The Corner Project

“At Play” October 2, 2015 Curated by Grace Needlman, Bryn Pernot, John Harness. Corner, 2912 N. Milwaukee

In 2014 I turned the storefront of my studio at 2912 N. Milwaukee into a space for installations and performances by other artists while getting my MFA at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I hired Grace Needlman to be the gallery director at Corner during this time.

The original idea for Corner was that by showcasing compelling, interactive work that was relevant to daily life, it would engage long-time residents who might see an artist moving into the neighborhood as an unwelcome disruption. Eventually I realized that work inside of a gallery, no matter how well-intentioned, doesn’t have enough to do with what actually matters to the life of the street. In 2017 Corner evolved into The Corner Project, focused on the equitable cultural and economid development on the three blocks of Milwaukee Avenue where Corner is located. When I looked at the street with fresh eyes, I saw a traditional, working-class, immigrant main street that had been hit hard by the recession and speculation. Over a third of the storefronts are vacant. I began by getting to know the people and places that make up the ecosystem of our street. All of that listening and research eventually led to the formation of a community organization in February 2017, the Milwaukee Avenue Alliance. The MAA became a 501(c)3 in February 2020.

— Lynn Basa, March 1, 2020