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Mud Theatre Project

Mud Theatre Project empowers formerly incarcerated individuals through music, blending classical and hip-hop to share personal stories. Their mission is to foster resilience and creativity in under-resourced communities, transforming narratives into art.

Chamber of Change is a project led by Civic Orchestra of Chicago harpist and fellow Kari Novilla that brings together formerly incarcerated individuals to compose and perform original rap pieces rooted in the harmonic language of classical music. This year in collaboration with The Mud Theatre Project, participants transform classical works into deeply personal stories drawn from their own lived experiences, culminating in a live performance alongside a fusion ensemble of classical, jazz, and hip-hop artists. Inspired by the theme &quot;Gardens Over Graves,&quot; the project reflects on how under-resourced communities can become sites of loss due to systemic inequities in basic needs like housing, education, and healthcare. Yet Chamber of Changeultimately centers defiance and possibility: like flowers growing in a graveyard, the work celebrates resilience, creativity, and the power to reclaim and repurpose one&#39;s environment. The result is a concert that is both an artistic collaboration and a profound act of community storytelling&mdash; music that bridges worlds and affirms the humanity and strength of every voice on stage. Doors open at 6pm.

Chamber of Change with the Mud Theatre Project

The Mud Theatre Project is proud to present the second annual Resilience Arts Festival! The Resilience Arts Festival uplifts the original work of playwrights, performers, writers, and artists impacted by incarceration.&nbsp; Join us for four exciting days that include poetry readings, one-man plays, the world premiere of a new documentary by Reparations Media, art making, and more. Admission is free or pay what you can. Donations of all sizes are welcome and help us continue this kind of programming! Day 1 (at Definition Theatre)<ul fr-original-style="margin-left: 20px " style="margin-left: 20px; box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Readings from the &quot;Conditions of Your Existence&quot; poetry and essay contest, sponsored by Build Communities Not Prisons and Mud Theatre Project. Writing submissions come from writers across the IL Department of Corrections.&nbsp;</li><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">Hear original tracks that were recorded Common&#39;s now-shuttered recording studio inside Stateville Correctional Center</li></ul>Day 2 (at Definition Theatre)<ul fr-original-style="margin-left: 20px " style="margin-left: 20px; box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">The premiere of 3 original works by Rev X, Prince Saleem Alexis, and JES Gems. Performances are mixed media and include theater, poetry, music, and dance elements.</li></ul>Day 3 (at Logan Center for the Arts)<ul fr-original-style="margin-left: 20px " style="margin-left: 20px; box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">The world premiere of Civil Death, a documentary about the Illinois&#39; Clean Slate Bill and its impact on on people incarcerated in IDOC, followed by a panel with Reparations Media, End Permanent Punishment, and Restore Justice.</li></ul>Day 4 (Definition Theatre)<ul fr-original-style="margin-left: 20px " style="margin-left: 20px; box-sizing: inherit;"><li fr-original-style="" style="box-sizing: inherit;">A tribute to MAMAS (MAMAS Activating Movements for Abolition &amp; Solidarity). Plus the screening of a short animated film by the Liberation Lab.</li></ul>

Mud Theatre Project

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2026 Resilience Arts Festival

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