Grand Opening Celebration: Saturday, March 18, 2-6pm
Inaugural Exhibition: March 1 – 24, 2023, Open T-F, 11am – 5pm and by appt
Thank you for joining us Saturday, March 18th for the celebration of student artwork, performances and interactive art-making!
More than 26 projects from across CAPE’s programmatic spectrum are represented in this show.
What People Are Saying about the Event (Feedback from the Inaugural Survey):
“These kind of spaces are so urgently necessary for community building and the celebration of creativity specially for our children, education through the arts is magical.”
“I was delighted to see the presence of multidisciplinary art including visual art AND music at the event!”
“I felt loved and supported as a CAPE teaching artist, each of my 3 kids loved different parts of the exhibition, none of them complained that they were ever bored or wanted to go home. We loved that there was food we could eat and thereby participate fully along side everyone else.”
“The gallery space provided a beautiful backdrop for the individual ‘galleries’ and entertainment. I also really appreciated the hands on programs to keep visitors engaged.”
“It made me feel inspired that your organization is giving priceless experiences to these kids.”
Attendees: 362! Were you there?
Take the survey!
Take a Virtual Tour of the Inaugural Exhibition
View more event pictures in the Inaugural Photo Album
Download the Celebration Program (English) (Spanish)
Download the Exhibition Booklet (English) (Spanish)
A Celebration featuring Interactive Artmaking, a full Exhibition, and Live Student Performances
Interactive Artmaking
Help complete the Rainbow Tree
Sign your name on The Column
Trace and respond to student sensory drawings
Hide in fabric
Design, carve and print with CAPE teaching artist Jordan Knecht!
Create a mini “Alebrije” sculpture from air-dry clay!
Exhibition Virtual Walk-Through and Images
More than 26 projects from across CAPE’s programmatic spectrum were represented in this show.
Ages of artists run from Kindergarten to Adult, as CAPE reaches its school communities and offers classes to parents and caregivers.
Live Performances
Live student music and sound performances occurred throughout the celebration from 2-6 on Saturday, March 18.
Dawes School Percussionists, followed by the CAPE Music Club at North-Grand High School – Introspektion – Watch the Video!
Dawes School
Inspired by the acoustics of the CAPE gallery space, “Echoes of the Elements” is a musical exploration of trust. During the performance, student artists are prompted to create sonic interpretations of randomly selected elements of the Chinese zodiac. Throughout the CAPE learning experience, students and teachers have explored a common thread: true artists must be brave and trust their instincts. This project provides student artists the opportunity to create organically generated performances for an audience. Performing musical improvisations ‘without a net’ allows the students to explore their natural artistic instincts. These unique and original interpretations of the elements are unique to the performance space and time and cannot be replicated.
CAPE Music Club at North-Grand High School – Introspektion
Teacher Michelle Livas and sound and performance artist Nick Meryhew have been co-teaching North-Grand High School’s after-school music program for several years. Their collaborative process centers on student interest and fosters creativity by providing students space to self-select songs they want to perform and build a musical practice from their interests. As students develop listening, technical, and performance skills, they, in turn, create original songs that further amplify their voices through musical expression. For their performance at the inaugural event, they performed one cover song and two original compositions.
NGHS Music Club (“Introspektion”) has been exploring a variety of approaches to music making, including composing original music, improvising with or without predetermined structure, and arranging and covering the music of their favorite bands. Each of these methods invite new modes of listening and highlights the diverse musical and performative interests of the group.
INTROSPEKTION
Yorgy Valladares – guitar, John Barrera – bass guitar and vocals, Kizzanna Nicholson – synthesizer and vocals
Click here for more Exhibition details, such as exhibiting partnerships and artwork descriptions.
