Third Annual Wabash Arts Corridor Crawl

 

Press Contact: Elizabeth Neukirch/Liza Massingberd │ The Silverman Group, Inc.

312.932.9950 │ elizabeth@silvermangroupchicago.com

Highlights of FREE PUBLIC EVENT include:

  • New murals by street artists Don’t Fret and ASVP
  • District gallery walk hosted by Columbia College Chicago
  • ACTIVATE alley event from Chicago Loop Alliance
  • Music stages and live street performances

 

CHICAGO (September 30, 2015)—The Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC), an initiative of Columbia College Chicago, will come to life on Friday, Oct. 23 from 4-10 p.m. for the third annual WAC Crawl. The free public event is centered along Wabash Avenue from Van Buren to Roosevelt and showcases the cultural assets of the district, with dozens of programs ranging from live music stages and dance performances to interactive art and area restaurant and bar specials throughout the evening. For the most up-to-date details, please visit https://www.colum.edu/waccrawl.

Highlights for this year’s WAC Crawl include:

  • New large-scale murals from Columbia College alum Don’t Fret and Brooklyn artistic duo ASVP. These new works join 14 murals and public art already lining the WAC, from Columbia alumni as well as professional street artists like Shepard Fairey and POSE. The new ASVP mural is presented in partnership with Vertical Gallery, and Don’t Fret’s work is a Columbia College commission.
  • Art Crawl featuring the Columbia College Chicago galleries and Elephant Gallery. Columbia galleries and museums include the Museum of Contemporary Photography, Glass Curtain Gallery, A+D Gallery, and more!
  • ACTIVATE alley event presented by Chicago Loop Alliance, part of an ongoing monthly urban event series that immerses the public in a spectacle of sound, art and performance. Guests who RSVP in advance at www.LoopChicago.com/ACTIVATE will receive a complimentary ticket for beer at the event.
  • District art tours featuring WAC murals. Columbia students will serve as docents for a walking art tour beginning at 6 p.m. The tour will launch from the 1st floor lobby of 623 S. Wabash.

The WAC Crawl is the annual showcase of the Wabash Arts Corridor, a long-term partnership of educational, cultural and business organizations in the district, led by Columbia College Chicago.

"Spearheading the Wabash Arts Corridor development, Columbia's faculty, staff, students and alumni are animating the district,” says Columbia College Vice President for Student Success Mark Kelly. “With the WAC Crawl, we join our neighboring universities, cultural entities, businesses and residents in a lively celebration of our collective power."

Additional organizations participating in this year’s WAC Crawl include: Roosevelt University and The Auditorium Theatre; The Joffrey Ballet; Hilton Chicago; Blackstone Hotel; Buddy Guy’s Legends; Brasserie by LM; South Loop Club; The Jazz Showcase; Byline Bank; Bar Louie; Chicago Human Rhythm Project; Willow Creek Church; The University Center of Chicago; and YOUmedia at Harold Washington Library.

About Columbia College Chicago

Columbia College Chicago is an urban institution that offers innovative degree programs in the visual, performing, media and communication arts for nearly 10,000 students in more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs. An arts and media college committed to a rigorous liberal arts curriculum, Columbia is dedicated to opportunity and excellence in higher education. For further information, visit www.colum.edu.

About the Wabash Arts Corridor

The Wabash Arts Corridor (WAC) is Chicago’s “living urban canvas.” Founded in 2013, the WAC is one of the city’s major cultural assets comprised of eight educational institutions, 19 galleries, 14 performance spaces, five major hotels and more than 40 restaurants. Connecting local businesses and commerce with education, cultural programming and the visual, performing and media arts, the WAC is an urban lab for creative expression, innovation and excellence in the arts. For more information, please visit www.WabashArtsCorridor.org

About Chicago Loop Alliance

Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA), the sole service provider for Special Service Area #1, creates, manages and promotes high-performing urban experiences, attracting people and investment to the Loop. For more information, please visit www.LoopChicago.com.