ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Since being stuck inside, which shows have you been watching? Which movies? Have you read any good books lately? Any new music releases have you dancing in your living room? StreetWise vendors, readers and staff are sharing what is occupying their attention during this unprecedented time. To be featured in a future edition, send your recommendations of what to do at home and why you love them to Creative Director / Publisher Dave Hamilton at dhamilton@streetwise.org
Inclusive Books!
Brown GIRL and Brown BOY Book Reading and Kid’s Red Carpet in Chicago Summer reading just got more fun with this inclusive, interactive literacy event for kids! Dr. Pamela Gurley will be reading "Brown GIRL, be Social" and "Brown BOY, be Social," two of the books from her Brown GIRL and Brown BOY series, to introduce guests to her characters. The stories in this series will feature characters from varying backgrounds and abilities as they aim to teach confidence and self-worth. Event attendees will have the opportunity to have their books signed and participate in other activities like face painting, a kids’ red carpet and more, all in the interest of increased child literacy. The event runs from 12 - 3 p.m. on August 14 at Chicago Theater Works, 1113 W. Belmont. General admission starts at $5. To buy tickets or learn more about the series, search for Dr. Gurley at eventbrite.com.
Come Together!
Meet Me on the Mile - Sunday Spectacles: Music & Motors On select Sundays through October, Michigan Avenue will be closed for live music, art exhibitions, and many other events and activities to bring people together as Chicago reopens. This Sunday’s theme is Music & Motors! Along with a live performance from the Chicago Bears Drumline, attendees will have the opportunity to pose with classic cars, relax on a temporary greenspace, and visit with local artists. Admission to the event is free, so bring your friends and your family to the Magnificent Mile anytime between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Find more details about this and other events in the Meet Me on the Mile series at themagnificentmile.com/meet-me-on-the-mile.
Hip-Hop Takeover!
(HOME) ENTERTAINMENT
Firefest Hip-Hop Block Party 2021 The Firehouse Community Arts Center presents this annual festival to showcase its community programming and offer activities for neighborhood engagement. For over a decade, the Firehouse team has offered a safe haven for Chicago-area youth by using the arts to interrupt cycles of violence before more people fall into it. In celebration of this hard work, guests will have the opportunity to learn about the center, visit with local vendors, and eat delicious food on August 14 at noon. With bouncy houses, breakdance and footwork battles, live art, games and prizes, this day-long event is perfect for the whole family. Headliners include Duane Powell, Damon Lamar Reed, Phenom, and Lowdown Brassband. The Firehouse Community Arts Center is located at 2111 S. Hamlin Ave. Visit thefcac.org to learn more.
Community Explorations!
Thresholds Identity: Perspectives on Y(OUR)selves In this one-of-a-kind exhibit, artists present work they created during Threshold’s Art Therapy Program. The artists took time to consider their own identity, their community, and the relationship between the two and turned those ideas into artwork as a way to creatively communicate in the interest of improved mental health. The resulting art is available for public viewing in the Chase Gallery at the Epiphany Center for the Arts (201 S. Ashland Ave.) now through September 12. Admission is free. Learn more at epiphanychi.com/thresholds-identity.
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Take a Chance!
Chance the Rapper’s 'Magnificent Coloring World' Concert Film Opening Directed by Jake Schreier and produced by Chance’s House of Kicks and Park Pictures, "Magnificent Coloring World" was recorded during Chance the Rapper’s Magnificent Coloring World Tour with the Chicago Children’s Choir. The concert featured current singers and instrumentalists as well as choir alumni, and the film release celebrates the fifth anniversary of Chance’s 2016 mixtape Coloring Book. The project is a celebration of Chicago music and community showcasing the power of unified effort as we all emerge from a time of isolation. The film will be showing in AMC theaters nationwide starting August 13. To learn more about the Chicago Children’s Choir, visit ccchoir.org.
