June Artist News
published: June 6, 2024
Alberto Aguilar, Locate Everything With a Checkered Pattern in Your Home, 2023, Photo of a self-imposed prompt
ANAIET SOUL (2023 Make a Wave Awardee)
On June 2, Anaiet performs a set for the Indigo Sessions: A Night of Jazz and Poetry, at Dorothy Downstairs located at 2500 W. Chicago. Indigo Sessions, “a captivating fusion of soulful melodies and poetic expressions,” is a three-month summer residency with new feature artists each month.
AVERY R. YOUNG (2012 3Arts/Merrill Lynch Awardee)
Starting June 2, avery will facilitate monthly “chi-soul workshops” at the Austin Branch of the Chicago Public Library (5615 W Race Ave). This is a new offering he’s designed as part of his role as Chicago Poet Laureate. The two-hour workshops are designed for writers of all skill levels to build poems and poetry manuscripts centered on the times and tales of Chicago. Workshops will take place on the first Sunday of each month from 2-4 p.m. through November 3. Registration is required and space is limited. He has also launched a new website, ChicagoSoulPoem.com, and is now accepting online video submissions of Chicagoans’ own Chicago Soul Poems, “honoring the people, places, and moments that make this city special. With the Chicago Soul Poems project, the Poet Laureate has developed a new poetic form, the soloem (pronounced so-lo-em), to guide Chicagoans in writing their own poems. Instructions on how to write a soloem and submit a poem are available at ChicagoSoulPoem.com.”
EMILY HOOPER LANSANA (2021 3Arts/BMO Harris Bank Community Awardee)
On June 3, as artistic director of the SOL Collective, Emily and the ensemble present a new show called “Unstoppable Women Making Radical Change in Unexpected Ways.” This is a grassroots intergenerational collective of BIPOC women storytellers in Chicago. This new performance will take place at the Logan Center for the Arts (915 E. 60th Street).
BRANDI BERRY BENSON (2014 3Arts/Gertrude E. Grisham Awardee)
On June 5, Brandi and the Bach & Beethoven Experience (BBE) bring a performance of Brandi’s most recent 3AP-funded work, The Story of Pa I Sha, to the stage of Old Town School of Folk Music. This piece features works composed by Brandi based on the stories from her Chickasaw heritage beginning with her great-great-great-grandmother, Pa I Sha.
IVELISSE DIAZ (2019 3Arts/Community Awardee)
On June 6-9, Ivelisse and members of La Escuelita Bombera de Corazon perform in the city’s Puerto Rican Festival, Chicago Fiestas Puertorriqueña. The parade takes place on June 8 at 2:00pm CT on Division Street. All weekend long, audiences can enjoy performances, Bombazos, Plenazos, workshops, and special guests.
MABEL KWAN (2017 3Arts/Restoration Hardware Awardee)
On June 7-9, Mabel performs in Elastic Art’s PleiadesFest, a monthly series “that features womxn and non-binary musicians and improvisers. The series has a two-fold mission: to increase the visibility of phenomenal womxn musicians and to build community and connection between womxn improvisers from diverse backgrounds.”
ROBERT SCHLEIFER (2013 3Arts/Siragusa Foundation Awardee)
On June 7, Robert will participate in a post-show discussion at the Goodman Theatre immediately following a performance of English. He’ll be in conversation with the play’s director, Hamid Dehghani, about idioms, puns, and joyful wordplay for native speakers. ASL interpretation will be provided for the performance and the discussion. The Pulitzer Prize-winning drama follows four adult students in Karaj, Iran “who are studying for the Test of English as a Foreign Language—the key to their green card, medical school admission, or family reunification. Chasing fluency through a maze of word games, listening exercises, and show-and-tell sessions, they hope that one day, English will make them whole. But it might be splitting them each in half.”
AALIYAH CHRISTINA (2021 Make a Wave Awardee)
On June 8, Aaliyah presents work in a free Open Studio event as one of nine local artists selected for the 2024 Chicago Cultural Center Dance Studio Residency.
