Yollocalli Arts Reach
Little Village, Chicago, IL
Yollocalli Arts Reach is the award-winning youth initiative of the National Museum of Mexican Art offering free arts and culture programming to teens and young adults.
Yollocalli Arts Reach, established in 1997, is a youth initiative of the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), offering free arts and culture programming to teens and young adults. Their new facility is in a converted 1900s Fire Station.
Civic Projects Architecture served as the Lead Designer in the engagement and design process, guiding the development of the permit drawings by the Wallin Gomez Architects.
We started by listening to understand the potential youth and alum saw in having a new ‘third’ space in their community. We facilitate conversations and workshops to hear descriptions of what would make a space uniquely theirs. The design team worked to translate these ideas into physical spaces that have become the vibrant home to Yollocalli’s youth.
The project aims to center the needs and wants of both youth involved in the Art’s Reach and members of the local community, and preserve the Little Village legacy of using intentional, collective action to ensure a brighter future. This is a space designed for comfort, safety, and community.
Upon completion of the project, Yollocalli will maintain its current space, with the Firehouse providing a second location within Little Village to broaden the geographical area served and provide opportunities for more youth within the community. The Firehouse, over 7,000 square feet of space, will include a large, open events space for flexible use on the ground floor as well as a DJ/ Recording Booth to expand upon their existing radio and music production programming. The Firehouse will contain 4 art studios on the second floor, including a ceramics studio, which will be a new program offering for Yollocalli.
“Nobody judges, it takes away my anxiety, everybody is doing weird things so nothing is weird anymore. It’s like a best friend’s bedroom, not in real life, like on TV.”
Yollocalli Youth
Client: National Museum of Mexican Art
Size: 8,600 SF
Completion Date: 2025
Services: Civic Buildings, Education Environments, Community Engagement