The Public Art Reimagining Tour and You (P.A.R.T.Y.) is an artist-led public engagement campaign designed to align public art investments with Chicago’s historic INVEST South/West initiative. Launched in 2019, INVEST South/West addresses systemic disinvestment by enhancing 12 commercial corridors in 10 West and South Side neighborhoods.

Commissioned by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), P.A.R.T.Y. builds critical connections between government agencies and community residents, ensuring that public art reflects local identity, history, and aspirations. The campaign leverages approachable design, bold branding, and interactive tools to spark conversation and foster inclusivity.

Carried out during Summer and Fall 2022, P.A.R.T.Y. focused on four neighborhoods: Auburn Gresham, Austin, Bronzeville, and Englewood. Artist-led teams hosted public events including neighborhood walks, pop-ups, and focus groups to accommodate different forms of engagement.

The campaign’s interactive approach centered on four modules:

• Explaining: Introducing the project goals, planning timeline, and public art process.
• Mapping: Grounding the engagement within the neighborhood by identifying focus corridors and key sites.
• Cataloging: Inspiring possibilities through examples of public art interventions, such as gathering spaces, installations, and murals.
• Storytelling: Inviting community members to share reflections, values, and aspirations for their neighborhoods.

Each phase of engagement—Awareness, Visioning, and Responding—ensured that residents were active participants in shaping the Public Art Vision Plan. This plan established guiding principles for future public art investments and will inform Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for specific projects.