In Englewood, a new sculpture park blooms with murals, vivid color and hope for 'good things'
On a bustling weekday morning the vacant lot on 63rd Street between May and Racine has been turned into a vibrant sculpture park. Oversized painted drums, star‑shaped installations and an 80‑foot mural now line the former empty space, inviting passersby to pause and enjoy the burst of color.
The transformation is the work of the artist‑driven Englewood Arts Collective, whose director Janell Nelson describes the project as a ‘joy builder.’ After a soft launch in August the park will host music, mocktails and a stage during the annual Englewood Music Festival, linking visual art with the neighborhood’s long‑standing jazz and music traditions.
Key pieces include five drums from the national touring show The Stories of Us, a star field commissioned previously for Michigan Avenue, and a mural by Ryan Tova Katz based on a photograph by Tonika Lewis Johnson. The mirrored gate at the entrance nods to Chicago’s iconic ‘Bean,’ while a blank central spot is left open for future interventions.
Beyond aesthetics, the park is positioned as an economic catalyst. Collective members hope the foot traffic will benefit local businesses and give young residents a sense of pride in a space they can call their own. Funding from the Chicago Community Trust, the Driehaus Foundation and other grantmakers has made the three‑to‑five‑year activation possible, and organizers see it as a model for sustained community investment.