Stories by Angel Idowu

Grant Park is gearing up for Lollapalooza, the annual celebration of music featuring artists from across the globe. A few local acts will be taking the stage for the first time.

The Dirty Laundry pop-up in Hyde Park offers a resident DJ, extended Thursday hours for BYOB, weekly discounts for seniors and craft activities for kids.

Wicker Park Fest is celebrating 19 years with more than 60 bands across three stages. The annual event will showcase the talents of both marquee performers and local artists looking to get their names out there. One of those artists is hip-hop vocalist Jovan Landry.

With the grant totaling nearly $437,000, the plan is to restore what was once a safe haven for people of color who came to Chicago during the Great Migration and prepare the building for future generations.

Peruvian musician Daniel Flores is on a mission to showcase Chicago’s beauty with help from a musical friend: his trumpet.

An exhibit in DuPage County is paying tribute to the late, great pop artist Andy Warhol with the aim of providing deeper context for the famed cultural figure.

It starts with an assembly line of sorts: washing and drying detergent bottles that have been collected from different laundromats. The plastic is then shredded into small granules, heated and made into a solid beam to create benches.

Chance the Rapper’s nonprofit is trying to make sure Chicagoans have access to mental health care in an initiative called My State of Mind. It has offered nearly 3,000 different wellness programs since its 2019 inception.

At Freestyle Ceramics and Tufting, anyone can make their own rug. Each session begins with a practice tutorial to ensure every tufter feels comfortable with the tufting gun.

Vocalist Shawnee Dez is commemorating the release of her debut album, “Moody Umbra,” with a concert that includes a community jam session featuring a range of local artists.

One of Mia Lee’s more recent creations is the cover art design for Chicago musician Chance the Rapper’s latest single “YAH Know.” Lee is featured in the music video.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Expo Chicago, the city’s biggest annual celebration of all that Chicago's art scene has to offer.

Art student Jackie Patino grew up in a religious household and had an exorcism performed on her. She now uses art not only to process trauma but also as a tool to heal and forgive.

Norm Lewis stars as Capt. Richard Davenport in “A Soldier’s Play” at the CIBC Theatre through April 16. The show depicts a Black soldier’s experience during WWII.

According to the Chicago Board of Elections, only 3% of voters ages 18 to 24 voted in the Feb. 28 Chicago municipal election.

Where have all the young girls gone? That’s the theme of a new production at the Greenhouse Theater Center. Playwright Mary Bonnett wrote her production, “Mia,” in response to her experiences working with the Ojibwe tribe in Wisconsin.

From the Statue of Liberty to Mount Rushmore, Smith spent 50 years traveling the country and documenting historical landmarks with her watercolors.

Veteran Art Movement is partnering with UIC and three art institutions to highlight work created by artists impacted by war. Veterans from across the country are gathering to experience that art and share stories from their time in the service.

Tattooing is a skill Ryan Henry taught himself nearly 14 years ago. It was about halfway through his career that Henry garnered national attention when his artwork was showcased on the show “Black Ink Crew Chicago.”

Unexpected household items are the focus of a local artist creating portraits for her inner child.

“Creating Black hair care products is important because I think most of the hair care on the market isn’t catered to us,” Vash Beauty Labs founder Karlene Davis said.

For nearly 30 years, the Green Book led Black drivers down American roads by outlining restaurants, hotels, safe houses and other safe spaces they could frequent without general fear for their lives.

Saxophone player Jim Gailloreto with the Metropolitan Jazz Octet arranged some of the songs on the group’s new album, saying their lyrical interpretation of Bowie’s music informed their musical “adjustments.”

A group of Chicago artists is creating a unifying voice in a new collective geared toward strength in numbers. The New Vanguard Coalition is committed to uplifting Chicago creatives.

The Goodman Theatre's “Toni Stone” tells the story of the first woman to play professional baseball in the Negro Leagues.

South Side native Terry Hunter is up for a 2023 Grammy Award for his remix of Beyoncé’s “Break My Soul.”