After months of careful planning, our much-anticipated free concert extravaganza on August 25th in the heart of downtown Chicago was a resounding success. This extraordinary event featured a multi-genre array of artists from public housing: Roxanne Shanté (Queensbridge Houses), DJ Spinderella (Pink Houses), Isaiah Sharkey (Cabrini-Green Homes), Reginald Robinson (Henry Horner Homes), Slique Jay Adams (ABLA), and Christopher "Mad Dog" Thomas (Altgeld Gardens) with Juke 4 Liberation. We hope all 3,300 of you who joined us in Millennium Park had an amazing time dancing, singing, and celebrating public housing residents.
It was a night to remember, one that united thousands of people under the banner of music and showcased the incredible talents that come from public housing communities. We look forward to more concerts that bring people together in the years to come!
Missed It? Check Out Concert Highlights!
Video by Truth & Documentary. Photos by Davon Clark.
This event was in partnership with WBEZ Chicago and was sponsored by LBBA Architects, the Chicago Association of REALTORS® Foundation, and 21c Museum Hotel Chicago. This program was made possible by a grant from the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events with funding from the Millennium Park Foundation and Pritzker Foundation.
Looking for More?
Don’t forget to get a commemorative On the Lawn t-shirt from our museum store, Corner Store Co-op. The Corner Store Co-op partners with youth, designers, and entrepreneurs from public housing to sell custom and handmade products like this t-shirt collaboration with Chicago Housing Authority youth! Buy yours today.
Did you know DJ Spinderella is also the curator of our music room exhibition at the future museum, opening in 2024? The exhibition will feature the soundtrack of cities with public housing history, like New York City, Los Angeles, Memphis, and Chicago. Learn more!
WBEZ’s The Rundown Podcast sat down with two of the headlining artists: DJ Spinderella and Isaiah Sharkey. In the episode, they talk about music, civic love, and how growing up in public housing has informed their artistic practice. Listen now!
Interested in learning more about the connection between public housing and music? Save Section 9, a tenant-led coalition that works to educate and activate public housing tenants, created an informative video about the birth of hip-hop and its relationship to public housing communities. Watch now!