Westside Love Map Pop-Up Exhibition | US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago

What does a map designed by neighbors look like? How can a map heal erasure? Explore stories, art, and civic action.
About this Event
Westside Love Map Pop-Up Exhibition
US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago

Join Capstone Clique and the Chicago History Museum Saturday, June 27th, from 11 AM to 4 PM, for the Westside Love Map Pop-Up Exhibition, an interactive celebration of storytelling, community memory, and civic action for Chicago's Westside.

At a time when cultural erasure and misinformation threaten to rewrite our shared history, community archiving has become an act of resistance and love. The Westside Love Map is a year-long collaboration inviting residents to become multimodal storytellers and neighborhood advocates through oral histories, photography, film, and collaborative art.

Experience community-created neighborhood maps, the Westside 290: Past, Present, Future multimedia exhibition, and an interactive audio experience exploring the history and future of the Eisenhower Expressway corridor. Guests will also have the opportunity to contribute their vision for the future of Chicago's Westside through a community survey and storytelling activities.

The event will feature a screening of Love Letter to the Westside, a short documentary by Capstone Clique that highlights the voices, memories, and experiences of community leaders across Chicago's West Side.

The afternoon will conclude with a special panel discussion, Civic Action Through Storytelling, featuring representatives from the Chicago History Museum, Capstone Clique, Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), and Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) exploring how artists, planners, historians, and residents can work together to preserve history and shape more equitable futures.

Whether you're a lifelong Westsider, history enthusiast, artist, advocate, planner, or neighbor, we invite you to join us in celebrating the stories that connect us and imagining what comes next.

Event Highlights

• Westside Love Map Pop-Up Exhibition• Westside 290: Past, Present, Future Photo Exhibition• Interactive Audio Experience• Film Screening of Love Letter to the West Side• Civic Action Through Storytelling Panel Discussion• Community Visioning Activities & Survey

Date:

Saturday, June 27

Location

Chicago History Museum 

Presented By

Capstone Clique + Chicago History Museum

Community Partners

CDOT (Chicago Department of Transportation) and CMAP (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning)

What does a map designed by neighbors look like? How can a map heal erasure? Join us to explore vibrant examples and get inspired to consider your own capacity for civic involvement.

Agenda

🕑: 11:00 AM - 04:00 PM
Westside Love Map Pop-Up Exhibition US at 250: Civic Action in Chicago

Info: Event Agenda
11:00 AM–12:00 PM
Gallery Experience & Exhibition Viewing
Explore the Westside Love Map Pop-Up Exhibition, community maps, Westside290: Past, Present, Future exhibition, interactive audio experiences, and Chicago History Museum Civic Season exhibitions.
12:00 PM–12:10 PM
Welcome Remarks
CHM and Capstone Clique introduce Civic Season: Speak Out and the Westside Love Map initiative.
12:10 PM–12:40 PM
Film Screening: Love Letter to the West Side
View Capstone Clique’s short documentary celebrating Westside stories, memories, and community leaders.
12:40 PM–2:00 PM
Exhibition Exploration & Community Engagement
Explore exhibits, storytelling stations, and the Westside290 future vision survey.
2:00 PM–3:00 PM
Panel: Civic Action Through Storytelling
Hear from leaders from CHM, Capstone Clique, CDOT, and CMAP.
3:00 PM–4:00 PM
Community Networking & Final Exhibition Viewing