The Wabash Lights

The Wabash Lights PHASE 1 IS LIVE! ✨ • Check out The Wabash Lights, Chicago Loop's newest interactive light art and people-powered placemaking. No tax dollars spent.

Phase 2 fundraising underway! The Wabash Lights is a site-specific light installation that will engage viewers from around the world by utilizing the iconic Chicago Loop elevated train tracks as a canvas for public artwork. The creators envision this work of public art will create a unique district in the heart of Chicago using the CTA’s L tracks as a canvas for a dynamic light experience. The Wab

ash Lights’ LED tubes will be customizable in color, duration, brightness, and cadence. Typical light installations are created by a singular, commissioned light artist and pre-programmed to run a set sequence. The Wabash Lights website will seek submissions from citizens of Chicago and the world to program snapshots, sequences, and interactivity into the canvas of light.

05/09/2026

If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth it.

Part 10/10 coming in hot 🔥 🥁 🥁 🥁 👉🏽 “Public art is not easy to make.” — Nato Thompson ✨

To wrap our 10-part series, co-founder Jack Newell drops the ultimate truth: Public art is a daunting, excruciatingly detailed grind. But here’s the kicker, it should be.

The struggle is the story.

Building The Wabash Lights required a village, a mountain of logistics, and an absurd amount of creative juju.

Illuminating the underside of an active L-track with people-powered magic isn't just an installation, it’s a victory of persistence over the easy path.

Thanks for riding with us for the past ten stops and thoughts on public art. Now, let’s keep the chi town glowing!⚡️🏙️ Drop some love ❤️ below...

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​Fuel the Persistence:

The Wabash Lights is a 100% people-powered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Zero Tax Dollars.

​📍 Location: 33 S. Wabash Ave

🔗 Link in bio to support the mission x keep the lights on.

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04/18/2026

Everybody in! 👉🏽 Part 9/10, “Public art is a team sport.” — Nato Thompson ✨

We're coming down to the closing stretch here, folks. It's the bottom of the 9th. Grab your super ropes, rally towels, and finish those hot dogs ... because here's the truth...

There are no solo acts. 🙌🏽🎉🌭⚾✨🙏🏽

In Part 9 of our series, Wabash Lights co-founder Jack Newell dismantles the myth of the "lone genius." While we often credit a single name in public art, the reality is a massive, invisible engine of people and partners, volunteers and visionaries, working in sync to turn an idea into infrastructure.

Thank you, to SO many. We are here because of you, our team! 🙏🏽✨

The first 50 feet of wasn't just a technical feat, it was a proof of concept for collective action. It took a team to build it, and it takes an entire city to keep it glowing. ⚡️

Who is the "invisible MVP" in your neighborhood making things happen behind the scenes? Tag them below. 👇

Experience the Glow:

The Wabash Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. No public tax dollars, just the collective energy and investment of people like you. We are a team, and we’re inviting you to join us.

📍 Location: 33 S. Wabash Ave
🔗 Link in bio to support the mission x keep the lights on.

04/08/2026

Part 8/10, “To shape the city’s spaces is to shape its psychology.” — Nato Thompson ✨

​Can a single moment shape or change your mindset?

​In Part 8 of our "10 Thoughts on Public Art "series, Board President reflects on the invisible connection between our surroundings and our spirit. In the heart of the Loop, where "the rush" is the default setting and energy defines every sidewalk, we are testing a new frequency. 🏙️⚡️

​The Wabash Lights was born from a simple question:
In a place where we are always moving, can we also find a reason to stop?

​We’re not just installing hardware under the tracks; we’re helping shape the psychology of the city. We’re inviting joy, wonder, and a necessary moment of pause into the daily hustle. Because when you change the space, you change the person. This is our "yes and" to a Chicago that breathes.

​What’s one spot in Chicago that always manages to reset your mood? Let us know below. 👇
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​Experience the Glow:
The Wabash Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. No tax dollars.

​📍 Location: 33 S. Wabash Ave
🔗 Link in bio to support the mission, keep the lights on.

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03/29/2026

Part 7/10 — “Public art belongs to everyone, so no one controls its meaning.” — Nato Thompson ✨

​Next in our series, Wabash Lights Board President Vinod Havalad reflects on the idea at the very heart of ...

👉🏽 True public art isn't dictated by a curator; it is defined by diverse lived experiences.

Our installation lives under the tracks, right in the middle of Chicago’s daily rhythm — a space shared by commuters, families, artists, students and tourists alike.

​We didn’t build The Wabash Lights to dictate a single narrative. We built it to invite interpretation. For some, it’s a moment of calm in a busy city. For others, it’s energy, color, and movement.

The Wabash Lights is a living reminder that our infrastructure can and should be more than just functional.

​When you see the lights, what do you feel? 🌈😌⚡🥳
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The Wabash Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Zero tax dollars spent. Every donation ensures our interactive canvas remains open to everyone.

Yours truly. Always and forever. XOXO ✨✨✨✨

​📍 Location: 33 S. Wabash Ave
🔗 Link in bio to support the lights.

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03/26/2026

Part 6/10 — “Controversy is not a failure of public art; it is the public speaking.” — Nato Thompson ✨

​If art doesn’t spark a debate, is it even public? 👠🏙️

​In Part 6 of our series, board member Rebecca Fonz looks back at one of Chicago’s most divisive residents: the 26-foot-tall "Forever Marilyn." 💃🏽

She was vandalized with red paint, moved across three continents, and voted "worst piece of public art" by the very people she was built for.

