Family Day: Community Ties

Presented by the Smart Museum of Art in collaboration with Obama Presidential Center, families will explore the theme “community” through collaborative, hands-on art making inspired by the work of Theaster Gates and the vibrant cultural history of Chicago’s South Side. Families will create mixed-media collages using found materials, family photos, handwritten notes, and symbolic objects that reflect their own personal and collective stories. These artworks will serve as tangible expressions of memory, identity, and neighborhood pride.

Rooted in the values of the Obama Presidential Center, this project emphasizes community empowerment, intergenerational connection, and the power of storytelling to shape civic identity. Just as the OPC seeks to be a living hub for history, creativity, and leadership—uplifting voices that have long shaped the South Side—this program provides a platform for families to share their stories and see themselves as co-authors of the region’s past, present, and future.

“Community Ties” supports the Obama Foundation’s mission to inspire, empower, and connect people from all walks of life and celebrate the South Side as an incubator of talent, culture, and innovation. It also aligns with the Smart Museum’s commitment to inclusive, object-based learning and community engagement through art. Together, this collaboration encourages families to reflect on the ties that bind us, the legacies we inherit, and the stories still waiting to be told.

"Community Ties" is also generously supported by the Terra Foundation for American Art.

Registration is strongly encouraged to help the Smart team best prepare for the day. Walk-ins will be welcome as space allows. If you no longer can attend, kindly release your tickets so other families can attend. Thank you!

Family Day is a free monthly program at the Smart Museum of Art that invites kids of all ages and families of all kinds to create together and connect with one another. Each program is unique, fun, and free, emphasizing self-expression, experimentation, and hands-on creativity. Families can enjoy looking at art in the galleries and then make their way to the museum's lobby and/or courtyard (weather permitting) for an afternoon of art projects inspired by work from the exhibition. Art-making supplies and other materials are provided. Children under the age of 15 should be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Image: Photo from previous Family Day program, courtesy of Smart Museum of Art.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Smart Museum of Art, 5550 South Greenwood Avenue, Chicago, United States

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