Here + Now

Here + Now is a teen arts showcase that highlights projects that transform ideas into action, demonstrating how art can build community, honor history, and inspire the next generation.

Featured works include handcrafted planters and benches created by DAP teens in partnership with Urban Growers Collective, bringing beauty and functionality to shared community spaces. The Choreographic Arts Program presents an original dance performance inspired by the rich traditions and vibrant performances of the Bud Billiken Parade, paying tribute to one of Chicago's most enduring cultural celebrations. The Teen Arts Council showcases original merchandise and swag designed to celebrate the South Side Home Movie Project, with designs that will be distributed at the Bud Billiken Parade to connect today's youth with the stories and memories that have shaped their community.

Here + Now invites audiences to experience how APL’s teen artists are honoring the past, investing in the present, and imagining the future—one community project at a time.