The South Chicago Art Center was established over five years ago to address a pressing need in one of Chicago’s most blighted neighborhoods. At the time South Chicago was devoid of free after-school programs, and local teenagers had no after-school programs available at all. The Art Center was set up to meet these needs, but also to do much more.

The Art Center has become a unique place in South Chicago. It is a storefront institution where kids use culture as a tool for social exchange. We serve as a sorely needed catalyst for community building. We believe that art and ideas are just as important to less-advantaged youth as they are to everybody else. Our mission is to provide a safe place for children after school; to bring arts education to local impoverished schools; to stimulate the imaginations of participants of all ages; to cultivate a sense of aesthetics; to boost self-esteem and intellectual curiosity; to decrease incidence of crime and substance abuse; and to promote friendship, solidarity and empowerment in the community.