About Us


Art on Sedgwick

Art on Sedgwick is dedicated to fostering creativity and connecting our community through the power of art. Through innovative arts classes and collaborative events, we teach creative reflection and expression, engage our diverse neighborhood, and help individuals and our community to connect with the best part of themselves. Our storefront art center enlivens the Sedgwick corridor and provides a creative, open environment for interaction between neighbors. Scholarship opportunities (available by application) make art classes available for all. Creating opportunities for more neighbors to participate in art will increase the creative energy available to meet challenges facing our neighborhood and our world.

Art studio helps unite a divided neighborhood

Watch the video to see our Vision

TED Talk with Charlie Branda, President

Values

• Everyone in the neighborhood matters; diversity is an asset.
• Creativity is the opposite of destruction. When people engage in creative activities, they connect with the best part of themselves.
• Creating opportunities for more neighbors to participate in art will increase the creative energy available to meet challenges facing our neighborhood and our world.
• Commitment to excellence, financial integrity and transparency, and cooperation and partnerships.

Beliefs

• The Sedgwick corridor between North and Division has creative potential just waiting to be realized.  Our neighborhood history and diversity makes us distinct, vibrant, urban, gritty, and appealing.
• Building relationships among diverse groups of people will make our neighborhood safer, more open, and more vibrant. It will create economic opportunity and foster a sense that everyone is welcome.
• Every story has a setting. Leveraging the strengths of our neighborhood will improve the setting and the life story of everyone who lives and works here.

What We’ll Deliver

• High quality and innovative instruction in visual and performance arts that appeal to our community.
• Classes available at different price points and sliding scale.
• Engaging community projects that celebrate the distinctiveness of our neighborhood that will get more people involved, make our neighborhood more beautiful, and generate neighborhood pride.

The design process for the art center formally began on August 24th. In order to learn about the neighborhood needs and assets, AFHC and NNUP hosted a day of design and outreach in the future space at Marshal Field Garden Apartments. Local children and their parents joined local artists and architects from the apartments and surrounding area to take up pencils, crayons, pastels and even stickers to express their opinion of neighborhood art and make their voice heard regarding the future of their neighborhood resources.

Event Images