Attend the closing reception for Community on the Make  | Arts of Life 2000 – 2025 (part deux) on Saturday, November 22nd, from 5:00-8:00pm.

Following the closing of this exhibition at the Design Museum of Chicago, Epiphany Center for the Arts is happy to present Community on the Make | Arts of Life 2000 - 2025 (part deux)

“Yet once you've come to be part of this particular patch, you'll never love another... But never a lovely so real.” — Nelson Algren, Chicago: City on the Make

Nelson Algren’s raw love letter to Chicago speaks to the soul of a city made of equal parts beauty and struggle, resilience and reinvention. His words resonate deeply with the journey of Arts of Life—an organization born on the margins and grown into a transformative creative force. For 25 years, Arts of Life has built something “so real”: a studio collective where artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities lead with vision, passion, and purpose.

We quote Algren because his Chicago is our Chicago—not polished, but powerful. Not built for easy consumption, but built to last. And like the city he described, our community didn’t wait for permission to exist—we created our own space.

Community on the Make at the Design Museum of Chicago marks another meaningful milestone in claiming our place within the city's vast creative landscape. Design is about intention—about systems, structures, and the ways people move through the world. Our artists are not only makers of art—they are re-makers of culture. Together, they have designed a new model for what inclusive creative communities can be: one shaped by collective decision-making and rooted in our core values:

• INSPIRING Artistic Expression
• BUILDING Community
• PROMOTING Self-Respect
• DEVELOPING Independence

This group exhibition is a celebration of what we’ve accomplished—but also a provocation. It asks us to reconsider: Who is art for? Who gets to shape culture? And how can design become a tool of liberation? Community on the Make highlights artists, staff, and volunteers both past and present who have shaped our community while also allowing the public to contribute and engage in the exhibition. Community on the Make is not just a reflection on where we’ve been. It’s a declaration of where we’re going.

Featured Artists
Ariée, Chris Austin, Renata Berdes, Raina Carter, Guy Conners, Veronica Cuculich, Ted Gram Boarini, Stefan Harhaj, Noel Herrera, Nik Heusman, Marcus Imani Kennedy, David Krueger, Lawrence M, Ben Marcus, Mike Marino, Susan Pasowicz, Hubert Posey, Brian Reed, Alex Scott, Kelly Stone, Tim Stone, Maria Vanik, Chris Viau, Allison Wade, Jean Wilson, Marvin Young, Christina Zion

Arts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership.

RSVP for this event.

Golden Hour at Epiphany:
Stop by Epiphany for Golden Hour beforehand for free live music, drinks and lite bites in the Café Bar! Doors open at 5pm with 1/2 priced bottles of wine and other specials until 7:00pm

Golden Hour Menu + Music Schedule

Please note that outside food or beverages are not permitted in the venue.