Music Moves

An Old Town School Arts & Community Wellness Initiative

Our Mission: Placing artistic practice firmly at the center of community wellness

Music Moves Chicago Happenings

Fall 2026 Weekly Programming

• Mondays, 10/12 - 12/14 · 6:30 PM · Rise Training Academy, LLC
  Djembe Orchestra with John Chapman
• Tuesdays, 10/13 - 12/15 · 6:30 PM · Washington Park Fieldhouse
  West African Dance with Zenzile Fatou and Maila Sylla
• Tuesdays, 10/13 - 12/1 · 5:00 PM · A House in Austin
  West Side Fireflies with Shanta Nurullah and Zahra Baker
• Wednesdays, 10/14 - 12/9 · 6:00 PM · Kennicott (Jonathan) Park
  Afro Cuban Dance with Edson Cabrera
• Thursdays, 10/15 - 12/17 · 6:30 PM · Washington Park Fieldhouse
  Afro Puerto Rican Bomba with Lauren Brooks
• Saturdays, 10/17 - 12/19 · 11:00 AM · Arts + Public Life
  South Side Fireflies with Shanta Nurullah and Zahra Baker
• Sundays, 10/18, 11/15, 12/20 · 1:00 PM · Chicago Art Department
  Monthly Chicago Banjo Meetups with Black Banjo Reclamation Project

Special Events

• Future Folk Festival
  • Friday 11/13 · 6:00 PM · Douglass (Anna & Frederick) Park
    Featuring Eva Supreme’s Hymns Reimagined with PRAISE MOTHER and Duane Powell
  • Wednesday 12/16 · 6:00 PM · Austin Town Hall Park
    Featuring Dill Costa Quintet with AKENYA and Shon Dervis
• Thurs 12/17 · 6:30 PM
  Baile De Bomba

Partners

Last Updated October 2026:

• A House in Austin | @ahouseinaustinchicago
• Arts + Public Life | @artspubliclife
• Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM) | @aacm_chicago
• Azania Drum | @azaniadrum
• Bethel New Life | @bethelnew4950
• Betty Shabazz International Charter School | @bettyshabazzics
• Black Banjo Reclamation Project | @black.banjo.reclamation
• BUILD | @buildchicago
• Catalyst Circle Rock Charter School | @catalystcirclerock
• Chi-Village | @chivillage_
• Chicago Art Department | @chicagoartdept
• Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events | @chicagodcase
• Chicago Park District | @chicagoparks
• Chicago Torture Justice Center | @chitorture
• D-Composed | @dcomposedchicago
• DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center | @dusablemuseum
• El Schomburg | @elschomburg
• Firehouse Community Arts Center | @_thefirehouse_
• Front Porch Arts Center | @frontporchartscenter
• Garfield Park Conservatory | @gpconservatory
• Gingarte Capoeira | @gingartecapoeira
• Grow Greater Englewood | @growgreaterenglewood
• Illinois Humanities | @ilhumanities
• Imagine Englewood if | @imagineenglewoodif
• IMAN | @imancentral
• International Latino Cultural Center | @intllatinoculturalcenter
• It Takes a Village Academy | @thevlacademy
• Kehrein Center for the Arts | @kehreincenter
• Let Us Breathe Collective | @letusbreathe773
• Lindblom Math and Science Academy | @lindlom_msa
• National Museum of Mexican Art | @explorenmma
• Praise Mother Squad | @praisemother
• Que4 Radio | @que4radio
• Rebuild Foundation | @rebuild_foundation
• Rise Training Academy | @risetrainingacademy
• Silkroad | @silkroadproject
• Social Justice Initiative (UIC) | @socialjustice_uic
• South Side Sanctuary | @southsidesanctuarychi
• Sweet Water Foundation | @sweetwaterfdn
• The Beat Bank
• The Honeycomb Network | @thehoneycombnetwork
• Walter Dyett High School for the Arts | @dyettartshs
• Windy City Ramblers | @chicagowindycityramblers

About Music Moves

Music Moves Chicago (MMC) is a place-based, youth-focused, intergenerational initiative that aims to inspire, restore, and transform communities by providing access to high quality arts education, concerts, and workforce readiness through partnerships with community organizations, schools, and other institutions located in South and West side neighborhoods.

Goals & Objectives

• To provide arts-based classes, workshops, learning experiences and performances in Chicago communities with the greatest need.
• Build the capacity of teaching artists to teach in the framework of trauma and community action.
• Mentor and train the next generation of arts and wellness leaders, Arts Activators, in artistic practice with trauma-informed pedagogical framework.
• Apply best arts and healing practices, including developing new curricular frameworks with specific intention of healing individuals and communities.
• Mentor organizations that desire arts and healing practice in their programs, thereby building capacity to sustainably provide for their constituents.
• Develop a research framework that continually investigates practice and leads the arts and wellness field.
• Produce an annual Institute that provides training, networking and visibility opportunities.