​But here’s the thing: she got it done.

​Following our exploration of Experience (Vinod), Existence (Jack), and Imagination (Erin), Rebecca reminds us that public art isn't a decoration—it’s a provocation.

It’s a mirror held up to the city.

Whether you love it or hate it, the moment you start talking about it, the art has already won.

​At Wabash, we aren’t afraid of the noise. We’re here to give the city a voice. ⚡️

​Is art still art if you hate it? Drop your most polarizing Chicago piece below. 👇
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​📍 Location: 33 S. Wabash Ave

🔗 Link in bio to support the mission and keep the dialogue alive.

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03/21/2026

Part 5/10 — "A city's faith in public art shows its civic imagination." — Nato Thompson ✨

Our "10 Thoughts on Public Art" series continues with board member and urban planner Erin Cigliano diving into the deep psychology of our built environment.

Her Take: Public art isn't a luxury, it's a necessity that demands champions.

Public art shouldn't be perceived as a "nice-to-have" or an "if funds allow" type of investment. When done right, public art is a tool that can literally rewire how we feel, think, and connect to our surroundings.

When a city invests and has faith in public art, it is making a powerful declaration about the 'spirit of place'.

The Wabash Lights was made possible entirely through private fundraising — zero tax dollars. But it didn't happen without our city partners showing up, clearing the path and saying yes. The community showed up with the resources to make it real. That combination — civic faith plus community investment — is exactly what the project is about.

Fact: When we wrap our places and people with light and creativity, we reframe what's possible. ⚡️✨🌟💫🙌
Fuel the Imagination
The Wabash Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. No public tax dollars—just the faith and support of people who believe Chicago should be more than just "functional."

📍 Location: 33 S. Wabash Ave
🔗 Link in bio to support the mission.

03/15/2026

Part 4/10 — "Public art doesn’t have to reveal it is art.”
- Nato Thompson ✨

Don’t label it. Don’t over-explain it. Just let it exist.

Next in our March Series, TWL co-founder and filmmaker Jack Newell reflects on the power of art that doesn’t announce itself.

Art that rewards the curious.

Chicago is full of moments like this… if you’re paying attention.

Under the tracks on Wabash, aren’t trying to be “art” in the traditional sense.

They’re a frequency.
Not a gallery piece.
An invitation.

Ever stumbled on something in Chicago that felt like a little hidden sparkle of magic? 👇

03/11/2026

Part 3/10 — “Public art is not objects, it is an experience.” — Nato Thompson ✨

​Most "public art" asks you to stand still and be quiet. We’re doing the opposite. 🚫🤫

​In Part 3 of our series, Board President Vinod Havalad cuts through the noise: The Wabash Lights isn't a static object. It’s an immersive, living moment that breathes with the city.

Cities have spent decades treating infrastructure as cold, gray steel. We’re reclaiming it. We’re proving that a dark corridor under the "L" can be a stage for human connection—and that YOU should be the one directing the show.

​This isn't just about lights. It’s about agency. And putting the public BACK in public art.


Invest in the Impossible💸

The Wabash Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. No tax dollars. No corporate gatekeepers. Just 100% community-funded magic.

✨ ​Every interaction is made possible by people who believe Chicago should be more than just "functional." It should be phenomenal.

​🔗 Link in bio to send a prompt or donate to the glow. ❤️

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03/07/2026

Part 2/10 — “Public art trains us in what’s possible.” — Nato Thompson ✨

Sometimes the best ideas start by sounding a little impossible, no? ...

Yes! NEXT UP in our March series on Ten Thoughts on Public Art, board member Erin Cigliano reflects on the "impossible pitch" of —and why it matters to question assumptions of what is or isn't possible in our urban landscape.

Public art isn't just decoration; it's a training ground for the imagination. 🫠💪🏽🌈⚡

If we can make the underside of the Wabash tracks glow through public interaction, what else can we redefine?

Would you have bet on it?? 👇

Come experience the lights! is an interactive art installation in Chicago's Loop. It lives and breathes light through custom text prompts made by YOU.

Come play! 📍 33 S. Wabash Ave

The Wabash Lights is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. No public tax dollars are used—we are 100% donation-based. Every light and every interaction is made possible thanks to you. Visit link in bio to make a donation and help keep the lights on!

01/18/2026

Behold, the interactive magic of 🤩✨! FACT: Anyone and everyone can create custom light art simply by visiting the Wabash Lights and entering a text prompt.

The Wabash Lights belongs to everyone. It's Chicago's art. It's art you create. Go forth and create your canvas, today. The Wabash Lights is located under the L tracks at 33 S. Wabash — Text HELLO to 312-626-7592 upon arrival to create YOUR personal light show.

Snap your glow moment and tag .

Address

Monroe @ Wabash
Chicago, IL
60603

Opening Hours

Monday 5pm - 1am
Tuesday 5pm - 1am
Wednesday 5pm - 1am
Thursday 5pm - 1am
Friday 5pm - 1am
Saturday 5pm - 1am
Sunday 5pm - 1am

Telephone

(312) 625-7952

Website

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