Join us for two weeks of counter-programming in the shadow of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. These events, put together by local and national artists and organizers, will include opportunities to workshop street art before the convention, gather to learn about the history that brought us here, and organize the movements of the future while the politicians make their speeches.

Radio partnerships with Pacifica, Democracy Now!, and WZRD will bring you round the clock news on WLPN Lumpen Radio and Lumpen TV, and movement workshops and panels coordinated by The Dissenters will bring leading activists and organizations from contemporary struggles against empire, the carceral state, and cop cities to engage with all of you who still care about tearing down the pig system.
Week 1: Art Builds, Workshops, Democrazy Fair, and Lumpen Magazine Launch Party!

August 12, 6 – 9 PM: Puppets For Protest Workshop with Grace Needlman

Learn how to build various types of street puppets in the tradition of Bread and Puppet.

August 13, 6 – 9 PM: The Anarchist’s Guide to Running for Office with Matt Muchowski

A workshop on how to run for local office from an anarchist perspective

August 14, 6 – 10 PM: Democracy in the Dark with Jason Lazarus

Experiment with free speech messaging at night. Prompts, materials, and food provided.

August 16, 8 PM – late: Tech Noir Lumpen Launch Party

Tech Noir, the nightclub featured in the first Terminator film. Live performance synth dance party, a return to the dystopian futures of the past.

August 17, 12 – 4 PM: Democrazy Fair: Radical Book, Zine, and Art Pop-up with Chicago Dissenters

FEATURING: Books from Pilsen Community Books, Semicolon Books, Inga Books, and Unabridged Books. Printing for Protest by Fatherless. “Chicago ‘68” Strategy Board Game Teach-and-Play Demo with Yoni Goldstein.

August 17, 7 – 10 PM: The Poet’s Platform presented by Exhibit B

Poets respond to the DNC platform with one of their own.

August 18, 12 – 4 PM: Democrazy Fair: Radical Book, Zine, and Art Fair Pop-up with Chicago Dissenters Day 2!

FEATURING: Radical Memories, Revolutionary Horizons presented by Dissenters, and talks by various organizations (TBA)
Week 2: PANELS, TALKS, AND THEATER!

August 20: 10 AM – 4:30 PM: Panels!

Student Intifada: Reflections + Lessons from the Encampments

StopCopCities: Domestic Warfare and Decolonization

Undoing Border Imperialism: Migrant Defense + Mutual Aid

August 21, 10 AM – 4:30 PM: Panels!

US Out Of Asia: From Korea to the Philippines

Sharpening the Tip of the Spear: Prison Abolitionism + Inside/Outside Resistance

August 21, 7:30 – 9:30 PM: ’68 – a new American musical by Jamie Leo and Paul Leschen

A “sit in” concert version of the 2018 musical about the last big Chicago DNC. A festival of life.

August 22, 11 AM – 4:30 PM: Strategy + Precision

August 22, 7:30 PM – 10:30 PM: I WANT AN AI FOR PRESIDENT by Garrett Laroy Johnson and Kristin McWharter

A new experimental theater piece about of leadership models and artificial intelligence

August 23, 10 AM – 3 PM: Breaks in the Chain: Resisting the Industrial Base of US Imperialism and the Fight to Free Palestine

Official Website

More events on this date

Tags: Bridgeport, Chicago, Co-Prosperity Sphere, DEMOCRAZY: DNC Counter-Programming at Co-Prosperity, Exhibit B, Fatherless, Garrett Laroy Johnson, Grace Needlman, Jamie Leo, jason lazarus, Kristin McWharter, Matt Muchowski, Pacifica, Paul Leschen, WLPN Lumpen Radio, WZRD, Yoni Goldstein