28 Sep Building Community Through Art with buildON students
Saturday, October 1
5th Annual A Day in Avondale
11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
along Milwaukee Avenue between Kimball & Central Park at Diversey
Art IS alive and well in the Avondale community and the fun time everyone will share Saturday, October 1st is a great example of that, but more importantly, COMMUNITY-BUILDING is alive and well in Avondale, and that’s another thing altogether.
Have you ever heard of the buildOn organization? It is a service-learning, non-profit organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations through service and education. From time to time even people who love Chicago get disheartened by all of the news of violence, school funding cuts, the breakdown of family values, but not all is doom and gloom. That depressing perspective disappears when you meet engaged young people who choose to actively make the world a better place. They stand up as role models for their peers and for younger children, demonstrating by example what a life of service looks like and how that makes the world a better place.
Northwest Arts Connection is honored to connect the Avondale community to the amazing teens of buildOn whose mission is to build community by empowering local schools’ teenagers to give back to their city and communities. buildOn helps these students learn to communicate with – and help — the homeless, the hungry, and other vulnerable populations of their city. Some of us are more vulnerable than others, even those of us who look “normal”. A friendly face and a little kindness go a long way.
Come to A Day In Avondale celebration Saturday, October 1st to meet some of those young people from Schurz High School’s buildOn program. They will be at two different places. Just before 11 a.m., you’ll find some if you follow the bubbles they’ll be blowing at outdoor Woodard Plaza (south intersection of Milwaukee/Diversey/Kimball). Join in their bubble-blowing fun – they’ll be warming you up for a great performance of Shakespeare All-Stars one-hour crazy fun, interactive performance of Shakespeare Shorts!
At about that same time, some of those Schurz buildOn teens will be across the street in the empty lot next door to the currency exchange at 2814 N. Milwaukee Avenue. They would like you to visit their art-interview station next to Keith Pollok, Juan Carlos Frias, Brandon Pozos, and Steinmetz High School student Jesus Garcia who will be painting an outdoor mural. These buildOn teens will interview festival guests, asking “What do you most like about this Avondale community?” Instead of verbally responding, guests will use various art materials to express their responding thoughts because, as we all know.
Don’t miss a chance to meet these young people. Five minutes with one of them will put a bounce in your step and a song in your heart!
Learn More About buildOn and their mission
The 5th Annual A Day in Avondale will be taking place October 1, 2016. Shakespeare All-Stars are just 1 of many attractions scheduled for this 1-day event. Who else can you expect this year? Stay tuned and check the Facebook page for more exciting details! Look forward to events by Elastic Arts, Voice of the City, Tacos Tequilas, Corner, Moe’s Tavern, Monarch Thrift Shop, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance, Hairpin Arts Center and more!
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