Design Dialogue: The Future of South Side Community Art Center

The South Side Community Art Center, in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Center, hosted a public Design Dialogue reflecting on the future of SSCAC as it enters a major phase of redevelopment. Held in Chicago, the conversation brought together lead architect Ann Lui (Future Firm), preservation architect k. kennedy Whiters (wrkSHäp kiloWatt + studio kW Architecture + Preservation), and SSCAC Executive Director Monique Brinkman-Hill, moderated by Lee Bey, architecture critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. The program opened with a reception and continued with a moderated discussion exploring the Center’s architectural legacy, preservation priorities, and the vision guiding its next chapter—including the rehabilitation of the historic mansion and a proposed 10,000-square-foot expansion. Founded in 1940, the South Side Community Art Center is the nation’s only remaining WPA-era Black art center still operating in its original location with its original mission. As a cornerstone of Black cultural life in Bronzeville, SSCAC continues to support artists, steward a permanent collection of over 500 works, and serve as a vital space for community engagement. This dialogue offered an opportunity for the public to engage directly with the architects and leadership shaping the Center’s future, grounding the redevelopment in both history and community vision. Speakers: Ann Lui k. kennedy Whiters Monique Brinkman-Hill Lee Bey Learn more about SSCAC and upcoming programs: https://sscartcenter.org/