Dorchester Projects

Dorchester Projects is a new community development model that explores the ways social space, art, and design can catalyze creative redevelopment.  Located in two adjacent houses in Grand Crossing, Dorchester Projects provides a space that will engage neighbors, urban planners, artists, musicians, and academics in a series of workshops, performances, conversations, and happenings that will allow a myriad of relationships to inform and enhance each other through seamless and genuine gestures.

The two Dorchester buildings currently house three archives: 14,000 art and architectural books from the former Prairie Avenue Book Store; 8,000 LPs from Dr. Wax, a now-defunct record shop; and 60,000 glass lantern slides from the Art History Department at the University of Chicago.  These archives will serve as a catalyst for the creation of new works by local artists and creative folk.  New works can stay at Dorchester as additions to the archives.  This growth will bring new value to the archives, as well as root them in the South Side cultural landscape.

Arts on the South Side have been overlooked.  Dorchester Projects is committed to bringing attention to the South Side as creative depot.  Just as we've pledged to bring new value to the archives, (all of which were previously devalued and overlooked), we are committed to fostering new projects, relationships, and art on the South Side.  Many art spaces lack a commitment to truly deal with deep-rooted community challenges.  Dorchester encourages artists to dig into these neglected issues, give them voice, and confront the status quo.

Thanks to the Propeller grant, Dorchester Projects have begun planning programs for our first year.  The programming is based around five artist residencies.

Each two-month residency will commence with an informal meeting between the guest artist, Dorchester Projects administrators, interested colleagues and neighbors.  We will explore the archives, brainstorm ideas, and explore how all parties involved might make best use of the two-month period.  This may include neighboring artists and supporters, as Dorchester Projects mandates that each guest artist include the neighboring community in their vision of the residency.  Although the residency is not a live-in program, Dorchester residents will have access to professionals from many disciplines including urban planners, architects, and videographers who are supporters of the project.

At the end of the two months, each residency will culminate with a public program or exhibit.  This will be a chance to invite folk to see the new works, experience the archives, and join the conversations happening at Dorchester.  This can manifest in many ways, but could include formal public programming, workshops, lessons, etc.

At Dorchester Projects, art is honored as a function of its environment.  Each resident will help define the space and its function.  And as Dorchester Projects is a brand-new community center, its future is wide open.  The space welcomes a life defined by those who engage it.

PRESS:

March 2011 cover story in Chicago Weekly

April 2011 article in New York Times online

June 2011 feature in Chicago Reader

2011 Residents

March/April: David Boykin , musician
May/June: Ayana Contreras, DJ and record archivist
July/August: Nancy Watrous, Chicago Film Archive
September/October: Torkwase Dyson, Eco-Artist
November/Decemeber: Marvin Tate and Avery Young, spoken-word artists

http://dorchesterprojects.tumblr.com/

Torkwase Dyson's blog Sudio_South:Zero