Free Event
Artist Talk | “The People, We Are”: The Art & Practice of Barrett Keithley
Date
Thursday, September 24, 2026
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location
Chicago History Museum
1601 N. Clark St.
Chicago,
IL
60614
United States
Join us for an interactive evening celebrating local artist Barrett Keithley as he discusses his own artwork, including The People, We Are, now on display at CHM. This program will examine the civic role and responsibility of art in shaping social life in our city and our country.
Free and open to the public; RSVP required.
Schedule
6:00 p.m. – Reception
6:45 p.m. – The Making of The People, We Are
7:05 p.m. – Art & Civic Responsibility – A Conversation
7:45 p.m. – Audience Conversation and Q&A
8:10 p.m. – The People Respond – Interactive Community Response to The People, We Are
9:00 p.m. – Event concludes
Meet the Artist
Barrett Keithley is a multi-disciplinary artist, cultural strategist, creative entrepreneur, and cofounder of Paint the City, whose work lives at the intersection of community healing, innovation, and powerful storytelling. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Keithley’s art is rooted in service—a value instilled early through daily volunteer work alongside his parents. That foundation became the heart of everything he creates: work that is deeply human, unapologetically Black, and fiercely transformational.