Community Based Events
Stomping Grounds Community-based events serve two key purposes:
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To provide a welcoming and supportive creative community for formerly incarcerated youth as they transition back into society.
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To offer creative opportunities and resources to young people in criminalized communities, reducing the risk of court involvement and detention.
These events aim to foster connection, growth, and positive life pathways through the power of creativity and community.
Stomping Grounds Open Stage
Stomping Grounds Open Stage is a free, hybrid monthly event that empowers young creatives to refine their performance, curation, and exhibition skills while connecting with Chicago’s creative community. The event is held in person and streamed live on Twitch, YouTube, and Instagram Live for broader accessibility.
Hosted by Cee Baby, a former student of Elgin through Kuumba Lynx, the event showcases the talents of Chicago's youth, both on stage and behind the scenes. As part of the program, youth handle all aspects of visual production, gaining hands-on experience in event management and media creation.
Each Open Stage event features a diverse lineup of artists. Elgin works closely with the featured performers to help them develop workshops they lead during the event, further engaging participants and fostering skill-sharing within the community.
Whether you attend in person or tune in online, Stomping Grounds Open Stage offers a space for young creatives to explore, connect, and grow. For a closer look, watch this video introduction.
Feature Performances
Pocket Con
Pocket Con is a free, one-day convention in Chicago that celebrates characters and creators of color, with a special focus on African American authors and artists. The event, hosted in partnership with the Chicago Public Library and Stomping Grounds Literary Arts Initiative (LAI), highlights diverse voices across the comic and creative industries.
In addition to celebrating African American creators, Pocket Con showcases work by other underrepresented groups, including women, Latinx, and LGBTQ artists. The convention also emphasizes the importance of indie comics and small press, welcoming self-published authors and creators working in related fields such as webcomics, animation, indie filmmaking, video game design, and zines.
Pocket Con has grown to become a hub for young creatives and a platform for community engagement. Over the years, it has hosted activities such as panel discussions, art contests, hands-on workshops, and live performances, making it a dynamic space for learning and collaboration. Notable past events include youth-centered competitions and appearances by prominent indie creators who inspire the next generation.
To learn more, visit PocketCon.org.
Pocket Con Recap Videos
Annual Arts Exhibitions
Stomping Grounds hosts annual arts exhibitions to celebrate the creative work produced in our spaces. These exhibitions showcase student artwork, offering a platform for young artists to display their talents and receive recognition.
All artwork displayed must be legally authorized for release by both the student and the carceral facility. The artwork belongs to the youth who created it, and any compensation received will be directed back to the youth's account if still incarcerated, to their family upon request, or reinvested into the organization to support future anthologies and creative projects.
