Vacant Lots No More: Englewood Arts Collective Unveils Stunning New Sculpture Park Right in the Neighborhood
By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/West Englewood ·
West Englewood just got a brand-new outdoor gallery — and it was born from some of the neighborhood's most stubborn empty lots. The Englewood Arts Collective held a soft opening this past Sunday for the Arts Village Sculpture Park at 6300 S. May St., debuting a community arts space that features a rotating gallery of local artwork, live music, and a collaborative mural. Neighbors and artists alike turned out to explore the park's offerings and hear about the history behind the project.
The launch showcased two inaugural exhibitions, including a collection of 'rising star' sculptures that the Magnificent Mile Association had originally commissioned the Englewood Arts Collective to design and display along the Downtown corridor. Those works had been sitting idle since the end of that exhibition — and co-founder Janell Nelson saw the new park's opening as the perfect stage to bring them home to Englewood, where they belong. Nelson had been dreaming of a dedicated gallery space for years, and it was Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th Ward) who helped make it real by securing the vacant lots at the corner of 63rd and May streets.
The Arts Village Sculpture Park is more than a gallery — it's a reclamation. Former vacant lots are now a living, breathing creative destination for residents of all ages. Watch for more exhibitions and programming as the park grows. Follow the Englewood Arts Collective for upcoming events and visit ragenglewood.org to stay connected to everything happening across the neighborhood.
Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/08/03/englewood-sculpture-garden-opens-on-former-vacant-lots-a-positive-footprint-for-the-community/