Students at the University of Chicago recently participated in a new course focused on cultural stewardship and community engagement on Chicago’s South Side. The course, titled “Arts + Public Life: Relationships, Engagement and Cultural Stewardship on Chicago’s South Side,” was offered for the first time last spring by Arts + Public Life (APL), a unit within the University’s Division of the Arts & Humanities, in partnership with Chicago Studies.
About a dozen students enrolled in the course, which explored how cultural programming can support and strengthen communities. Students were encouraged to consider their own roles as stewards of cultural work. Each week, they examined APL’s three pillars—relationships, community engagement, and cultural stewardship—through readings, guest lectures, and workshops led by APL staff. The workshops took place at the Arts Block, a collection of cultural and commercial spaces along Garfield Boulevard in Washington Park.
For their final projects, students developed proposals for cultural events or initiatives connected to places they knew personally. One student, Zaniah Wheeler, designed an event for her hometown of Spring, Texas, aimed at helping her community transition as her old high school was being replaced. Wheeler proposed a festival featuring a basketball tournament, picnic, student DJs, and a photo space for classmates and families. “I have had a hard time grappling with my experiences at the school,” Wheeler said. “I thought this was the perfect opportunity to reflect upon its effects and think about what they can change going forward to the next campus.” She added, “This event prioritizes taking time to cherish memories but also recognizing faults within the school system. The primary goal is to reflect on and imagine what the new campus needs.”
Nootan Bharani of APL taught the course. Bharani explained that it originated from the idea of using APL as a resource for students: “We have years of experience with community engagement and cultural stewardship, and we wanted to share that.” Bharani also expressed hope that more courses would be offered in the future, stating: “I would love it if we could build a network of deeply engaged current students and alumni starting with this first course offering. That’s what Arts + Public Life is about, right? We’re about relationships and engagement and each community gets to benefit from the combination of those two efforts.”
Jessica Musselwhite, executive director of UChicago Arts, attended as a guest during student presentations. She commented on how students’ projects combined attention to logistical detail with larger themes: “APL is a stable presence in the neighborhood, holding cultural events, offering support to South Side artists and offering a ‘third space’ in a world where there are fewer spaces to just be.” Musselwhite noted that she was pleased by how the course allowed UChicago students to become more involved with local communities.
APL continues its mission of supporting artists, youth, and entrepreneurs across Chicago’s South Side through collaborations and year-round programming.