NEW ARTS DESTINATION, WEST EDGE ARTS, TO OPEN IN NORTH LAWNDALE IN SUMMER 2027



NEW ARTS DESTINATION, WEST EDGE ARTS, 

TO OPEN IN NORTH LAWNDALE IN SUMMER 2027

 

FREE, PUBLIC MURAL PARK INVITES LOCAL COMMUNITY AND VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR TO EXPERIENCE WORLD-CLASS, LARGE-SCALE ARTWORKS

 

DRAMATIC INAUGURAL WORK NOW BEING INSTALLED: 

50-FOOT-HIGH ILLUMINATED STEEL PILLAR ADORNED WITH VIBRANT MURAL BY ACCLAIMED CHICAGO ARTIST DORIAN SYLVAIN

 

It was announced recently that West Edge Arts, an exciting new arts destination in the North Lawndale neighborhood of Chicago, is scheduled to open at 3216 W. Ogden Avenue next Summer. Both rooted in community and welcoming visitors from across Chicago and beyond, the world-class mural park will occupy 25,000 square feet with an expansive walkable outdoor space showcasing approximately 30 large-scale artworks. An elegant, glass-enclosed space will offer year-round views of the murals alongside opportunities for artmaking, convening, and other amenities. Now installed and welcoming all to the future West Edge Arts site is its inaugural work: Bring It With You, a 50-foot-high by four-foot-diameter illuminated steel pillar adorned with a vibrant “City of Neighborhoods”-themed mural designed by acclaimed Chicago artist Dorian Sylvain, in partnership with Chicago Public Art Group. 

“The vision for West Edge Arts is to create a welcoming, accessible space where art brings people together, sparks creativity, and inspires new possibilities. From the beginning, we've been intentional about building this project in partnership with the North Lawndale community, listening to our neighbors and creating opportunities for them to help shape what West Edge Arts will become,” said Chelsea Dawkins, West Edge Arts Senior Project Lead. “We're incredibly excited to bring this vision to life on Chicago's West Side and to introduce West Edge Arts to the broader city as a place for everyone to experience, explore, and connect through art.”

24th Ward Alderwoman Monique Scott said, “West Edge Arts represents hope, unity, and pride for North Lawndale, and an exciting new investment in our neighborhood’s future. This new arts destination will celebrate our community’s rich history and culture while bringing new visitors, opportunities for local artists and businesses, and continued momentum to the West Side. I appreciate the team's commitment to engaging residents and community leaders throughout the project’s development and am excited to see this space become another source of pride and opportunity for North Lawndale.”

Added Bob Faust, West Edge Arts Senior Curatorial Advisor and prolific Chicago artist, designer, and cultural producer, “This project will be special. It will be inspiring. And most certainly another great Chicago institution, this time grounded by its neighborhood and serving its neighbors, Chicagoans and all the City's visitors from around the world. In particular, the work of Dorian and Chicago Public Art Group on Bring It With You is a key representation of West Edge Arts’ aim to engage and delight the community.”



Sylvain, recently recognized for her work at the Obama Presidential Center, describes the elaborate new fifty-foot-high mural as drawing primary inspiration from textiles, needlework, ceramics, pottery, and woodwork—such as the intricate beadwork of the Potawatomi and the Czech tradition of decorative Easter eggs—recognizing the waves of ethnic and national populations that settled in North Lawndale before expanding throughout Chicago to create a “City of Neighborhoods.”

“I am thrilled to participate in this project, as it marks the first physical space celebrating Chicago's rich tradition of mural painting,” explains Sylvain. “The first nationally recognized Community Mural, ‘The Wall of Respect’ (1967), was designed and painted by an artist collective led by Bill Walker on the South Side of Chicago. My practice stems directly from this tradition of artist collectives and community engagement. It will be a point of great pride to have my work included alongside so many other great artists in a city of such tremendous talent and creative production. My vision for Bring It With You is to demonstrate how beautiful a multicultural tapestry can be when we weave our histories together.”

