Pros Arts Studio is a multi-disciplinary, multi-lingual, non-profit organization dedicated to enriching individual and community life through the arts with a primary focus on the inner city Pilsen/Little VIllage neighborhoods of Chicago.  Founded in 1978 by professional artists, Pros Arts began during an Arts-in-Education Residency at St. Procopius (known locally as St. Pros, thus the name) School.  Thirty years later, Pros Arts continues to bring the arts - visual, media, and performing arts - to over 20 community centers and schools.

Pros Arts began its community collaborations with a Mural Poem Performance at the 16th street viaduct.  In 1993 Pros Arts, already known for its arts-in-education activities, became one of the first participants in Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education (CAPE). This partnership at Walsh School continues today. Pros Arts has expanded its school programs to include spiral curriculum integrating the arts with science, language arts, and social studies at eight schools annually.

Beginning in the 1980’s Pros Arts developed a wide-range of bilingual performance programming including a “Readers Theatre” for area schools.  Over the years the Payasos/Clown Ensemble has crossed cultural and language barriers with the Circo Mas Grande del Barrio, the Latin American Folktales series (included in the 2007 Hispanic Heritage Month at Navy Pier), Commedia dell’Arte, and other original shows.  The first ‘TV Pros’, a live interactive children’s show, was cablecast in 1990 on CAN TV Channel 21. In 2004 Chef Boy Artie was host of Pros Arts ‘Clowns in the Kitchen Cabaret’ which “enthralled audiences” (Chicago Tribune).

In 2002 Pros Arts moved into Dvorak Park as an Arts Partner and created the free Youth Arts Program.  There the Kidz Circus, which began its classes in 1993, has flourished with an ensemble of young accomplished clowns.  In 1995 Pros discovered a kiln at Casa Aztlan and created the Ideas en Arcilla Community Clay Studio with classes for children, teens and families.   Pros Arts provides paid internships and apprenticeships to up to 75 teens in Media, Theater, Murals or Clay. 

Committed to promoting its community’s culture, Pros initiated its first annual program for the Mexican tradition of Dia de los Muertos/ Day of the Dead in 1979, adding Dia del Nino/Day of the Child in 1995, and Carnaval in 2003. These are now major collaborative projects among several community organizations, with hundreds of community members counting on our innovative celebrations.

Pros Arts has been recognized by awards including the CBS Good Samaritan Award for our educational work and the Friends of the Parks Award for work with Special Needs participants. Pros was featured on WGN, on WTTW’s “Arts Across Illinois” and on “Art Safari” and is included in Harvard’s National publication “Arts Survive”,  CAPE’s “Renaissance for the Classroom”, and “The Arts: Keystones to Learning” from CPS.  We were very proud when Elvia Rodriguez, our Director of Community Programs, was honored as a 2006 Community Hero by the New Communities Program of LISC.  

Abel Ochoa, an alumnus of Pros Arts Studio programs, graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana and is now the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Admission at Northwestern University. Here’s what he has to say: “As a child and growing up in Pilsen, I really didn’t have many resources to take advantage of. Fortunately, Pros Arts was there in grammar school and throughout high school to help me stay focused in school and stay out of trouble. I truly am grateful for knowing you and for all the hard work you have done and continue to do at Pros Arts.”

Mailing Address: PO Box 08191 Chicago, Il 60608 Phone: (312) 226-7767 Fax: (312) 226-7012 Email: info@prosarts.org