ERIC HOTCHKISS’ ENGLEWOOD Proud installation. North Lawndale’s miniature golf course and a 2017 Englewood pop up.
The annual 3Arts Awards recognizes artists of all types with a prestigious, unrestricted grant of $30,000 to be used by the winners any way they choose.
The 2023 recipients are dance artists Donnetta “LilBit” Jackson and Rika Lin; musicians Rashada Dawan and Avreeayl Ra; teaching artists Jacinda Bullie and Eric Hotchkiss; theater artists Nancy García Loza and Charlotte “Chuck” Gruman; and visual artists Selva Aparicio and Jenny Kendler.
The awardees will be honored at the first in-person celebration since 2019.
Since 2007, the Chicago-based nonprofit has supported more than 2,000 artists, including 70 percent women artists, 70 percent artists of color, and 20 percent deaf and disabled artists working in the six-county metropolitan area for a total of more than $6.6 million in grants.
One of its mantras is: “Nothing of significance can be accomplished without imagination, without stretching and flexing our minds, without dreaming.”
And as in some other years, an Englewood native, Eric Hotchkiss, who is an interdisciplinary designer, engineer, and educator, is one of the awardees.
To break all this down, the Crusader reached out to Hotchkiss to learn more about his teaching discipline, as well as his emphasis on the Englewood community, and his many projects.
He is the founder of the interdisciplinary design firm called “Made in Englewood,” which creates culturally-relative objects driven by the narratives of the community in which they reside.
He spoke of a personal connection. “I was born, raised and still reside in Englewood.” He said he went to George Gershwin Elementary, which was later renamed Granville T. Woods Math & Science Academy. “That school had an exceptional music program, and it played a pivotal role in shaping my appreciation for the arts, by instilling a strong sense of pride in where I’m from.”
Coincidentally, this reporter’s class was the first one to enter Gershwin, when it first opened around the mid 60s.
Hotchkiss added: “It’s not just about my familiar connections; it’s about contributing to the ongoing legacy of a place that has meant so much to me and my family.”
“Made in Englewood” is aimed at showcasing the abundant creativity within the Greater Englewood neighborhood, Hotchkiss said. It involves creating unique works of art and design inspired by the community’s way of life.
“While I may not have considered myself the most creative or skilled individual while growing up, I was surrounded by friends who excelled in making and designing, and I felt compelled to celebrate and share it with the world,” he added.
Because of this, each piece is branded as “Made in Englewood,” denoting the innovative work created here and exported beyond the community.
He spoke about the “Englewood Proud” piece (which was located at 58th and Halsted at The Grow Greater Englewood Village Plaza). “I was approached by the Englewood Art Collective to create this piece and envisioned it as an interactive installation, one that would give the community a sense of ownership. To achieve this, I designed the artwork as a giant chalkboard, allowing the words to be erased with each rainfall.”
Another project is “Provisions,” a gathering space in Englewood that is designed to celebrate and immerse participants in the rich history and culture of Afro-Diasporic cooking.
“It’s not a traditional restaurant but rather an outdoor community culinary space that hosts dinner series and cooking demonstrations,” Hotchkiss said.
He is also creating a mural to be located at the Fresh Market store near 63rd and Racine and will overlook a newly designed POP (Public Outdoor Plaza) Court.
The title “Our Stories” will be set to be an interactive LED installation designed to celebrate and honor the rich narratives and histories of the neighborhood.
“The mural will not only pay homage to the history of the neighborhood but also serve as a dynamic and living representation of the vibrant Englewood community.“
In 2018, Hotchkiss co-designed the Douglass 18 project that resulted in a conservation-themed miniature golf course located in the heart of North Lawndale.
Given all this, Hotchkiss is more than ever dedicated to a positive Englewood legacy. “I am committed to facilitating the creation of artifacts, because I believe that we should be actively crafting the narrative of Englewood. Our future civilizations should look upon us and understand our community’s essence through the artifacts we leave behind.”
To wrap it up. Hotchkiss said that it’s important to provide opportunities and empower youth with unfiltered agency. “They need the freedom to make mistakes and create something entirely new—often things that are culture-shifting.”
To see all the recipients, including the Next Level and Make a Wave Awardees, take the stage to receive their honors, the 3Arts Awards Celebration: For the Love of Artists will be held on Monday, November 13, at 5:30 p.m. at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St.
Acclaimed local artists and past 3Arts Awards recipients performing at the celebration include Grammy award-winning opera singer Will Liverman and Chicago poet laureate avery r. young.
Tickets cost $130-$300 and include a pre-program cocktail reception, awards presentation, performances, and an after-party, with a bountiful buffet and music by DJ Sadie Woods.
To learn more, visit 3arts.org/awards/3arts/2023/.
