Roots & Culture Contemporary Art Center was founded in 2006 in Chicago’s Noble Square neighborhood. Our mission is to provide exhibition opportunities to emerging artists and curators in a welcoming exhibition space for diverse audiences. We believe in a world where artists are uplifted and empowered — where their unique voices are centered in the fabric of society and are abundantly valued.

Our programming supports and uplifts artists who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; LGBTQ+ people; women, trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people; people with disabilities; immigrants, regardless of status; and people without wealth or economic stability. By mobilizing our resources – our space, networks, and funding capacity – we are committed to amplifying the voices of historically excluded people in the art world. 

Two visual arts programs are the core of our programming: Double Exposure, which consists of exhibitions pairing two emerging and primarily Chicago-based artists; and CONNECT, which showcases curatorial projects by women, femme-identifying, and nonbinary of color curators, offering a three month residency and an exhibition to mount their projects.