UPTOWN — The Sunnyside Mall Art Fair, an effort to bring more positive energy to a part of the neighborhood that has had problems with gangs, is returning to Uptown Saturday for a second year.
The fair will feature about 14 artists from the neighborhood and nearby communities, as well as musical performances and kid-friendly activities. Artists and artisans will sell their paintings, photography, jewelry, sculptures and more.
The event is scheduled from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the pedestrian mall on Sunnyside Avenue between Magnolia and Beacon avenues.
Uptown resident Julianne Scherer, one of the organizers along with Uptown artist Jeffrey Littleton, said the fair began with the idea that, "It's really a pleasant place," and the question of, "How do we change it so there's more positive activity going on there?"
The Sunnyside Mall is occupied by a colorful public art installation, lined with trees and full of plants and flowers. Children play, dog-walkers stroll and neighbors chat there with one another on benches in a pedestrian area that sits near both public housing and high-end condominiums.
But as Scherer said, "it kind of has some negative aspects surrounding it" related to gang and drug activity. Parts of the mall sit inside the turf of the Black P Stone street gang whose members frequent the area.
"The negative aspects that you hear about Uptown in the news, that's not the majority of Uptown," said Scherer, a 44-year-old architect who has lived in Uptown for seven years. "The beauty of Uptown is that we have a group of people that live there that represent all of Chicago, we have one of every kind, every type there — and we're doing good things."
Scherer said that she has one musician confirmed for the event, Joyce Renee and the JK Connection, a jazz and soul band scheduled to play from 12:45-3 p.m. A bluegrass band backed out of the event, and organizers hope to have it replaced by Sunday.
There will also be various arts and crafts events for kids from 1:30-3 p.m., she said.
Artists and musicians interested in participating in the Sunnyside Mall Art Fair can email sunnysidemall@yahoo.com for more information.
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