West Edge Arts will celebrate the best of mural arts while creating a unique experience for visitors. In addition to Bring It With You, a collection of 15 large-scale murals is planned for next year’s opening. Over time, the curatorial program will include approximately 30 murals alongside sculpture and other site-specific installations. A thoughtful range of local and global, emerging and established artists are being commissioned for the project. A number of works will be on permanent view while others will be in temporary rotation, encouraging frequent visits for new discoveries. Beyond Bring It With You, other artist commissions and installation dates will be announced soon.

 

Complementing its curatorial program will be public programs, classes, workshops, and professional development for young artists, adding to the cultural offerings on Chicago’s West Side with a new visual arts space. One emphasis will be professional development training for teens and adults aspiring to make a career in the arts, while the venue will also be available for community artmaking activities and rentals. In addition, West Edge Arts will offer a one-of-a-kind setting for private, nonprofit, and corporate events, where art is part of the experience. More information on public programming and rental opportunities will be announced soon. 

 

While West Edge Arts is designed to welcome visitors from across Chicago and beyond, above all, the project is rooted on the West Side, inspired and driven by the community ethos in North Lawndale. In advance of the forthcoming opening, West Edge Arts has hosted two family-friendly Block Parties near the site to introduce the mural park to its closest neighbors. Hundreds of community residents have been treated to artmaking stations, food trucks, games and notably a showcase of four local muralists painting throughout the afternoon. In addition to learning more about the park, guests have enjoyed entertainment by West Side groups including North Lawndale College Prep Dance Team and Celestial Ministries Drum Line.

In 2025, West Edge Arts established a Community Advisory Committee of local residents, artists, and civic and community leaders to help inform the project's development and strengthen its connections to the West Side. Over the past two years, the Committee has provided valuable insight and guidance, offering feedback on artistic concepts, helping shape community events and engagement opportunities, and connecting the project with local artists, organizations, and businesses.

In addition to Alderwoman Scott, the Committee also includes Rodney Brown, Executive Director/CEO of New Covenant Community Development Corporation and Co-Founder of the North Lawndale Community Coordinating Council (NLCCC); Alecks Cruz, Program Director at The Heart Project and muralist; Jermaine Harris, Chicago Police Department Lieutenant and Community Leadership Fellows (CLF) Board Chair; Lola Jenkins, Executive Director of Firehouse Community Arts Center; Sheila McNary, NLCCC Arts & Culture Committee Chair; Kahlil Mosley, Community Outreach Coordinator at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Jay Simon, Co-Founder of Jones Corner Store; and Alexie Young, Founder and Creative Strategist of Art West.

The Committee's contributions have also helped shape the West Edge Arts team. Apriel Campbell, a North Lawndale resident, community organizer, and founding Committee member, was hired by West Edge Arts as its Community Engagement Specialist in 2026, bringing her neighborhood relationships and community perspective into the project's ongoing development.

West Edge Arts is proudly collaborating with prominent Chicago design partners Wheeler Kearns Architects on the physical site and Site Design Group on the landscape architecture, and with Span on the brand identity. Further bringing the West Edge Arts vision to life is general contractor Norcon, Inc.  

West Edge Arts, Chicago’s newest arts destination, is scheduled to open next summer at 3216 W. Ogden Avenue in North Lawndale and will be free and open to the public. The welcoming, walkable outdoor space will feature approximately 30 large-scale murals alongside seasonal landscaping, a flexible performance stage, and a variety of seating areas for reflection and connection. An elegant glass-enclosed space will offer year-round views of the murals alongside opportunities for art making, convening, and other amenities. West Edge Arts is a nonprofit organization, envisioned and funded by individual donors and Vivo Foundation For more information, please visit www.westedgearts.org or @WestEdgeArts on Instagram.

Latest Stories

Latest Podcast

2026 Election Reflection With Alderman Taylor