Grammy winning artist Common expanding South Side school, gives exclusive tour of new space

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Grammy-award-winning artist Common is expanding his charter school on the South Side, and he gave ABC7 Chicago an exclusive tour of the new space.

The expansion means more students can attend, and explore the arts.

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Art in Motion, which is in Chicago's South Shore neighborhood, is only about 2 miles from where Common grew up. During that time, there were very few schools for the arts, and hardly any on the South Side.

The expansion is all about a dream realized, and more opportunities for youth.

"We are letting our city know: This is a school that we will make sure to love, educate, elevate your children, our children," Common said.

The creative arts school started as just an idea, a vision.

Now sitting at 110,000-square-feet, Common said the new space represents his commitment to arts, education, student success and his love for Chicago's youth.

"Just to have a school in Chicago, it's one of the most meaningful things that I've ever been a part of, have done. I feel grateful to know that my dream is now turning into someone else's dream," he said.

Art in Motion started as a middle school, but, thanks to the expansion, it is now a seventh- through 12th-grade school.

Aarion Hardman was a part of Art in Motion's founding seventh-grade class. He's now a senior.

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"What makes this school different, it's not just one art form we learn. We study all of the arts. Everybody is able to bounce off each other, and use their artistic ability to bounce off someone else's ability," Hardman said.

Getting to this point didn't come without challenges. Common was determined to see this project through.

"I understand how valuable this could be and how valuable it is. When we were wanting to open this school and we were getting pushback, I was like, I got to fight through this Chicago politics because this is for these kids to have a better place, to have a better atmosphere, to have hope and for them to be inspired," Common said.

This past summer, the school's first graduating class received more than $25 million in college scholarships.

A lot of celebrities from Chicago leave, but don't always come back. Common said that'll never be the case for him.

"I love Chicago. When I'm out in the world, one of my attributes and gifts is that I'm from Chicago. So, I don't lose touch with that," he said.

An Emmy-, Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist, Common said helping to develop a creative space for Chicago's youth is arguable the best achievement yet.

"Kids can say, 'hey, yeah I play piano, and I might be an architect, too.' Those are qualities that build you as a whole human being. I am committed to enhancing the lives of our youth," he said.

There are about 625 enrolled in Art in Motion. Common said they have room for more, and they want students to apply.

For more information, visit www.aimchicago.org.