Chicago Public Schools Kicks Off Free Arts Festival for Students and Community Members
22 April 2025
RE·VER·BER·ATE Festival features multidisciplinary exhibitions, performances and workshops at the Chicago Cultural Center from April 22 to April 25
CHICAGO – Young artists from across Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are taking center stage this week as the District kicks off a free weeklong arts festival for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students. The annual event, called RE·VER·BER·ATE, brings together more than 1,400 students to celebrate their talent in every arts discipline, from dance and music to theatre and visual arts.
“Over the past decade, our District has made an intentional and extraordinary expansion of arts education,” said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. “This festival is an amazing opportunity for the community to interact with and meet the next generation of Chicago artists. We are thrilled to showcase the creative potential and talent of our students.”
The four-day event – which began today and runs through April 25 at the Chicago Cultural Center – has extensive and immersive programming that includes exhibitions, performances, workshops, masterclasses, and academic and professional collaboration opportunities. Partnering with the Chicago Cultural Center and the Design Museum of Chicago, RE·VER·BER·ATE serves as a testament to what happens when students, teachers, and arts professionals of Chicago come together to create a truly unique event for CPS artists.
“These young artists are not just tapping into their creativity. They are also innovating, solving problems, and leading our world through the many arts disciplines offered at CPS,” said César Torruella, CPS’ Executive Director of Arts Education. “An immense amount of work has happened in the past decade with many important partners to get us here and the RE·VER·BER·ATE Festival is a culminating showcase of everything our talented students have to offer.”
It is the third year for RE·VER·BER·ATE, which is held annually in April. The festival brings together students, teachers and professional artists across Chicago to lift up youth expression, draw attention to emerging artists, and highlight the vibrancy of the city’s cultural landscape.
RE·VER·BER·ATE, among many other arts programs, is part of the District’s broader vision for a robust and joyful daily student learning experience. The progress that has been made to increase student access to the arts, and the District’s vision for the future of arts education, will be detailed in a new Arts Education Plan published this spring. CPS leaders will join a panel to more fully explore and discuss the ambitious plans May 7 at City Club of Chicago.
The full line-up for this week’s festival is available on the RE·VER·BER·ATE website. The many events happening include:
Arts Fair: The Arts Fair gives attendees the opportunity to explore interactive activities from local arts organizations and partners of the festival. This is a great opportunity to connect with creatives, try something new, and learn about more opportunities and resources rooted in Chicago.
Participants include:
Chicago Cultural Center/ Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
Gerber/Hart Library & Archives
Open Jam Sessions: Open Jams are opportunities for participants to have fun in free-flowing dance, improv, drumming, or art-making led by PCCCArts. The jams are drop-in style – guests can stay for 15 minutes or an hour. Open Jam schedule:
Tuesday, April 22 - Dance Jam
Get ready to move! Come learn some new steps and dance to dances of the African diaspora through fun, entry-level steps to lively traditional and modern music, followed by an open dance party to keep the energy going. The jam is free-flowing, so participants can join anytime. Led by dynamic Chicago-based teaching artists, this session is all about joy, movement, and celebrating rhythm through dance.
Wednesday, April 23 - Pop-Up Theatre Jam
Step into the spotlight and let your imagination run wild! This interactive theater jam is a space for students to explore improvisation, storytelling, and spontaneous performance in a supportive and playful environment. No experience necessary—just bring your creativity!
Thursday, April 24 - Djembe Drum Circle
Students will be invited to join an open drum circle where they can experiment with rhythm, groove with others, and follow the pulse of the music. Guided by experienced Chicago musicians, this jam is all about listening, responding, and letting the drums do the talking.
Friday, April 25 - Interactive Art Mural
Students will bring a giant collaborative mural to life. Students can color in outlined sections, add their own artistic touches, and be part of a collective masterpiece.
Masterclasses: Specialized masterclasses are offered where students work with and receive feedback from professional artists in their field of study. Performers and groups were scheduled into masterclasses based on availability and class capacity. Masterclasses are 25-minute sessions where participants will receive constructive feedback and guidance on their RE·VER·BER·ATE performance or practice from a seasoned clinician.
- Modern Band ensembles are facilitated through Old Town School of Folk Music
- Mariachi / Orchestra /Accompanied Small / Symphonic / Concert / Percussion / Guitar Ensemble masterclasses are facilitated by our partner Chicago School of Musical Arts
- Choir masterclasses are facilitated by Uniting Voices Chicago
Workshops: Workshops are 50-minute, pre-scheduled creative experiences led by professional artists. The hands-on workshops include: jewelry making, song writing, shadow puppets, improv, audition prep, painting, hip hop, video game music, and devising theatre.
All-City Visual Arts Exhibition at Design Museum of Chicago
A member of the Arts Student Voice Committee will lead guided tours of The All-City Visual Arts Exhibition on Friday, April 25 at the Design Museum of Chicago (DMoC), across the street from the Chicago Cultural Center, 72 E. Randolph St. Tours will begin at 10:30 a.m. and end at 1 p.m. The opening reception for the exhibition will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.