PORTAGE PARK — A sculpture walk connecting the Jefferson Park and Portage Park business districts will be unveiled Saturday.

The 2-mile walk will travel along Milwaukee Avenue, stretching from the Six Corners shopping area to just past the intersection of Milwaukee and Foster avenues. The corridor will feature 10 sculptures, five of which are new.

The project, which is led by Arts Alive Chicago, was funded through a $300,000 capital improvement grant sponsored by state Sen. Robert Martwick.

“The Essence of Nature” sculpture by Janet Austin at 4630 N. Milwaukee Ave. Credit: Molly DeVore/ Block Club Chicago

“Public art transforms neighborhoods, sparks conversation and brings people together,” Martwick said in a news release. “The NW Art Trail isn’t just a celebration of art — it’s a celebration of our community and the people who make it vibrant.”

The new sculptures will be unveiled during a dedication ceremony Saturday. The event will begin 10 a.m. at Parkway Bank, 4858 N. Milwaukee Ave., with guided tours of the sculpture walk at noon and 2 p.m. There will also be art exhibits along the route.

Martwick is looking for volunteers to help out during the dedication ceremony. Those interested can email elizabeth@senatormartwick.com.

Arts Alive President Cyd Smillie said about a dozen trail markers will be affixed to buildings between sculptures. The trail markers, which were custom-made by Indiana-based artists Clare Backer Bies and Romy Kissel, will help with wayfinding along the walk, Smillie said.

Businesses along the corridor will have pamphlets with more information about the sculptures and the artists involved. A website with a map of the trail and information about nearby murals and arts-related organizations has been created for the project.

Each sculpture features a brass plaque with details on the piece and the artist. The plaques on the new sculptures will also have braille translations. Audio descriptions of the sculptures and the surrounding local businesses are being loaded onto the app Otocast.

Trail markers will be installed on businesses along the sculpture walk. Credit: Molly DeVore/ Block Club Chicago

An Arts Corridor

Plans for a sculpture walk on the Far Northwest Side have been in the works for years, since former 45th Ward Ald. John Arena was in office, Martwick previously told Block Club. Funding for the project opened up after Gov. JB Pritzker signed a $45 billion capital plan in 2019, Martwick said.

When Martwick approached Arts Alive last year about the sculpture walk, Smillie reached out to Eric Craig, a Jefferson Park-based photographer who has worked with the Chicago Sculpture Exhibit for almost two decades.

Craig helped Arts Alive find artists and sculptures for the project. Smillie said she’s proud of the diverse array of artists and art styles they were able to represent.

“Northbound” by artist Schencheng Xu located at 4427 N. Milwaukee Ave. Credit: Molly DeVore/ Block Club Chicago

Some of the sculptures are more abstract, like Schencheng Xu’s colorful “Northbound” painted-steel piece depicting geese during their annual migration. Other sculptures, like the existing bronze “Thomas Jefferson” statue, have a more traditional style.

Martwick previously told Block Club the goal of the sculpture walk is to bring more visitors to local businesses and highlight arts organizations in the area, like the Filament Theatre, Gift Theatre, historic Portage Theater, Copernicus Center, Paschke Art Center and the National Veterans Art Museum.

Smillie said the sculpture walk is also a great way to learn more about the neighborhood as many of the pieces carry a piece of history. For example, the Jefferson Park War Memorial, 5411 W. Higgins Ave., marks the spot where many soldiers enlisted during World War II. “Volga” at 5266 N. Milwaukee Ave. features a neon star that was salvaged from the old Red Star Inn restaurant in 2015.

Arts Alive President Cyd Smillie as seen on Sept. 23, 2025. Credit: Molly DeVore/ Block Club Chicago

Smillie said she hopes the sculpture walk will also make art more accessible.

“As we continue to cut funding for arts education in schools, this is one way we can expose kids to art, is by getting it out on the street,” she said.

Photos of all the sculptures and information about the artists is here.

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