Smart Chicago at the After School Matters and Borderbend Arts & Tech Fair

Denise Linn

On April 9th, Smart Chicago participated in the After School Matters & Borderbend Arts & Tech Fair at the Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center.

We met the youth, enjoyed performances from programs like Chicago Kaleidoscopes & Spoken Word Academy of Chicago, and shared information from our Connect Chicago network of programs.

Here are just some arts & tech learning spaces for youth interested in summer STEAM experiences:

YOUmedia at Chicago Public Library Branches

YOUmedia is a library and studio space at Chicago Public Library branches designed specifically for teens. You can hang out, mess around and geek out on projects to create your own music, video, 2D and 3D design, photos and podcasts with help from skilled mentors. YOUmedia equipment is available for free with your valid Chicago Public Library card.

Little Black Pearl

Location: 1060 East 47th Street Chicago, Illinois 60653. Little Black Pearl (LBP) is a nonprofit serving youth in the Kenwood/Oakland, Woodlawn, and Bronzeville neighborhoods. Their Teen Tech Center is a space that enables teens from Chicago to gain access to technological tools, resources and opportunities in music, multi-media, video, graphics, digital photography, engineering and animation.

Street-Level Youth Media

Location: 1637 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622. Street-Level offers free media arts training to youth & young adults from ages 13 to 24. Experienced teachers, artists, and mentors teach year-round workshops at their multimedia center.

Adler Planetarium STEM Teen Programs

Location: 1300 S Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60605. The Adler’s Teen Programs focus on providing technical and professional skills, mentorship, and a welcoming learning environment for Chicago high school students of all backgrounds, interests, and abilities. They introduce you to new skills like web development, game development, robotics and more.

This list is just the beginning. There are over 250 locations in Chicago where you can access technology, training, & Wi-Fi.

Thank you to all the youth from the Arts & Tech Fair that shared their talents!

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