Wisdom Bridge Arts Project
Last Tuesday, Tom Rosenfeld and Eva McAnn
Hosted an Informational Meeting at the New
Free Art Gallery
at 7543 North Paulina Street
next to Dunkin' Donuts at
Gateway Bus Depot. The Meeting was
about the plans and progress to create a
Community Arts Center for Rogers Park.


The Wisdom Bridge Theater Building

Tom explained that the original intention of the volunteer group was to rehab this beautiful building on Howard and save it from possible demolition. Unfortunately, the engineering studies that were completed in 2000 and recent studies done prior to the purchase of the building, indicated that the cost of renovating the existing structure would now exceed the cost of building new. There is significant interior damage and apparently the mold contamination requires anyone who enters the building to wear a mask.

In the 5 years it has taken the group to come to this difficult realization, they began operating as a community arts organization and produced the now Annual World Music Festival and a free summer theater camp for children at Gale Academy. The goal now, is to incorporate all of these efforts into a new building that will become a true

Community Arts Center for Rogers Park

The 5 member board is currently working with John Morris, an architect who has had extensive experience designing and building other theater type spaces. The first architectural draft of the interior space is expected to be completed shortly.
more info on John Morris





















from the Wisdom Bridge Arts Project website.....

More than three years ago, a group of civic minded folks set-out to create a unique community arts organization. We wanted to address the poor conditions that existed in our neighborhood in Rogers Park.
The north of Howard sector of Rogers Park in Chicago is one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the city. The primary nutritional needs for many of the children here are met through government programs like Head Start, WIC and other similar programs. The young adults are likely to be victims or perpetrators. And the schools are suffering. The cycle continues.

We asked ourselves the question: “What can I do?” and we talked with the community. Driven by the belief that long-term social change needs to involve children, we looked at the schools. And we were startled. Our grade schools eliminated their arts programs.
Eliminated.

Maybe you remember art classes in school – you likely had a music or drawing teacher or you might have been in band. You may have had field trips to the symphony or to an art museum. Arts training in schools provides an opportunity for exposure to different means of expression and points of views at a critical time in our development. Kids in our neighborhood, who really need the opportunity for expression, don’t get it.

In response, we created the Wisdom Bridge Arts Project, a comprehensive program of teaching and experience in all art forms-theatre, music, dance, visual arts and writing –conducted by Chicago’s artists in unique partnerships.

The Wisdom Bridge Arts Project

The volunteer group is now looking for anyone interested in helping this great program.

tom@wbap.org for more information

the Objective Observer