':137B 'produc':156B,381B 'program':357B 'provid':363B 'redwood':273B 'reinforc':311B 'remark':293B 'rememb':333B 'return':11A,33B,301B,348B 'roof':188B 'said':229B,276B,329B 'scope':284B 'sculptur':25B,97B 'set':377B 'shape':373B 'smith':264B,328B 'sofa':18B,62B,158B,190B,215B,287B,290B,334B,378B 'spring':399B 'still':358B 'take':372B 'three':195B 'three-dimension':194B 'ticket':406B 'tim':151B 'two':181B 'underway':127B 'updat':416B 'upon':249B 'us':244B 'van':16B 'visit':413B 'visitor':81B 'von':152B,230B 'week':171B 'welcom':351B 'wood':92B 'work':88B,342B 'world':327B 'would':279B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791471648/qlsatdxqgau2braeekxu.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":14324,"title":"Pigment International Dedicates Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Richard Hunt","excerpt":"","body":"![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791479103/r9oi9u47474rx2synx0p.png\")
The artist Richard Hunt
By CGN Staff
Pigment International has dedicated Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt (1935–2023), recognizing his contributions to American art and his lifelong connection to the city.
As part of the month’s programming, the organization will host Pigmented: Chicago to the World — A Black Fine Art Convening on October 23 at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts. Partners include the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation, Adler University, CAI Designs, Chicago Public Art Group, Chicago Sculpture Exhibit and Diasporal Rhythms.
Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Hunt developed an internationally recognized practice while continuing to live and work in his hometown. His welded metal sculptures brought together abstract forms, references to the natural world and an enduring interest in freedom and social justice.
Hunt identified attending Emmett Till’s funeral in 1955 as a turning point in his artistic life. Till had lived just two blocks from Hunt’s home. Decades later, Hunt’s public commissions would honor figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens and Ida B. Wells, while also addressing the Middle Passage and the Great Migration.
In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Hunt to the National Council on the Arts, where he became its first African American member. In 1971, at age 35, he became the first African American sculptor to receive a retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. His career encompassed more than 150 solo exhibitions and more than 160 public art installations.
![](\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791479104/lltcodkx39gd8sbhtus1.png\")
Richard Hunt with artist Chris Devins, who recently completed a mural honoring the sculptor in Hyde Park. Photo courtesy of Chris Devins.
Recent projects in Chicago offer new ways to encounter Hunt’s work and history. This fall, the Logan Center opened the Hunt, a café honoring the artist. Created and designed by Little Black Pearl founder and executive director Monica Haslip, the space incorporates two Hunt sculptures, African art, archival materials and photographs by Sandro Miller.
In Hyde Park, artist Chris Devins and historian Michelle Duster have brought a mural of Hunt to 1515–19 E. 54th Street. The portrait is based on photographs Devins took in Hunt’s studio before the sculptor’s death.
“Richard Hunt was a giant in the arts world and people need to see what he looked like and be inspired by his legacy,” Devins said.
Pigment International’s dedication also reflects its own relationship with Hunt. The organization featured him in its magazine in 2020, and he welcomed its Black Fine Art Month programming into his studio in October 2021.
#
Two events take place this month:
Pigment International at SPECTRUM Chicago Art Fair
October 7–10, 2026.
Chicago Merchandise Mart, seventh floor, booth #3091.
Wednesday, October 7, 5–8 pm, with a champagne toast in the booth and an artist meet-and-greet.
Thursday, October 8, 6-8pm with Diasporal Rhythms
Featured artists: Jesse Howard, Howard Simmons, Edo, Candace Hunter, Sura DuPart and Max Sansing.
Additional events are taking place during the fair
Chicago to the World: A Black Fine Art Month Convening
Presented by Pigment International as part of Black Fine Art Month, which the organization has dedicated this year to Richard Hunt.
Friday, October 23, 2026, 11:30 am–5 pm.
Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.
Details at pigmentintl.com