Posted 6 years ago
Press contact: Jessica Cabe | PR and Communications Manager, Chicago Loop Alliance jessica@chicagoloopalliance.com | 312-782-9160
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | July 30, 2018
CHICAGO—The third event of Chicago Loop Alliance’s 2018 ACTIVATE season, “(EVO)lution,” will take place from 5-10 p.m. on Thursday, August 16, on Garland Court (enter at N. Garland and E. Lake).
ACTIVATE series curators Canvas Chicago and collaborators Party Noire will transform the event site into a visual exhibition inspired by Chicago’s house music history, presented by contemporary artists, at “ACTIVATE: A.K.A. Power House.” With the muse, EVO, as their guide, guests will dance under a giant disco ball to the beats of emerging DJs and other live musicians in the heart of the Loop. The event invites attendees to witness the unexpected transformation of a street into an open-air dance floor, featuring paintings, interactive art installations and more.
Elements of “ACTIVATE: A.K.A. Power House,” include:
- Live graffiti session by Kane One
- Customized visual installation for main stage backdrop by Breanna Robinson
- “Old School Room” interactive installation by Ashara
- Featured photo work and live photographing by Colectivo Multipolar
- Printed fabric installation by Angela Davis Fegan (Lavender Menace)
- Special DJ sets by All The Way Kay, Duane Powell, Wrecks and Rae Chardonnay
- Live musical performance by Blu Bone
- Live drag performance by Cleo Pockalipps
- Giant disco ball installation over an “old-school” inspired dance floor
- Portal entrance by Stolatis Fabrication
- Partitions of hanging "retro" materials
ACTIVATE is a popular annual series of pop-up arts programs launched in 2014 by Chicago Loop Alliance that transforms alleys and other unexpected spaces into creative places for arts and entertainment. ACTIVATE brings people together for an evening of exploration, interaction and celebration in the public realm, inspiring guests to see the Loop anew.
Guests who RSVP in advance will receive a complimentary drink ticket for beer, wine or a cocktail at the event, with additional beverages available for purchase onsite. EVO’s story will conclude on Sept. 13. Details will be announced at loopchicago.com/activate.
This is the fifth annual ACTIVATE season, and the first time CLA has partnered with the same curatorial group for all four events. Canvas Chicago, the collective known for productions like Voyager NYE and Sub Chroma, joined CLA in developing the season theme, “(EVO)lution.”
“(EVO)lution” refers to EVO, a fictional muse representing all of the artistic intentions in Chicago that lead to the continuous evolution of the city’s modern-day arts and culture. EVO is able to open portals to parallel universes, so each ACTIVATE event will see a location in the Loop transformed, with attendees transported to an alternate version of the same space.
“ACTIVATE: A.K.A. Power House” is presented by Party Noire with Canvas Chicago, two powerhouse Chicago-born collectives. They joined forces to bring joy and create another journey of (EVO)lution for the ACTIVATE 2018 series, that uplifts not only DJs attributing to the city's historic music foundation, but also to painters, fabricators and installation artists who will take over this downtown space. “ACTIVATE: A.K.A. Power House" is inspired by historic club and artist naming conventions.
Michael Edwards, president and CEO of Chicago Loop Alliance, said ACTIVATE aligns with CLA’s mission to create high-performing urban experiences in the Loop.
“Chicago Loop Alliance does a lot of things, but the goal of everything we do is to ensure the Loop remains a vibrant destination,” Edwards said. “ACTIVATE creates experiences unlike any other and invites people who may walk through the Loop every day to see it in a new way that inspires them, delights them and gives them a sense of pride in all the Loop has to offer.”
ACTIVATE sponsors include: Presenting sponsor School of the Art Institute of Chicago; title sponsors Lagunitas Brewing Company, Little Things and CH Distillery; team sponsor PNC Bank; and individual event sponsors Bobo’s Oat Bars, Topo Chico Sparkling Water, Brew Dr. Kombucha and Minigrow.
About ACTIVATE
ACTIVATE is a series of pop-up arts programs that encourage visitors to see the Loop anew. ACTIVATE transforms alleys and other urban locations into creative exhibition spaces that bring artists and the public together for an evening of exploration, interaction and celebration of the arts. Chicago Loop Alliance launched the placemaking initiative in 2014, making the 2018 season its fifth annual. For more information, please visit LoopChicago.com/activate.
About Chicago Loop Alliance
Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA), the sole service provider for Special Service Area#1-2015, creates, manages and promotes high-performing urban experiences, attracting people and investment to the Loop. For more information, please visit LoopChicago.com.
About Party Noire
Party Noire began in 2015 as a monthly day party and has evolved into a mission-driven communal hub, a natural transition that allows reconnection to its community. The Party Noire community is an inclusive cultural hub celebrating Black femmes, QWOC and Black womynhood along the gender spectrum and holds space especially for queer, trans + genderqueer and gender non-conforming Black people. Party Noire creates experiences and intentional space for uplifting and affirming the lives of Black womyn.
About Canvas
Canvas is a network of producers, technicians, fabricators, designers and artists dedicated to an exploration of honest expression. For more information, please visit CanvasChicago.com.
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