Chicago’s thriving bar scene is getting a creative spotlight. The documentary series “Art on Tap Chicago” profiles six iconic neighborhood taverns that serve as third‑spaces for artists, illustrators, cartoonists and zine‑makers. The series was inspired by the late street‑artist Dont Fret, a Bucktown and Wicker Park regular who died last spring at 36.
From sketchpads to screen
Producer John Mjoseth first noticed Dont Fret drawing at the Map Room, 1949 N. Hoyne Ave., two years ago. “I was sitting at the bar and saw a guy with a sketchpad drawing. I didn’t interrupt him – it turned out to be Cooper,” Mjoseth recalled. Though he never met the artist, Mjoseth and his team decided to honor Dont Fret by dedicating one of the films to his legacy.
Since April, the Art on Tap crew – director/editor Chad Rispalje, director of photography Ryan Kolegas and producers Jon Hearon and John Mjoseth – have filmed six short pieces in bars that have become cultural landmarks: the Map Room in Bucktown, Central Park Bar in Avondale, Go Tavern in Logan Square and Bernice’s Tavern in Bridgeport, among others.
Artists find community behind the bar
Each episode follows a different creator. Visual artist Cori O’Connor, who works out of Go Tavern, was the subject of the series’ first film. Lawndale‑based cartoonist Alex Nall, who runs his own publishing company with his wife, creates at Bernice’s Tavern on S. Halsted St. Nall, who also appeared on the Netflix series “Easy,” says the tavern’s atmosphere fuels his work. “If I don’t have my sketchbook, I just sit and enjoy the vibe – it feels like stepping into someone else’s story,” he said.
All six artists stress the importance of community. “Every artist we talked to mentioned community as the reason they go to their beloved tavern,” Mjoseth said. The series aims to capture that sense of belonging and the informal mentorship that happens over drinks.
Screenings and future plans
A compilation of the six films will debut at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday at Solemn Oath Brewery, 2919 W. Armitage Ave., Logan Square, followed by a Q&A with the featured creators and filmmakers. A pop‑up exhibit of the artists’ work will accompany the screening.
The team plans to continue the series, with upcoming episodes already lined up in Pilsen and additional bar venues slated for future screenings. “Chicago has places where everybody’s equal – you can drink or not drink, it doesn’t matter,” Mjoseth noted. “These kinds of spaces don’t exist in the suburbs, and that’s what makes Chicago unique.”
Original reporting: Block Club Chicago — read the source article.
