In response to the murder of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, our committees were overwhelmed with the anger and looting occurring throughout the nation. Our communities on the South and West sides of Chicago have a history of disadvantaged resources and the aftermath of the looting left our neighbors even more vulnerable. On July 5th, 2020, alt_ took action and distributed  650+ care packages on the west and south side of Chicago. We mobilized 100 volunteers and raised over $1,000 for care packages in a single day. While this act of hope was refreshing, our communities needed more, we needed sustainability. In response, we decided to create a sustainable artistic gesture, an open sourced idea.

Along came alt_ market.

Pronounced “alt space market”, we created a functional art installation that transforms abandoned spaces into a communal free market where members of the community can give and take, thus creating a temporary communal shared economy. The market meets the needs of neighbors going through tough times and highlights the importance of sharing resources in food desserts where access to fresh foods is scarce. The work transforms these buildings into a safe space for the community to be able to share, ultimately acting as a symbolic catalyst for new opportunities.