Sunday Service with DJ Duane Powell

On Sunday, February 22: DJ Duane Powell is back at The Land School for the first Sunday Service of 2026, as we celebrate a decade of partnership.

From 4 to 7 PM, we will gather in the spirit of Frankie Knuckles, the Godfather of House Music, and his innate ability to architect palpable sonic space through his experimental sound and liberatory sets.

Presented at The Land School, formerly the St. Laurence Elementary School, we’re honored to conjure the spatial memory of youth House parties that enlivened the auditoriums of Catholic schools across the city as Frankie and other House pioneers were commanding the sound at clubs, such as the historic Warehouse.

Landing at the future home of the fully digitized Frankie Knuckles Collection, The Land School offers new ground for the resonant architectural and social echoes that nurtured Chicago’s House music lineage. Join us in sonic epiphany and ecstasy as Duane guides the “congregation” with a rhythmic sermon celebrating the convergence of House and Soul.

Sunday Service is a vital extension of Rebuild’s broader archival mission: one that enlivens Black cultural archives through radical custodianship and fosters new forms of gathering and expression.

We invite you to join us on February 22 as we open this new season together, celebrating 10 years of Duane’s cultural leadership at Rebuild and embodying the archive and future of House music on Chicago's South Side.

Please review our updated Sunday Service and Land School policies below.

When reserving your ticket, please read through our protocols and guidelines for attending programs at The Land School (listed below). Please note that due to the capacity of The Land School’s auditorium, outdoor food, drinks, and furniture (including personal seating) will not be permitted inside the building. On-site seating will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis and to guests with accessibility requirements. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

We can’t wait to jack with you!

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About Duane Powell

Duane Powell is a cornerstone of the global House and Soul music scene, cherished for his deep attunement to sound and its cultural resonance. A longtime collaborator with Rebuild Foundation and board member of the Frankie Knuckles Foundation, Powell also serves as a guardian and steward of the Knuckles collection.

As the creator of Sunday Service and his interactive lecture series Rearview Sessions, he bridges his practice and music history with a scholar’s insight and disc jockey’s innate intuition, helping to shape the canon’s sonic landscape. A beloved figure in Chicago’s music community, he stands as a pillar continuing to shape contemporary culture as a tastemaker, ethnomusicologist, and steward of sound.

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About The Land School

The Land School, a new pedagogical platform at the site of the former St. Laurence Elementary School, proposes a radical model of artistic experimentation and archival stewardship, providing space, time, access, collaborative inquiry, process-driven programming, and performance, all led by an intergenerational cohort of artists, archivists, scholars, craftspeople, cultural workers, and creative organizations invested in culture as a service.

The Land School Policies and Protocol:

In advance of the day, please take note of the policies below to help us care for one another and the space:

Drinks and water will be available for purchase on site. Outside alcohol and firearms on the premises are strictly prohibited.

Please be mindful of your neighbors by respecting their personal space and bodily autonomy.

No smoking, vaping, or incense is permitted on the school premises.

No pets are allowed.

No professional photo/video equipment allowed unless preapproved by Rebuild.

Ride sharing is encouraged as parking is limited. Please be sure to not block the entrances and exits of our neighbors. We feel uniquely grateful to offer these programs in an active, thriving residential community. If you are able, we encourage parking along Dorchester Avenue out of respect for our neighbors’ everyday parking needs.

No violence - verbal or physical - will be tolerated. Any attendee creating an unsafe environment will be removed from the premises immediately, at the discretion of the Rebuild security staff.

We take the safety our all of our guests seriously. If any guest is found violating these protocols, they will be escorted off of the property immediately and will not be welcome to return.

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Notice of Photography and Videography

By entering the space, you acknowledge and consent to being photographed and/or videotaped. Images and recordings may be used for promotional, archival, or other purposes by the organizers. If you do not wish to be photographed or recorded, please notify a staff member upon arrival. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

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We look forward to welcoming you!

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