GINGER LANE (2017 3Arts/Community Awardee)
On June 8-9, Unbroken, a new documentary film focusing on Ginger’s family history during the Holocaust and subsequent journey to America, will have its Chicago premiere on June 8 in Highland Park and June 9 in downtown Chicago. The film is directed by Ginger’s daughter, Beth Lane.
DAMON LOCKS (2019 3Arts/Reva & David Logan Foundation Awardee)
On June 10 at 6:00pm CT, Damon will participate in the “Black Power” series of free, public engagement events organized by Court Theatre to celebrate its world premiere production of Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution, written by Nambi Kelley. Damon will share an artist’s response to this new theatrical work in conversation with the current exhibition at Blanc Gallery, “Frontline Profit: James Baldwin,” to explore the parallels between Black history, Black activism, and Black artistry.
HEATHER GILBERT (2012 3Arts Awardee) and MEIGHAN GERACHIS (2021 Make a Wave Awardee)
From June 13-July 21, Meighan performs in the world premiere of Little Bear Ridge Road at Steppenwolf Theatre. Little Bear Ridge Road asks viewers, “How do we deal with other people? Is connection more trouble than it’s worth?” through the reunion of estranged family members in rural Idaho. Heather does lighting design for the show and Meighan plays Paulette and Vickie.
KEISHA JENAE (2020 Make a Wave Awardee)
On June 16, as one of nine local artists selected for the 2024 Chicago Cultural Center Dance Studio Residency, Keisha presents work in a free Open Studio event.
CAITLIN EDWARDS (2021 3Arts/Walder Foundation Awardee)
In celebration of Juneteenth, on June 19, Caitlin and other members of the D-Composed music collective join The Nap Ministry to present Freedom Lullabies, “a rest experience that celebrates the power of our Ancestors freedom and uplifts Black composers' works with revolutionary text readings.” This event is for those who identify as part of the African Diaspora. While the D-Composed string quartet performs the music of Black composers live, Tricia Hersey (founder of The Nap Ministry) will read revolutionary texts from historical figures such as W.E.B. DuBois, Audre Lorde, bell hooks, and excerpts from Hersey’s New York Times bestselling book, "Rest is Resistance." Attendees will collectively rest and nap amongst the lush sounds and affirmative text as we celebrate liberation and dream for the future.
DONNETTA ‘LILBIT’ JACKSON (2023 3Arts/Walder Foundation Awardee)
On June 19, Donnetta performs with M.A.D.D. Rhythms at the Harold Washington Cultural Center in celebration of Juneteenth and Father’s Day. The afternoon celebration includes live dance, DJ and music, complimentary food, workshops, raffles, art, and children’s activities.
DAVID RHEE (2021 3Arts/Reva & David Logan Foundation Awardee) and WAI YIM (2022 Make a Wave Awardee)
Opening June 20 (and playing through July 21), the world premiere evening-length production of Zac Efron takes over the stage at A Red Orchid Theatre. Co-written by David and Wai, and supported in part on the 3AP (3Arts Projects) platform, this will be the first full production by Token Theatre co-founded by David and Wai.
DONNETTA ‘LILBIT’ JACKSON (2023 3Arts/Walder Foundation Awardee)
On June 27-28, Donnetta makes her debut appearance at Jacob’s Pillow with a full-length version of A M.A.D.D. Mixtape, which she choreographed and will appear in along with members of M.A.D.D. Rhythms and footworking groups.
ALBERTO AGUILAR (2011 3Arts Awardee)
Opening June 29 (and on view through October 6), Grid Luck: Alberto Aguilar “explores the grid’s role as a both a generative and expansive tool. Drawing inspiration from the College of DuPage Permanent Art Collection, the exhibit reimagines the materials and spaces within the Cleve Carney Museum of Art, leading to the creation of new site-specific works.”