Tend a fire, tend the soil, tend to one another.

Before the autumn chill sets in, join us for an evening of soulful live music under the stars, hands in the soil making seed bombs to spread around town, and free books and blankets to cozy up with. We’ll share stories and s’mores around a bonfire to welcome the season and light up the night.

Joining the evening:

• Chicago singer Camila Isabel and her quartet perform on the Pavilion

• Planks & Pistils - make seed bombs to distribute new growth in this season of incubation

• Little Free Library - check out the newest feature of the Arts Lawn! In partnership with UChicago Library: Banned Books Theme Library APL is delighted to host Stories for Freedom: Little Free Library Celebrating Authors of Color and Banned Books. 

• Stop by the new L1 Commons to celebrate the commencement of construction of the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial and welcome CTJM Foundation to the Arts Block. The open house includes light snacks + drinks from 5:00-7:00pm at 319 E Garfield.

• APL blankets - free to attendees while supplies last

About the Artists

Camila Isabel

Born and raised on the West Side of Chicago, Camíla Isabel is a multifaceted artist whose talents span vocals, poetry, performance, and visual art installation. She began her artistic journey as a vocal student and quickly established herself as a dynamic presence in Chicago’s vibrant soul, jazz and avant-garde scenes. Camíla has performed at renowned venues such as the Jazz Showcase and Andy’s Jazz Club, and was highlighted in events like the Elastic Arts Improvisational Music Series, and the Artist Corps Series with the Hyde Park Jazz Festival.

In early 2025, she captivated audiences at the Epiphany Center for the Arts during the Indigo Session alongside Aliyah Jones, completed a residency at the Bronzeville Winery, and was invited to showcase her music at Arts and Public Life to highlight the work of the legendary Elizabeth Catlett for the University of Chicago later that summer. For Juneteenth 2026, Camila Isabel was invited to Western Front Art Center in Vancouver Canada, to accompany Angel Bat Dawid on her composition of ‘Henry Box Brown’ - Tales of a Magical Knee-grow’ in vocal performance and to design and create, a physical and visual insulation piece; a liberative and AfroFuturist interpretation of his vessel to freedom.

Her artistry seamlessly blends the intricate sounds and textures of jazz and soul with rhythms influenced by her Caribbean heritage, aiming to evoke intimacy and nostalgia in both her solo and collaborative works.

Planks & Pistils

Planks & Pistils exists to design high quality floral art that evokes a social and emotional connection to Black freedom, creativity, self-care and growth.

Little Free Library

The University of Chicago community is proud to announce the opening of a new Little Free Library on the Arts Lawn. The library will provide free access to a thoughtfully curated collection of frequently challenged and banned books for children, teens, and adults, celebrating the freedom to read and the power of diverse voices. Visitors are invited to take a book, share a book, and explore perspectives that inspire curiosity, conversation, and connection across generations. By making these books accessible to the community, the Little Free Library aims to create an enduring space for literary discovery while affirming that stories, especially those representing a diversity of experiences, belong to everyone.

Chicago Torture Justice Memorial

Formed by torture survivors and organizers from the #ReparationsWon campaign, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials Foundation (CTJMF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to create and maintain the memorial promised as part of the reparations legislation for Chicago Police torture survivors.

The Memorial for the Burge torture survivors is an essential part of creating an enduring dominant narrative that documents racist state violence in the United States. It explains how the torture under former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge’s command was allowed to manifest and fester during the rise of mass incarceration nationwide. The Memorial is also essential for telling the unique and exceptional story of survivors, organizers, lawyers, and independent journalists who worked collectively for decades to expose the truth and secure reparations for the Chicago Police (Burge) torture survivors, making history. The Memorial tells a story that we hope inspires and emboldens others to continue to fight, resist, and work towards a better world.