Fiber Arts in Social Movements

Bronzeville / Black Chicagoan Historical Society and OPEN Center for the Arts collaborate to present an Art Design Chicago event, part of the Chicago Cultural Alliance’s program series. Join community-based artists in Bronzeville and Little Village as they discuss the contributions of fiber arts to social movements like The Great Migration and Immigration from Mexico to Chicago. The program will begin with a discussion on how specific fiber-based works from Nettie Nesbary, Lettie Sabbs, Lilly Torres, and Adriana Peña connect the past and present social movements by telling stories of their history, culture, and families. 

Art Design Chicago is a spirited celebration of the unique and vital role Chicago plays as America’s crossroads of creativity and commerce. Led by the Terra Foundation for American Art, this citywide partnership of cultural organizations explores Chicago’s art and design legacy with more than 25 exhibitions and hundreds of events throughout 2018. Learn more at www.artdesignchicago.org. 

In the spirit of the citywide initiative, Chicago Cultural Alliance presents a program series that examines the art and design contributions of immigrant communities in five gateway neighborhoods: Albany Park, Bronzeville, Chinatown, Humboldt Park, and Greektown. Rooted in cultural heritage and local neighborhoods, each event offers art and design perspectives that highlight often-overlooked and ever-changing creative culture in the neighborhoods.