Public Practice

Through our public practice, the Smart Museum offers programs, supports artistic interventions, and provides platforms that address the pressing cultural, social, and political issues of our moment.

These projects are driven by the intellectual and cultural energy of our place–the University of Chicago on the South Side of Chicago–and situate the Museum as a critical civic site for our publics to convene in meaningful dialogue and action. Collaborations multiply our impact and connect the Smart with a broad network of campus, cultural, and civic organizations promoting a multi-faceted and omni-directional discourse grounded in artistic inquiry, social impact, and a diversity of ideas and perspectives.


Top: Growing Concerns Poetry Collective performing at the Smart Museum. Photo by Eddie Quinones.