Orchard & Vine, 1975 -

Please join us in person on Sunday, February 22, 2026 (2-4pm CST) for the opening reception of Orchard & Vine, 1975-, a photography exhibition at the Near North Library celebrating the Neighborhood Commons Cooperative (NCC) community, then and now. This exhibition, which is free and open to the public from February 22 - March 22, 2026, features photographs, archival materials, and art objects that trace NCC's emergence, governance, and everyday life, highlighting how NCC residents continue to sustain collective life through cooperation and care. Presented in partnership with the Near North Library, Orchard & Vine, 1975 - places NCC in the public record and situates it within the city’s unfolding history.

Curated by scholar/artist Nnaemeka Ekwelum, Orchard & Vine, 1975 - is the product of Dr. Sally Nuamah's critical research and archiving of NCC's storied history and legacy. This exhibition features commissioned works of art by Waybon McConnell, Joseph Ignatius, Kin Marie Broughton (Brain Studios), and Roland Knowlden, with archival items on loan from Jay Moore, Ge Dixon, Monica Shelton, Frances Holmes, Tracy Holmes and other NCC residents in consultation with Maurice Leggings.

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Opening Reception (Feb. 22, 2026) is FREE, including complementary food and drinks.

Doors Open at 1:30pm.

Film Presentation & Panel Discussion at 2:15pm.

Exhibition Tour at 3:15pm.

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Orchard & Vine, 1975 - is on view at Near North Library from February 22, 2026 to March 22, 2026, sponsored in part by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Friends of Orchard and Vine, and the TWII Foundation.

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