The Black Aura: A Celebration of Black Liberation

The KCAF is pleased to introduce The Black Aura: A Weekend of Liberation and the Arts.

The Black Aura is a response to the city's need to develop a greater sense of identity and clarity around the values associated with Juneteenth.  Scheduled to take place June 28-29, 2024, the weekend between Juneteenth and Independence Day, this artistic experience leverages the arts to illuminate the tensions in our histories and struggles, and the resiliency that has emerged.  Promising a broad array of experiences including performances, documentaries, workshops, the weekend will highlight the aura of “Blackness” and reflect the resilience & humanity of Black people in the arts. The weekend is designed to feature local artists, intentionally building upon and strengthening our collective sense of community in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood and beyond. 

With an emphasis on Black liberation, we will curate a documentary screening, workshops on topics that include the impact of house music on the liberation of Black people in Chicago, and various artistic performances at an evening gala affair, hosting and connecting with over 1,000 participants during the course of The Black Aura weekend.  The community has had minimal access to arts and culture programs that could serve as a respite from their challenges and an opportunity for their own catharsis and human transformation. The Black Aura will cultivate immersive interaction among artists and community residents, unearthing opportunities to unleash new artistic talents, as well as a deeper and wider understanding of our shared history and identities at the intersection of Juneteenth and Independence Day, resulting in a stronger sense of community and belonging. 

In addition to offering arts & culture programming, The Black Aura will serve as a catalyst for the KCAF’s emerging goal to serve as an arts hub, building and expounding upon relationships with key stakeholders in the broader arts ecosystem. The KCAF seeks to leverage its partnerships with arts organizations, fostering first its partnership with Lyric Unlimited of Lyric Opera House, and including the Chicago Federation of Music, the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic, Ravinia, Ear Taxi, Hearing in Color, and other local arts organizations, to serve as a collective where synergies and resources are galvanized to leverage common and shared programming for greater community impact. Strengthening The KCAF’s partnerships with arts organizations creates access to an extensive, robust menu of arts programs and activities to be added to KCAF’s annually planned events.

Host or Publisher The Kehrein Center for the Arts