Englewood Arts Collective
Tonika Lewis Johnson is the lead co-founder of the Englewood Arts Collective (EAC). She organized a group of fellow creatives from Englewood in the summer of 2017 with a mission to unify, represent, and contribute to the creative demographic of Englewood. EAC believes in the power of a people when they tell their own story; the power of Art as a legitimate, viable conduit for positive change in communities; and the potential for Artists to be leaders and influencers of said change. To learn more, click on the following website: https://englewoodartscollective.org/
Englewood Arts Collective (EAC) was founded by Tonika Lewis Johnson in 2017 with a mission to unify, represent, and contribute to the creative demographic of her neighborhood. In the summer of 2017, Tonika organized a group of fellow creatives, who either hail from or currently live in Englewood, and believe in:
- The power of a people when they tell their own story;
- The power of Art as a legitimate, viable conduit for positive change in communities and;
- The potential for Artists to be leaders and influencers of said change. EAC is currently in the process of planning programming for 2020 as well as formalizing into a non-profit structure. To learn more, click on the following website: https://englewoodartscollective.org/
Comprised of professional photographers, writers, musicians, graphic designers, clothiers, fine artists, and street-art/graffiti muralists, Englewood Arts Collective is a collaboration who either hail from or currently live in Englewood. The ultimate goal of the Englewood Arts Collective is to reflect the beauty of, enrich the community within, and help produce events and interactions that reflect the Englewood Chicago community in a positive way—reframing the mainstream narrative, from the inside out. Visit the following website for more info: https://englewoodartscollective.org/
February 2, 2020 - Change Agents Podcast featured Englewood Arts Collective and Resident Assc. of Greater Englewood and other R.A.G.E. members in their coverage of Englewood and how residents are changing the narrative with community initiatives, services and beautification projects. Click the folllowing link to listen to the whole story: https://changeagentsthepodcast.com/#episodes
www.englewoodartscollective.com
https://ragenglewood.org/
February 2, 2020 - Change Agents Podcast published this story featuring Englewood Arts Collective and Resident Assc. of Greater Englewood and other R.A.G.E. members about how residents are changing the narrative with community initiatives, services and beautification projects. https://changeagentsthepodcast.com/#episodes
www.englewoodartscollective.com
https://ragenglewood.org/
Halloween day, 2020. Englewood Arts Collective, winners of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's INVEST South/West public art initiative for the Englewood corridor, held a community paint day —a socially distant beautification celebration, in partnership with n partnership with Resident Assc. of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.)
www.englewoodartscollective.com
https://ragenglewood.org/
(Some photos used here courtesy/credit to Oscar Sánchez: IG: @oso_campeon)
August 8, 2020 - Englewood Arts Collective partnered with Resident Assc. Of Greater Englewood (R.A.G.E.) to transform the neglected, boarded up, long time Englewood vacant corner store on the 6600 block of Halsted into a site of beauty, visual healing and envisioning. Friends from Alt_Chicago were invited to contribute by including their free community market, Alt_Market to the space as well as other interactive designs by Made In Englewood and We All Live Here.
June 19, 2020 - The #EnvisionEnglewood campaign started with this Juneteenth billboard and a follow-up pop-up activation event in partnership with R.A.G.E.—a “So Fresh Saturday” where EAC gave away over 1000 PPE and 100 art kits and posters of the billboard.
June 19, 2020 - The #EnvisionEnglewood campaign started with a Juneteenth billboard and this follow-up pop-up activation event in partnership with R.A.G.E.—a “So Fresh Saturday” where EAC gave away over 1000 PPE and 100 art kits and posters of the billboard.
June 19, 2020 - The #EnvisionEnglewood campaign started with a Juneteenth billboard and this follow-up pop-up activation event in partnership with R.A.G.E.—a “So Fresh Saturday” where EAC gave away over 1000 PPE and 100 art kits and posters of the billboard.
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September 6, 2017 - South Side Weekly ipublished their interview with the newly formed Englewood Arts Collective co-founders, Tonika, Janell & Joe Nelson. Click the following link to read the complete conversation: https://southsideweekly.com/more-than-just-optics/
July 5, 2017 - Now defunct DNAinfo interviewed Tonika about why she recently started the Englewood Arts Collective. Click the following link to read the full article: https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20170705/englewood/englewood-arts-collective-joe-nelson-janelle-nelson-jovanna-jackson-glen-felix-tanya-ward-pugs-atomz/
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