August 29th - Dark Matter Series and TBR House Music Take OverThe next day we will be celebrating Black Chicago house music at Elastic with a TBR takeover! Sharing Resources for Black and Brown artist while enjoying late night house-vibes with TBRs Resident DJ, DJ John West, and friends Yanna Lynette, Dj Khali Melon, Come and enjoy food, great music, artist, resources, and performances by special guest!This event will take place Onsite at Elastic Arts.

UNDERGROUND is a Chicago creatives networking benefit event with an open mic and local artist showcase! RSVP TO PWYC AT DOOR FOR ENTRY.

Come with an open heart and a readiness to be bold! Whether your intention is to perform, network or just be a part of something special, we would love to have you!

The main entrance to The.BlkRoom can be accessed through the alley on Pulaski Rd. Free parking can be found in the lot directly across from the entrance.

August 28th - Black in the Courtyard (TBR X Elastic Arts Outreach Program)

Celebrating the Black Diaspora, the black room and Elastic Arts are program bring to a courtyard event featuring an Afro Puerto Rican Biale, Shop performance by Lauren Brooks and Los Medicos, followed by a late night, showing of Black Orpheus presented by the blkfilmclub. This event will feature free food and art activations and performances by Udo and Xavi, Dark Matter Residents.

Some stories deserve more than remembrance-they deserve a seat at the table.

On Tuesday, August 25, Kindred Civic Arts Forum invites you to a special Just(Us) Dinners: Black Day Celebration, honoring 133 years of Black Day in Chicago.

Together, we'll share a meal, reflect on the legacy of Frederick Douglass, explore the impact of the Chicago Black Renaissance, and engage in conversations that connect our past to the future we're building together.

This evening is more than dinner-it's the beginning of a renewed tradition rooted in history, culture, and community as we prepare for the return of The Black Aura in 2027.

• 6:00-8:30 PM

The Blk Room

Ol Dinner Included

Registration Required

History lives through the stories we tell, the meals we share, and the communities we build. We hope you'll join us as we honor Black Day and create a new tradition for generations to come.

Reserve your seat today-we can't wait to welcome you.

Over the last year, we've laughed, cried, harmonized, taken risks, found confidence, made lifelong friends, and reminded each other that there is room for every voice.

The Vocal Shed was never just about singing. It was always about belonging.

To every person who's walked through those doors, shared a song, held space for someone else, volunteered, played an instrument, or simply showed up-thank you. You are the reason this exists.

Here's to one year of community, courage, and countless harmonies... and to everything we're building next.

Come celebrate with us!

Thursday, August 20 6:00-10:00 PM

@the.blkroom

Whether you've been with us since day one or you've been meaning to come for the first time, this celebration is for you.

Happy one year, Vocal Shed. Let's keep singing.

A Creative Work Session for Funding Success

Grant Party is an intentional, hands-on work session designed to help creatives, artists, and visionaries actively work toward securing funding for their ideas, projects, and initiatives.

This is not a lecture or traditional workshop. Grant Party is a focused, collaborative space where participants gather to write, refine, and strengthen grant applications in real time—surrounded by community support, shared resources, and expert insight.

Whether you’re applying for your first grant or returning to the process with new goals, this session provides the structure, accountability, and guidance needed to move your application forward.

What to Expect

• Dedicated co-working time to work on grant applications

• A featured guest speaker sharing practical funding insights

• Curated lists of grant opportunities and resources

• Peer support and collaborative energy

• A welcoming environment designed for focus and progress

Bring your laptop, your ideas, and any applications you’re currently working on. You’ll leave with clearer direction, tangible progress, and renewed confidence in pursuing funding for your work.

Grant Party exists to make funding access feel less isolating and more communal—because creative sustainability grows when we work together.

Join Okrika & Clearly Camille, at The.BlkRoom on August 16 for Sonic Sessions, a meditation and guided listening experience centered around Journey in Satchidananda by Alice Coltrane.

​We’ll begin promptly at 12 PM with breathing exercises and meditation before listening to the album in full (37 minutes). Bring a mat, and journaling materials will be provided. You’re encouraged to meditate, reflect, or journal throughout the session.

​Afterward, stay awhile and explore a pop-up library curated by Okrika featuring books on Black and African spirituality and music.

​August 16th
12PM – 2PM
The.BlkRoom

INDIE Headshot Party
Presented by STRAWBERRY RED ENTERTAINMENT
Live from the Blk Room
Headshots by Glenn Willoughby

DATE: SATURDAY AUGUST 15TH

Attendees will also have the opportunity to connect with like-minded creatives, exchange resources, and gain practical tools to strengthen their personal and professional presence.

