Stony Island Arts Bank, Chicago
STONY ISLAND ARTS BANK One of the first projects of the Rebuild Foundation was the Stony Islands Arts Bank. An abandoned old bank built in the early 1920s that was restored and repurposed to serve the community of South Side Chicago. A multi-purpose space for art and cultural events, it is used today by local artists and members of the community. It includes an archive collection with a vast variety of media, such as a collection of over 60,000 glass lantern slides covering art and architectural history throughout times and books and publications from the African American Publisher, Johnson Publishing Company, with copies dated since the 1940s. It also includes the personal vinyl collection of Frankie Knuckles, known as the godfather of house music, and the Edward J. Williams Collection, a selection of over 4,000 items of stereotypical images of Black people throughout history. They also host programs like the Arts Bank cinema, a free weekly cinema screening of African American films, and exhibitions from local artists. A place where art, culture, and community meet, promoting engagement between the three parts and allowing residents to access, expand and share their creativity, knowledge, and history.
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