Cook County Arts

Congratulations to the recipients of the 2025 Creative Placemaking grants! Learn more about their projects.
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Grantee Spotlight

Brookfield Shops Ribbon Cutting

A white variant of the Cook County Arts logo, designed to stand out on dark or colored backgrounds, maintaining the organization's visual identity.
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Grantee Spotlight

Brookfield Shops Ribbon Cutting

Placemaking in Action at the Brookfield Shops

On October 31, 2025, community members and local leaders gathered for a ribbon cutting at Brookfield Shops at Progress Park to celebrate the latest phase of a community project supported by a 2025 Cook County Arts creative placemaking grant.

Now in its inaugural season, the Shops have quickly become a weekend destination for local makers. With support from Cook County Arts, the site is becoming a more lively community hub, featuring new artist-made panels throughout the courtyard, upgraded landscaping and a small outdoor stage set to open for performances next spring.

“By activating the Brookfield Shops space through art, we’re not only adding beauty; we’re creating connection, an opportunity for artists to shine, and for residents to experience something vibrant and meaningful,” said Brookfield Village Manager Tim Wiberg.

Project partners alongside representatives from the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) at the October 31 ribbon cutting.
Project partners alongside representatives from the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) at the October 31 ribbon cutting.

One of those artists is Vivian Piña, an illustrator whose panel pays tribute to Kiwanis Park, a place she visited throughout her childhood in Brookfield. “I painted Kiwanis Park because it was my favorite place growing up,” she shared. “I want my daughters to have a public space where children are seen, respected, and able to play and learn together.” Vivian created the artwork digitally before painting much of it sideways in her attic during her daughters’ nap times since it was too tall to paint vertically.

Vivian Piña stands with her family in front of her finished panel showing Kiwanis Park in Brookfield.
Vivian Piña stands with her family in front of her finished panel showing Kiwanis Park in Brookfield.

The Brookfield Shops are an innovative retail incubator program featuring seasonal mini storefronts that allow participants to launch and grow their individual businesses in a supportive, collaborative community. Selected by Brookfield Theater Corporation, these makers activate the storefronts and contribute to the day-to-day life of the space.

Brookfield Theater Corporation will select the next cohort of artisan makers this spring and plans to commission additional artwork in 2026. Separate from the retail cohort, Brookfield Theater Corporation also commissions artists to create large-scale art panels installed throughout the Shops—works that add visual interest, reflect community identity, and shape the experience of moving through the space. As part of the broader Cook County Arts initiative, the project continues to shape a vibrant, welcoming public space where people can gather, explore and feel connected to their community.