The event takes place on the West Side of Chicago at The Blk Room (address provided to ticket holders only), creating an intentional, intimate space for collaboration and growth.

Powered by Strawberry Red Entertainment.
Follow @srecreates and @the.blkroom for updates and more details.

MUST RSVP FOR HEADSHOT

SLIDING SCALE
Suggested donation: $25 BLK ROOM MEMBERS/$50 for headshot

Join us as we celebrate the closing of Somwehere on the Way to Freedom by Elijah Barnes.

This event serves as a reclamation of independence, marking 250 years of freedom promised and still being pursued. Through art, conversation, and community, we will reflect on the ongoing journey toward liberation and imagine new possibilities for collective freedom.

The evening will feature a special performance by jada-amina, artist reflections, and an open mic opportunitiy to share a memory or vision of freedom.

Food and beverages will be available, with offerings from Ksquared Lemonade and Candied x Cured.

Join us as we honor the resilience of those who came before us while affirming our commitment to a more liberated future.

The Runway Perceptions Fundraiser Gala is bring together The Runways Lab and Perception two prominent and long runing non-profit Chicago theater companies.

The Illinois Prison Project’s Associate Board presents Voices of Freedom: An IPP Art Showcase. This event is a Juneteenth-inspired, family-friendly community event that centers the creativity, resilience, and lived experiences of individuals impacted by the criminal legal system. Through visual art, spoken word, and other expressive mediums, we intend to provide attendees the opportunity to engage with powerful storytelling while supporting IPP's advocacy and litigation efforts. 

An evening of open mic performances featuring Young Prodigy. Presented by Top Pop Productions + DJ Simmy in collaboration with The.BlkRoom.

Signup begins at 7:00pm at the door. Any performative piece, 5 minutes or less! Performing to a track/linked video? Email us your files/links to TopPopProductions@gmail.com; please include 'Top Pop Open Mic' in the subjectline. Be sure we have access.

This event is the culmination of a day long Songwriting Camp, Top Pop Workshop, in collaboration with DJ Simmy + The.BlkRoom.

YOUNG PRODIGY is a young yet experienced rapper and recording artist meticulously planning his industry takeover. Follow him on IG: (@ybk.oskii) to tap in and lock in! His talent is immeasurable and we're so excited for him to hit the stage!

TOP POP PRODUCTIONS is a family run production company currently in collaboration with THE.BLKROOM, a community focused co-creation space in Chicago's very own Garfield Park.​

Alysha Monique, thrilling vocals, high vibrations, LIVE. Presented by Top Pop Productions in collaboration with The.BlkRoom

ALYSHA MONIQUE is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Chicago. She is the founder of Vocal Shed, a platform for vocalists to explore and develop their instruments and empower their practice. Her debut album '"6776" an Alysha Monique Prelude' is available on all music streaming platforms! She's about to rock the house!!

TOP POP PRODUCTIONS is a family run production company currently in collaboration with THE.BLKROOM, a community focused co-creation space in Chicago's very own Garfield Park.

Lyndsey X Ieshia, buttery tones, dynamic duo, LIVE. Presented by Top Pop Productions in collaboration with The.BlkRoom

LYNDSEY x IESHIA are a dynamic duo from the Chicago Southland. Both possess a vocal talent that is as innate as it is enigmatic. They perform everything from oldies, to pop hits and r&b favorites. You're in for a treat! We'll save you a seat!!

TOP POP PRODUCTIONS is a family run production company currently in collaboration with THE.BLKROOM, a community focused co-creation space in Chicago's very own Garfield Park.

Africlassical Futures is proud to present Theresa May and her moniker Dizygotic Energy

Theresa J. May is a versatile trumpeter, educator, and an advocate for equity and inclusion. Theresa co-founded the Chromatic Brass Collective, which champions diversity in the brass community. Her dedication has earned her accolades such as the 2022

"Room in the House" Fellowship from Karamu House, supporting the production and self-release of her debut album, Renewed, under her artistic moniker, Di-zy.got ic Energy.

Mark your calendar for Sunday, May 3rd at 4pm at The.BlkRoom

The.BlkRoom Now Presents Cafe Noir! The first-ever late-night Co-working and Vinyl Set Session on the West Side!

