Lessons in (Making the Art World We Deserve)

Join Eric May for a conversation on how Roots & Culture has followed its own path and shown how a community-centered art world is possible.
About this Event

The art world is a microcosm of the spooky times we find ourselves. The American art economy has long been dictated by the whims and trends chased by the wealthy. Art becomes just another investment and these days the rich place their safest bets on dead or already-made-it artists. The lower classes of the art market can’t get ahead and as small and mid-level galleries shut their doors, opportunities for emerging artists evaporate. Non-profit institutions, small and large, are under attack for presenting truthful expression. Funding is contracting in every direction as federal grants are cut and foundations shift their priorities.

This leaves the arts more precarious than ever. But we do what we always do—make do with what we have to find ways to express ourselves. Honestly though, don’t we deserve more, a world where artist’s voices are centered and abundantly valued? For 20 years, Roots & Culture has tried to envision a better art world by providing meaningful support and a welcoming community space for emerging artists. It’s been a bumpy road, but in our scrappy determination, we have proved to be too small to fail. Please join founder Eric May for an intimate, candid conversation about how Roots & Culture has followed its own path and shown how a more supportive, community-centered art world is possible. And of course, Eric will serve lunch!

*Please note that this event will take place at Roots & Culture (1034 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642).

This class has been organized by Laurel Hauge as part of Lessons in (Hospitality) which offers a series of classes during the run of this year’s Ground Floor exhibition (August 9–November 1, 2026). While each class in this series has been conceived by a different thinker, maker, and/or professional, they are all centered around the subject: hospitality. The project offers the conditions for a multitude of definitions and interpretations of “hospitality” to be shared, enacted, and embodied.