Relive the Vibes of Arts + Public Life's Annual South Side Market

By Clare Austen-Smith

Vends + Vibes isn’t just a market—it’s an event. For the uninitiated, Vends + Vibes is a two-day winter marketplace and celebration of unique handmade products made primarily by South Side artists and creative entrepreneurs. This year, members of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s team stopped by, children and teens alike got a chance to meet Santa, marshmallows were toasted, and everyone vibed to the sounds of four of Chicago’s hottest DJs.  

While the 6th Annual Vend + Vibes may be over, you can continue the vibes into 2020 by streaming the DJs who graced the stage at the Arts Block this past weekend. 


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AYANA CONTRERAS
In her words, “I am passionate about sound and color. I work in radio: my first professional hosting gig was hosting WBEZ’s “Global Overnight” program in 2007. I  am currently the host/producer of Reclaimed Soul, a weekly radio program that airs on Vocalo.org, 91.1 FM (sister station of WBEZ), and WBEZ in Chicago. I’m also a producer for a nationally-distributed radio show called Sound Opinions, hosted by Greg Kot and Jim DeRogatis, and a columnist for DownBeat. Before joining the team at Sound Opinions, I served as Executive Producer of two other weekly programs on Vocalo: The Barber Shop Show (hosted by WBEZ’s Richard Steele) and Practically Speaking (hosted by Audra Wilson). My mission with my productions is to illuminate issues and perspectives that are too often left out of mainstream media. I also want my work to shift perceptions about what we choose to value (and what we don’t value nearly enough). In 2014-2015, I was an Arts + Public Life resident artist at the University of Chicago. Before that, I was a resident artist at Theaster Gates’s Dorchester Projects (an experiment in re-valuing the undervalued and rebuilding community). 

I also love Chicago: where we’re going and where we’ve been.

I believe in the power of out-of-the-box ideas. Ideas can baptize our perceptions and forever change our view of the world, if only we believe in possibility and ask questions (despite what might be right in front of us).”

Watch an interview with Ayana Contreras from her time as an APL Artist-In-Residence.

Listen to Ayana Contreras on Vocalo


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CQQCHiFRUIT
Jaquelyn Carmen Guerrero, aka CQQCHiFRUIT, is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary visual artist, performer, and DJ-musician originally from Miami, FL. CQQCHiFRUIT's sound incorporates elements from her Miami roots (salsa, dancehall, reggaeton, baile funk, hip hop, bass breaks, booty bass, trance, drum & bass), Chicago/Midwest residence (house, juke, ghettotech) and global interest with an emphasis on divas, womxn, and queer artists from around the world.The name “CQQCHiFRUIT” honors divine and feminine creative energy. Since 2015, Guerrero’s artistic practice has included co-organizing an artistic platform and event in Chicago called TRQPiTECA with Chicago producer La Spacer. , which features artists working with queer and tropical aesthetics.

Check out an interview with CQQCHiFRUIT from Vocalo here.

Listen to them on mixcloud or soundcloud


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GREG GRAY
Greg Gray is a house music DJ and member of Nu Bang Collective.

Listen to Gray’s work on mixcloud.


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PEACE RTG
In 1983 Disco made way for House, and the rest is melodic history. Back then, House wasn’t just the music you played:, House was a lifestyle and Peace was living it.

From digging for vinyl at record shops like Imports, Loop Records, 2nd Hand Tunes, Doctor Wax, Grammaphone and every place in between, to fine-tuning his innovative style in order tothat inspires listeners to an intoxicating tipping point, Peace is also known as the Underground Legend. His still- popular Disco Definition series introduced the world to the edits and blends he is knownnoted for.

With Disco as his foundation, today his sound has evolved to include Soulful House, Afro House, Afro-Tech House, Tribal House, Deep House, Underground, and Vintage classics to send one unified message: mMusic heals and soothes the soul.





Listen to Peace RTG on mixcloud.

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