We invite our audience to come through to our space every third Thursday of the Month from 5pm - 8pm for Late-night co-working, treats, and LOFI Vinyl Set! Come and bring your laptop and enjoy good vibes and an organic way to connect with other artists and creatives in the community.

All Donation-based RSVPS go to The.BlkRooms Necessary Operations to keep our doors and programs open!

This sessions vinyl set will be presented by DJ John West!

PARKING/ENTRANCE

Free parking is located behind the building. You will see signs for the Chicago Tool Library (located in the same building as The.BlkRoom). They also share a lot. Park your car in the lot and enter through the blue door with the yellow sign. Someone from the TBR should be there to greet you upon arrival, but if not hang right toward the door just past the tool library and follow the signs for TBR. You walk up the stairs to suite 204.

The Vocal Shed was born from a vision between two Black women - Alysha Monique and my manager @manithemanager - who believed in the power of creating a space where artists could connect, collaborate, and educate the community through music.

As we celebrate Women's History Month, I'm reflecting on the very few Vocal Sheds that honored this moment and the intention behind it. What started as a vision has grown into a community of singers, musicians, and creatives supporting each other in real time.

Fonce’s Small Group Workshop

TBR Member Tiana Marshaé and her business, Fonce, will host a workshop twice a month. Foncé will host group DIY themed sewing classes where we create small projects. Patterns will be provided as these classes are beginner-friendly.

Join us in collaboration with exprsn studios and Ashley Mia Studios, for an afternoon of connection, recharging, and creativity. 

• When: Sunday, April 26th from 12 - 4 PM. 

• What: Please bring a creative or personal project to work on, your favorite snack, and come ready to mingle. Water will be provided.

• Portrait power Hour: From 2 to 3 PM, Ashley Mia will host a Portrait Power Hour where she will create one signature digital portrait for participants.

• Where: The BlkRoom - 4015 W. Carroll Avenue, Chicago, IL Second floor, Unit 204

• Parking: Free parking - Parking Instructions

Can’t wait to see you there! RSVP and tell a friend.

Artists Bios + Social/Websites:

Kristian James, Founder of exprsn studios (all lowercase)

• Website: Website is coming soon, learn more about me at kristianjames.xyz 

• Social Media: exprsn.studios on Instagram 

• Email: hi@exprsnstudios.com

• Bio: Kristian James is the founder of, exprsn studios, where she operates as a creative partner in producing creative, impact-driven projects and building community through intentional programming. With over 7 years of experience across a range of disciplines, she prioritizes supporting artists, creatives, and businesses to develop and turn visions into impact by telling meaningful stories and creating impactful experiences – with a holistic, inside-out approach.

Ashley Mia, Founder of Ashley Mia Studios 

• Website: ashleymia.com

• Social Media: byashleymia on Instagram 

• Email: info@ashleymia.com

• Bio: Ashley Mia is an interdisciplinary artist primarily focusing on the mediums of photography, painting and directing. within her photography work, she focuses on the beauty of portraits. Creating warmth and bringing the natural essence of a person into the frame is her goal. this carries over into her art and creative directing where she aims to create visual storytelling pieces that feel warm, vibrant and have a sense of connection.

Shantina Lynet', soulful vocals, peak musicality, LIVE. Presented by Top Pop Productions in collaboration with The.BlkRoom.

SHANTINA LYNET' is a vocalist and songwriter who's worked with several big names in the music industry. She's set to release her 3rd studio album this year! Get ready for some deep cuts and brand new tunes sure to both soothe and ignite the soul.

TOP POP PRODUCTIONS is a family run production company currently in collaboration with THE.BLKROOM, a community focused co-creation space in Chicago's very own Garfield Park.

Fonce’s Small Group Workshop

TBR Member Tiana Marshaé and her business, Fonce, will host a workshop twice a month. Foncé will host group DIY themed sewing classes where we create small projects. Patterns will be provided as these classes are beginner-friendly.

Me'Lo The Generation Hero, heavy bars, live. Presented by Top Pop Productions in collaboration with The.BlkRoom.

ME'LO THE GENERATION HERO is a rapper unlike any other. Her kinetic flows meld consciousness with street sensibility and boundless inspiration for her listeners. Her live performances provide an electric and often eclectic experience with live instrumentalists and other frequent collaborators. Community is her game and the stage is her home. Come see her do her thing!

TOP POP PRODUCTIONS is a family run production company currently in collaboration with THE.BLKROOM, a community focused co-creation space in Chicago's very own Garfield Park.