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The Public Square

Photo courtesy David MarquesPhoto courtesy David MarquesThe Public Square fosters debate, dialogue, and exchange of ideas about cultural, social, and political issues with an emphasis on social justice.

By building bridges between theory and practice, The Public Square encourages the use of ideas as tools to improve people’s lives. The Public Square programs promote participatory democracy and create space for public conversations. Knowledge is power, yet much crucial knowledge still circulates only in small, isolated communities.

If you would like more information on The Public Square and/or how to get involved, please call Photo courtesy Marc MonaghanPhoto courtesy Marc Monaghan312.422.5580 or e-mail thepublicsquare@prairie.org.

For upcoming events, look under "Next Event" or click on "Events and Activities" on the right.
Ongoing programs:
  • Café Society
    Café Society is a project designed to foster a more robust civil society, more cohesive and interactive communities, greater media literacy, and a more informed and engaged citizenry through weekly coffee shop conversations about contemporary social issues. Current media reports (along with ample doses of caffeine) serve as stimulants for the conversations.
  • Know More: Conversations that Matter
    Art, issues, and dialogue--these are the key components to The Public Square's programs in the Englewood and Humboldt Park neighborhoods. This series is a way to bridge the gap between the arts and social issues that are of current concerns with the community. Performances and presentations are a prelude to community-based discussions that engage everyone involved. Top artists and activists are part of the overall series.
  • Civic Cinema
    An exhilarating series of films, forums, and conversations, Civic Cinema uses the most exceptionally creative and engaging documentary films of our times to help communities talk about the most pressing social issues facing us. The documentaries we screen and discuss challenge many of the mainstream representations of critical social issues. Art, in this case, becomes a way of thinking about how history and truth are represented and a way of promoting media literacy.
  • Artists, Activists, & Authors After Hours (AAAH)
    AAAH programs are intimate, informal discussions and meals that allow for meaningful exchanges among people who share some connection to the work of a visiting artist. Since coalition building is one of the cornerstones of social change, AAAH programs are structured to give individuals a chance to meet others engaged in similar struggles and projects. To this end, AAAH programs are primarily by invitation but are always open to our members. If you would like to be invited to future AAAH conversations, please drop us a line and tell us a little about your interests, work, and expertise. We will be in touch if an opportunity arises.
  • Café Society en Español
    Café Society es un proyecto para promover una sociedad civil más robusta, comunidades más cohesivas e interactivas, un mayor entendimiento de los medios de comunicación y una ciudadanía mejor informada y más comprometida, a través de conversaciones semanales sobre temas sociales de actualidad en cafés locales. Reportajes y noticias recientes (servidas con amplias dosis de cafeína) sirven de estímulo para las conversaciones.