- 1 p.m.–2:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5: Press availability with art build volunteers
CTU HQ, 1901 W. Carroll Ave., Chicago
Artists, educators, activists, parents, students and other community allies will come together over the weekend to build the visual backdrop to a possible strike of Chicago teachers, support staff, and building workers.
CHICAGO—Members of the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 73 are gathering this weekend along with artists, educators, parents, students and community allies to construct banners, picket signs, patches, and other visual materials that will serve as the backdrop to a potential strike later this month.
Reporters, photographers and camera crews may shoot b-roll, stills and interview participants on Saturday, October 5 from 1-2:30 p.m.
The CTU union hall was packed on Friday for the first of three days of Art Build, as artists and educators transform the CTU’s union hall into a hive of art, activism and community, with people coming together from across the city to support the struggle of educators and staff to win the schools Chicago’s students deserve.
The art build is open to participation from people of all ages, and no art background is required. For participants, Saturday’s Art Build runs from 10AM to 10PM, and Sunday’s Art Build runs from 10AM – 7PM.
In addition to building the visual materials for our fight for a fair contract, we’re building the movement for education justice. Art Build includes music, poetry and the opportunity to get to know co-workers, neighbors and others who care about winning the schools that Chicago’s students deserve.
Young Chicago Authors, the organization behind the mighty Louder Than A Bomb citywide slam poetry contest, and other young poets did short performances on Friday and will do so again on Saturday at 5 pm.
There is power in a union, power in solidarity and power in art for and by the people. Art Builds in Milwaukee, Los Angeles and Oakland created the powerful visual storytelling of those cities’ struggles for equity and educational justice, from mass marches to strikers’ picket lines.
