CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Arts + Public Life has supported a growing network of Chicago creative entrepreneurs that launched with our annual Vends + Vibes holiday arts marketplace in 2013 and expanded to the L1 Creative Business Accelerator program in 2020.

L1 Creative Business Accelerator
+ Retail Store

L1 is a hybrid business accelerator fellowship (2020) and retail storefront (2021) launched by Arts + Public Life to strengthen the capacity of the South Side’s cultural sector and remove barriers to entry.

THE 2024

L1 CREATIVE BUSINESS

ACCELERATOR FELLOWS

“I am enthusiastic about the new L1 fellows. We’ve curated a series of workshops and experiences over the next 10 months to help the fellows grow their businesses. This year we are also introducing public sessions so that valuable insights gleaned in workshops can be shared with a wider range of South Side creative innovators.””
— Fabiola Ramirez | Associate Director of Creative Entrepreneurship and Operations

  • Olu is a Creative Director and Graphic Designer based in Chicago, IL specializing in unique storytelling through a Black lens. Deeply connected to his community, Olu uses art as a platform to highlight injustice while creating items that start a dialogue around solutions.

    Olu is the proud owner of prgrssn, a clothing brand focused on recreating moments in Black history via apparel. He holds a Master of Design (MDes) degree from the University of Illinois Chicago.

    Olu is always excited for an opportunity to collaborate. Past partners include SocialWorks Chicago, Chicago Votes, Nike Chicago, femdot., and Grammy Award winning artist Nico Segal.

  • Soma Gems was established in 2019 by trained metalsmith Joli Chandler. Soma Gems produces a number of silver and gold-based jewelry products including rings, earring, bracelets, necklaces, cuff links and custom items by request. Soma Gems offer an extensive catalog of unique, affordable and ethically sourced gemstone jewelry that comes in high quality ecofriendly reusable packaging. Compared to competitors our items are all handmade, using ethically sourced materials made in the US and created in small batches. Once the source of the gemstone runs out it will not be reproduced. This creates a one of a kind, unique aesthetic to all of our products.

  • Callie Decor products infuse positive messaging into every item, as evidenced by the affirming Hip Hop lyrics which adorn the hand painted wall tapestries. Candles are hand mixed, the scent profiles are custom blended, and on each label a quote from a soul artist inspires us to love.

    Twjuana Simone saw a need for Hip Hop representation in home decor and has set out to offer LiL Wayne, J.Cole, and other overlooked poets as an alternative to those who are seen as most notable and widely available. As Callie Decor continues to grow, Twjuana Simone is looking forward to the potential for expansion and to fostering meaningful collaborations.

The L1 program includes a 10-month fellowship program for creative entrepreneurs developed in partnership with Proximity, the urban planning and social impact arm of The Silver Room Foundation, plus resources and collaboration with the UChicago Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Framed as an evolution of Vends + Vibes, L1 is intended for ready-to-scale small business owners who have already developed a customer base and product line that is relevant to or well-received by South Side consumers. Occupants of the retail space on Garfield Blvd are selected not only to signal that high quality South Side commerce is possible, but also to show that such commerce is uniquely well-suited to take root on the Arts Block—drawing energy from the other cultural and commercial activity happening on this historic corridor while contributing to the Block’s vitality and growth. 

L1 is supported in part by Builders Initiative, DCASE and the Illinois Arts Council