Exhibiting School Partnerships
| Chicago Public School | Grade | Teacher | Teaching Artist | Project Title |
| Bateman Elementary School | 3 | Samantha Soto | Betsey Zacsek | Creating Safe Spaces |
| Blackhawk Primary Center (Park Forest-Chicago Heights School District 163) | 2 | Phaedra Richardson | Joseph Barcelona | Paper Memory Quilt |
| Dawes School | 8 | Cale Patton | Madison Kisst | Echoes of the Elements |
| Dyett High School for the Arts | 9-12 | Lashawn Cox | Tony Smith | Dyett Vision |
| Gary Elementary (West Chicago District 33) | K-2 | Rosalba Rodriguez | Anni Holm | Sheet Sculptures |
| Ray Graham Training Center | 12+ | Katherine Kurisch | Aram Atamian | Carnival and Change Making 2022 |
| Hoyne & Taylor Elementary | 5-8 | Andre Porter | Jessica Mueller | An Evolving Partnership/Co-teaching and Openness |
| Murphy Elementary School | 4 | Sarah Ramirez/Penny Shultz | Margy Stover | Landforms Land Art/Indigenous Homes |
| New Sullivan Elementary | 3 | Ms. Leticia Pineda | Ms. Shenequa Brooks | Owls Commune |
| Pioneer Elementary School (West Chicago District 33) | 2-3 | Jennifer Buchanan | Amelia Cintula | Interactivity: Digital Reflections of Us |
| Pioneer Elementary School | K-2 | Sylvia Carranza and Norma Rodriguez | Fiorella Gomez | Rainbow Tree Colors |
| STEM Magnet Academy | 8 | Maggie Sandoval | Betsy Zacsek | Conservation: Heating and Cooling our Homes |
| Turner Elementary School (West Chicago District 33) | 5 | Mary Zonca | Kristin Sherwin | Unplanned Event |
| Vaughn Occupational High School | 12 | Shannon Fitzpatrick | Jennifer Mannebach | Making Identities |
| Waters Elementary | 3-5 | Leticia Ramos | Jordan Knecht | Photo Zines |
CAPE Parent/Community Classes provide contextualized creative and continuous development opportunities for parents and families of CAPE students. The classes integrate the arts with community-articulated needs such as English language learning, technology skills, career development, civic and ecological issues. Community classes are co-taught by teaching artists and teachers and illuminate for parents the connections between art making and learning, and how parents can observe evidence of learning and development in their child’s arts and academic work.
Community Class Projects in the Exhibition
- Gary Elementary (West Chicago District 33), “Signals & Codes,” artists Anni Holm & Austin McCann
- New Sullivan Elementary, “Collective Flag” and “Tote Bags” with instructor Charles Bessett and teaching artist, Jordan Knecht
- Telpochcalli Elementary + Telpochcalli Community Education Project/TCEP, George Washington High School, Taylor Elementary, Leman Middle School, Waters Elementary; “Comadres en el Arte (Community Art Programs Across the City).” Instructors Mara Flores, Palmira Perez, Rosalba Rodriguez, Andre Porter, Rachel Stempel, Xochilt Espinosa, Graciela Moreno, Melinda Ayala, and Lori Koch. Teaching Artists Jessica Mueller, Joseph Spilberg, Victoria Mendoza, Ellen Tritschler
- Waters Elementary School, “Punch Needle,” with instructor Rachel Stempel and teaching artist Victoria Mendoza
Event Documentation and Use of Images/Photography
By entering an event or program of CAPE, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur.
Your entry and presence on the event premises constitutes your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of any and all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with CAPE and its initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news and advertising.
By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including, without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media.
You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please let a member of CAPE staff know.
Accessibility
- There is a free parking lot on site at the west end of the building where the entrance is. There is also free parking on Aberdeen St nearby and metered parking on 35th St. There is free parking available at the Bridgeport Arts Center at 1200 W 35th St, just two blocks west. There is no parking on 35th Street along the gallery side.
- Masks are encouraged, and we will provide some at the space.
- There is a long 300-foot hallway off the elevator on the 6th floor.
- A wheelchair and staff member to transport individuals from the entrance of the building into the space are available at the event and upon request.
- For more accessibility details, click here.
Click here for more Exhibition details, such as exhibiting partnerships and artwork descriptions.
Thank You
to our exhibition sponsors:
Richard Assmus and Dr. Leah Welty Assmus
Carol Eastin
Louanne Smolin and David Eaton
Josh and Robin Nathan
Did you miss the event? We’d love to mail you a copy of the Exhibition Booklet! Send us an email with Subject Line: Booklet! to jheyden@capechicago.org.
