Artistic beauty is ablaze in Greektown Chicago this summer, with the neighborhood’s new outdoor and indoor art exhibit We the People: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Beauty in Greektown Chicago opening on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 and running through May 2027. A public ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held June 9 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at Elysian Field at the corner of Halsted Street and Van Buren Street (401 S. Halsted Street).
In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and with inspiration from the Statute of Liberty and the ideas of ancient Greek thinkers, the creatively painted artworks in Greektown Chicago’s We the People exhibit feature a golden flaming torch and a scroll representing the Declaration.
A total of 40 original artworks will be on display throughout the Greektown neighborhood, including 20 outdoor painted sculptures along South Halsted Street from Madison Street to Van Buren Street, and 20 similarly-themed paintings on canvases displayed inside and in the windows of Greektown businesses throughout the community. The original sculpture was created by Eve Moran, who leads the Greektown Arts Committee for Greektown SSA #16.
“The Declaration of Independence, particularly in its second sentence, gave our nation and the world a beautiful light of hope and promise that still inspires today,” says Greektown SSA #16 Commission Chair Eve Moran. “Artists are creatively engaging with this theme to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary while also showing that artistic beauty—along with natural and moral beauty—is a way to bring happiness into our lives. We hope this year-long exhibit in Greektown encourages everyone to come out to enjoy the beautiful outdoor and indoor artworks, have a conversation over a delicious dinner or refreshing drink in our neighborhood, and be joyfully inspired.”
The 27 professional and emerging artists featured in this year’s Greektown art exhibition include sculpture artists Arturo Barrera, Bonnie Loboda, Victoria Martin, James Mesplé, Katie Meuser, Mark Nelson, Elena Pach, Terry Poulos, Alyssa M. Ramirez and Alex Cardoso, Fernando Ramirez and Kiki Whitehead; and canvas artists Annabelle Broeffle, Juan A. Cano, Angelina Genova, Debra Hand, Robyn Jablonski, Malika Jackson, Beatriz E. Ledesma, Max Li, Molly McGrath, Patricia Owsiany, Susan Stevens, Pam Stola, Diane Thodos, Chuck Walker, Maureen Warren, Rebecca Zaragoza and students at Holy Trinity High School.
The We the People art exhibit is sponsored by Greektown SSA #16, the neighborhood’s business improvement district, and created by the Greektown Arts Committee with production assistance from the Chicago Greektown Educational Foundation. Through this association,13 Chicagoland Greek schools are participating in decorating the outdoor sculptures or painting artworks on canvas: Plato Academy, Guardian Angel Orthodox Day School, St. Nectarios Greek School, Holy Cross Sophocles Greek School, St. George Greek School, Hellenic American Academy, St. Demetrios Pythagoras Greek School, St. Demetrios Solon Greek School, Koraes Elementary School, Holy Apostles Hellenic Academy, Aristotle Greek School, Plutarchos Hellenic Language & Heritage Academy, and St. John the Baptist Pythagoras Greek School.
For updates on the We the People art exhibit, visit GreektownChicago.org and follow Greektown on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Greektown Chicago
Greektown is a dining, nightlife and cultural district located in Chicago’s vibrant West Loop area. A popular destination for tourists and residents alike, Greektown offers the best sampling of Greek heritage outside of Athens—from authentic restaurants, cafes and shops to the National Hellenic Museum and annual Taste of Greektown festival. Greektown Special Service Area #16 is the business improvement district for the neighborhood, administered by sole service provider the West Central Association and guided by a mayorally-appointed volunteer commission of local business owners, property owners and residents. For more information, visit GreektownChicago.org.