Party Noire Panel Discussion

Join us on May 24th, 2025 from 12:00 - 2:00pm for an engaging conversation hosted by Lyric Newbern, documentarian and digital media strategist, and current Artist in Residence at Latitude Chicago. This event brings together members of the Party Noire collective—Dr. Nick Alder, Rae Chardonnay, and Dyaspara—to explore the question: What is a collective?​ As Party Noire approaches its 10th season, the discussion will delve into the evolution of collective work, the dynamics of collaboration, and the significance of intentional community building. Through personal narratives and shared experiences, the panelists will discuss how they define and sustain their collective practice.​ This event is part of Latitude's Artist in Residence program, which supports artists in developing their practice and engaging with the community through public programming. Accessibility notes: This performance has no mobility requirements as it will be a seated presentation. More on building accessibility can be found here and in the video tour of the lab on Vimeo. If your accessibility concerns have not been addressed in this note or on the accessibility page on our website, please make use of the accessibility accommodation in our signup form or reach out directly to [hidden] for more information. Bios: Lyric Newbern (b. 2000) is a Chicago-based photographer, cultural documentarian, and living archivist dedicated to capturing and preserving the legacy of safe space-making within Chicago's Black, queer, and creative communities. Rooted in their early experiences documenting community work within their church, Lyric’s practice has evolved to embody ongoing efforts to build safe spaces for Black joy and preservation. Through their work with cultural spaces such as Party Noire and the Chicago Black Social Culture Map, Lyric showcases this commitment, documenting spaces where community feels safe being seen through their lens. They weave shared experiences into a living archive that celebrates, honors, and safeguards these essential spaces. Dyaspara is a cultural connector who lives to learn and reflect on the beauty, vastness, and connectedness of cultures in the African diaspora. The open format DJ is known for her selections of afro-house, afrobeats, dancehall music and other global Black sounds. Also an event curator, Dya takes other diasporic culture lovers looking for a splash of inspiration and enticing culture linkages on musical journeys through her sets, production of her monthly dance party dyasphonic.dance, and newsletter Thoughts with Mild Sauce.  Instagram: @Dyaspara Soundcloud: [hidden] More Info below.