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Now that you are out and about more, you may see some artwork – a sculpture along Lake Shore Drive or a mural in a neighborhood – that you had not noticed before.  This week we highlight two interactive sites that will give you information about public art in the city.

The Chicago Park District lists works in Chicago parks and is fun to navigate even if you don’t have a specific piece in mind.

https://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/parks-facilities/artwork-monuments

The second is the web site of Chicago Public Art Group, a non-profit organization that brings artists and communities together to produce high-quality public art. Here you will find mosaics and murals in Chicago neighborhoods.  The map has not been updated recently, but still many interesting projects.

http://www.chicagopublicartgroup.org/

In addition, we are providing a list of public art in downtown Chicago compiled over several years by Ed McDevitt.  This spreadsheet is available on The Bridge. You will note that there are two tabs: Museum Campus/Northerly Island and Wabash Art Corridor. To access: go to FILES & DOCUMENTS > All Volunteers>Library Resources>Public Art Downtown and Museum Campus.

AND now some results of the Research Resources Survey.

We’ve tabulated the 61 responses to our online research survey, and the need for good sources of digital research, especially in the current environment, has been confirmed. The constant search for knowledge by docents and volunteers has also been confirmed. Good enough is never good enough for us. Here are a few of the survey highlights:

Responses came mostly from docents, but also included exhibit hosts and education guides.

95% of the people who responded do research online, usually for their general interest in Chicago and its architecture, to deepen knowledge for tours, and to certify for new tours.

The most common topics researched in the last year were Chicago buildings and architects, Chicago history, and historic images of Chicago buildings. Next were building techniques, style and design outside of Chicago, and Chicago city planning and infrastructure. These were the topics most people expressed the most interest in for future research, all receiving more than 40 responses of “very interested.”

Two-thirds of us have occasionally had trouble finding what we want online. There were a wide range of challenges. Some examples include trouble finding in-depth history or working drawings of specific buildings and finding biographic information on lesser known architects. And of course, several people noted that there is sometimes inaccurate or conflicting information that shows up.

86% said it is useful to have online catalog of resources in the CAC’s physical library. This is something the committee will continue to work on for the future, when the library is open for general use again, and when there might be resources for a catalog system.

You will find our LIST OF RESOURCES on The Bridge. Check in often – we are constantly updating and enhancing.