Join us for our 19th Annual Tour of Arts + Industry this September 11 + 12
It’s back… the Ravenswood ArtWalk (RAW) Tour of Arts and Industry is a weekend-long celebration of our local creative community this September 11 and 12! Stretching from Lawrence south to Waveland along Ravenswood Ave, the ArtWalk will include open studios and galleries, pop-up performances and activations, and an outdoor arts market featuring over 50 local artists.
2021 RAW Directory and Map
There’s a lot to see and do in our 2-day neighborhood arts tour. Come explore Ravenswood as we showcase the unique hub of creative practices that exists here. The arts tour runs along Ravenswood Ave, parallel to the CTA Brown line and accessible by the UP-N Metra Line at Ravenswood. Ample bike parking is available; free parking is available in Ravenswood.
What to See
Preview the artists, manufacturers, and makers in our new RAW artist directory!
Where to Go
Check out our RAW arts tour map and plan your Ravenswood ArtWalk trip.
This signature neighborhood arts festival provides a unique opportunity to visit working artist studios and manufacturing businesses while exploring the architectural history of the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor. Click here to RSVP on Facebook.
RAW Arts Tour Highlights + After Hours Events
Lillstreet Art Center Various workshops throughout the arts tour weekend, self-guided tours of the building, and a Gallery & Shop sale! View their listing for workshop schedule Read more
SpiderMeka Portraits Photography demos, every 30 minutes beginning at 11am. Read more
Redline VR Enjoy a free trial of 3D painting in virtual reality and tour a virtual sculpture exhibit! Read more
The Hive Studios FREE open dance classes! Schedule posted in their listing, their website, and outside their studio Read more
Ginny Sykes Studio Studio exhibition open Saturday and Sunday with special Dance Performances Sunday 9/12 only at 2:00pm, 2:30pm, 3:00pm, and 3:30pm. Read more
VIN312 Winery VIN312 is a small craft winery located in the Ravenswood Industrial Corridor. Stop by during RAW for tastings and tours throughout the weekend. Read more
KOVAL Distillery Saturday, 9/11, 7:30PM - join us for an after hours film screening at 7:30PM on Saturday! Read more
Wayward Arts Gallery + Tattoo Saturday, 6 - 10PM: Fundraiser for Refugee One, the Muslim Women’s Support Network, and World Relief Chicago with guest speaker and art exhibition. Read more
Thresholds Virtual Art Walk and sale featuring over 30 Thresholds Creative Arts Program clients! September 6 - 12. Read more
History of the Ravenswood ArtWalk
“It is our mission to generate community investment in, and public awareness of, the unique hub of creative industry that exists in Ravenswood.” – Excerpt from original mission statement, c. 2006
For 20 years (and counting), the Ravenswood ArtWalk has highlighted the vibrant arts community here in Ravenswood. Tucked within Ravenswood’s Industrial Corridor are a plethora of studios and maker spaces. The former manufacturing buildings are a home to an often unseen community of talented artists and creators. This century old district continues to be a hub of innovation, providing vital workspaces for the next generation of local artists, artisans, manufacturers, and brewers.
In 2001, Judith Roth, a local artist and active arts advocate, worked with the Jane Addams Resource Corporation to add an arts component to their existing, “Tour of Industry”. The arts tour originally included a handful of artists in three building located in Ravenswood. By 2005, a core group of volunteers had expanded “The Tour of Arts and Industry” to include over 53 Ravenswood venues and hundreds of local artists.
In 2006, the volunteer group officially become a non-profit organization. The Peter Jones Gallery (closed in 2009), was host to many early RAW events including the first “Ravenswood Arts Advocate Awards,” which honored local businesses with an original, commemorative work of art. Other early activities included a poster contest to select the artwork for the annual event poster and marketing, and an editorial photography project that documented local manufacturing businesses, creative industry, and artist studios to explore the value of work and the connections between art and industry.
Over the next several years, the organization grew to include a street festival and kids activities. In 2013, the Greater Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce absorbed Ravenswood ArtWalk as a natural extension of its community-driven work. Since taking on the administrative and creative responsibilites, the annual RAW Tour of Arts and Industry has continued to grow and champion our local artists, musicians, and makers.
