The Beverly Area Arts Alliance is excited for the return of the Beverly Art Walk on Sat., Sept. 18. The Art Walk is a multi-faceted neighborhood-wide festival of the arts, with as many as 50 venue locations spanning 95th to 111th Streets, Walden Parkway to Western Avenue, and featuring 150 artists and makers, and live music. Leading up to the event, the Alliance is hosting a series of exhibitions at its pop-up space, Alliance Contemporary, behind Nicky’s of Beverly, and is also commissioning public art throughout the neighborhood.
The goal of the Beverly Art Walk is to celebrate the arts in our community and to showcase the venues and businesses that support the arts. This year, the Alliance has committed to making the event free of charge, including waiving artist and venue participation fees to better support the Beverly/Morgan Park community and participating artists.
The Art Walk has grown to be one of the neighborhood’s largest events. Its success is due to the cooperation and efforts of numerous volunteers, artists, and members of the business community, and made possible by the generosity of donors.
The 2021 event will feature Beverly Art Walk banners along Western Avenue showcasing the work of participating artists. Banner sponsorship is $150 each and proceeds will help underwrite production expenses.
Call for participation for the 2021 Beverly Art Walk is open through Aug. 9. Apply on the Alliance website, www. beverlyarts.org, to be an exhibiting artist, an Uprising Market vendor, a venue or food vendor, or a banner sponsor.
Additional questions? Contact the Alliance at info@beverlyarts.org
In Support of the Beverly Art Walk the Alliance is offering a commemorative print of the Beverly Mural.
Since its creation five years ago, the Beverly Mural, which anchors the south end of the 99th and Walden business corridor, has become a beloved community icon. To mark its 5th anniversary, the Alliance has commissioned a limited-edition fine print of the mural to raise funds for the 2021 Beverly Art Walk.
In 2016, the Alliance issued a call to artists and selected Mitchell R. Egly from a pool of over 50 applicants, to design and create a unique and lasting work of public art celebrating our “village in the city” on commission with funding from Beverly Bank. A lover of history, Egly researched Beverly/Morgan Park and worked in elements such as the Givins Beverly Castle, the South Side Irish Parade and 95th Street into his design.
“I am proud to have my work so well represented within such a supportive community,” Egly said.
Each 31 x 16” print in the edition is numbered and signed by Egly and is available for a $250 donation to the Beverly Art Walk. Proceeds will allow the Alliance to waive all fees for artists and businesses to participate in the Art Walk in this economically challenging year.
The print will be produced by renown Chicago screenprinter Screwball Press. The Heritage Gallery, 1907 W. 103rd Street, will display the print in their front window in the weeks leading up to the Art Walk and can offer suggestions for framing. Donations can also be made on the Alliance’s website, www.beverlyarts.org with free local delivery.
The Alliance believes that like all professionals, artists should be paid for their work, and Egly will receive a percentage of sales.
The Beverly Area Arts Alliance cultivates collaboration between artists and community members to foster Beverly/Morgan Park as a diverse hub of culture and creativity on Chicago’s far South Side and a vibrant place to live and do business.
For more information on how to make a donation and receive the limited edition Beverly Mural fine print, contact Monica Wilczak, Alliance co-founder, monica@beverlyarts.org.
