Arts + Public Life lets art and artists lead. Our residencies, exhibitions, public events, and place-activiation initiatives all grow from the artist as an agent of change.

Arts + Public Life and the Center for the Study of Race, Politics & Culture hosts individual artists through the Artists-in-Residence program and interdisciplinary partnerships through the Crossing Boundaries Prize. These residency programs are open to Chicago-based artists and groups whose work explores issues of race, politics and culture. Both programs advance the opportunities available to artists who are underrepresented in the Chicago and national arts scenes.