The space, until a few months ago, was nothing more than three vacant lots along Englewood's 63rd Street corridor near Racine.
Englewood Arts Collective Director Janell Nelson described its purpose as "using the arts as an economic driver" and "using creative acts to enhance the quality of life of the area that we all grew up in and come from."
The sculpture park is the brainchild of the Englewood Arts Collective, which, for some time now, has been searching for a space to call its own to hold pop-up art exhibits and markets. It is a space to welcome people from all over the city, but most especially those from the neighborhood.
"Not having to go downtown or to River North in order to enjoy what arts and culture really is," said 16th Ward Ald. Stephanie Coleman.
The idea came to fruition after the owner of the lots agreed to lend them temporarily to the EAC. Sunday's opening featured a traveling exhibit of drums called the "Stories of Us." Focusing on telling the story of the United States through art, the drums are also currently being featured in Douglas Park and Navy Pier.
"My drum here is about the census and why representation is so important and how we all have to consider our representation," said artist Bugs Atomz.
Atomz was born in Englewood.
"I grew up right around the corner at 62 and Aberdeen. And growing up here there was no arts center where I saw all of these kinds of things, so to be able to bring that back to my neighborhood, it's the best gift ever," Atomz said.
Under the terms of their contract, the Englewood Arts Collective only has use of this land for the next three to five years, the dream is that this will lead to a permanent indoor space where local artists can come together to collaborate and display their work.