Summer on the Arts Lawn 2026
Art Rooted in the South Side
Art Rooted in the South Side
Arts + Public Life invites you to spend another summer with us on the Arts Lawn—where community, creativity, and good vibes grow strong.
Carrying the incredible momentum of our first two years into a brand-new season, we invite you to experience a vibrant lineup designed to inspire, connect, and celebrate our community. Feel the power of jazz echoing across the lawn, discover the brilliant ingenuity of South Side makers, find your center with peaceful sunset yoga, or simply unwind with outdoor film screenings under a warm summer sky.
The Arts Lawn is your destination to experience the rich artistic heartbeat of Chicago's South Side
photo by Sabrina Craig
About Clif
A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Clif Wallace has called several places across the Midwest, South, and East Coast home—an experience that likely shapes his versatility as a drummer, composer, bandleader, and DJ. Clif Wallace has become one of the city's most in-demand drummers for a wide range of musical genres.
Recently, Clif toured with saxophonist and clarinetist Victor Goines and vocalist Tammy McCann. He has performed with notable artists and ensembles like the Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Black Ensemble Theater, Orbert Davis, Marquis Hill, Robert Irving III, and many more. In 2018, Clif assembled the Clif Wallace Big Band, an ensemble that performs a musical repertoire that appeals to a wide range of listeners.
First Monday Jazz Returns for Season 13!
First Monday Jazz is returning to the Arts Lawn for its landmark 13th season, and we are absolutely thrilled to announce that this year’s program is curated by the incredibly talented Clif Wallace II.
Join us to celebrate the soul of our city through a stellar showcase of both established legends and Chicago’s brightest emerging artists.
Clear you calendar, grab your lawn chairs, invite your friends, and save the dates to experience the incredible talent that defines Chicago’s music scene:
Monday, June 1- Pharez Whitted Quintet
Monday, July 6-Bobby Broom Trio
Monday, August 30- Chicago Soul Jazz Collective
Monday, September 14- Clif Wallace Big Band
(Note: This is the second Monday of the month!)
photo by Joel Maisonet
Sunset Yoga
Unwind with a gentle Hatha yoga flow as the sun dips below the horizon. Led by yoga instructor Rhya Moffitt, his slower-paced take on the classic sun salutation is designed to ease you into a restful summer night. Open to all experience levels, this holistic session engages all your senses: enjoy hydrating herbal iced teas and fruit waters, calm your nervous system with Ayurvedic essential oils, and transition peacefully out of śavāsana to the soothing sounds of Tibetan singing bowls.
photo by Jermey Franklin
Class starts at sunset/golden hour. Because the sun sets earlier as summer turns to fall, the start time will adjust slightly each week.
Also, Sunset Yoga will take place rain or shine! In the case of inclement weather, we’ll move the session indoors so you can still enjoy your practice in a calm and welcoming environment. All weather related announcements will happen via email to registrants and on our social media.
About Rhya
Rhya Marlene Moffitt is a registered yoga teacher through the Yoga Alliance. She completed 500 hours of study at the Samyak Institute of Yoga and Ayurveda in Mysore, India in January of 2025 where she earned certifications to teach yoga in the styles and methods of Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Props, Pranayama, and Yoga Nidra. Rhya’s personal practice focuses on the Ashtanga Primary Series, following the lineage of Sri Pattabhis Jois, and she practices Transcendental Meditation as taught by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Rhya is also a Neubauer Family Fellow and PhD Candidate in the Black Studies cohort in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Chicago. Her research focuses on Black anxiety, madness, and consciousness, and she is writing a dissertation tentatively titled, “Black Anxiety: Phenomenology, Affect, and Epistemology in the Black Feminist Coming-to-Consciousness Text.” As her work continually probes what Ntozake Shange calls the “metaphysical dilemma” of “bein alive & bein a woman & bein colored,” Rhya views her yoga practice and teaching as a necessary wellness intervention that compliments her intellectual work.
photo by Jermey Franklin
photo by Jermey Franklin
Poetry at the Pavilion
Discover the power of the written and spoken word with Poetry at the Pavilion, a brand-new summer program at the Arts Lawn!
Each month, we are bringing a different featured Chicago poet to the pavilion stage. The evening begins with an intimate live reading of their work, followed by a hands-on, guided poetry-writing workshop led by the poet themselves. Whether you are a seasoned writer or have never written a stanza in your life, this creative space is open to all.
Come listen, get inspired, and put your own pen to paper under the summer sky.
Poetry at the Pavillion Dates:
June 25
July 23
August 27
September 24
