In this year’s Democrazy issue, contributors talk about conventions past (Jeffrey Dorchen), the failures of democracy, (Brian M. Mier and Ruslana Lichtzier), and its opportunities for radical intervention (Jerry Boyle and Matt Muchowski).

The DNC is returning to Chicago and Public Media Institute and Lumpen Magazine are inviting artists, writers, and community organizers to participate in our call for submissions for Lumpen Magazine 142: Democrazy.

Our new book, The Lumpen Times: 30+ Years of Radical Media and Building Communities of the Future, is out and available for purchase at our real life and online store, Buddy.

The Mutual Aid Issue - 141 Winter 2024

The 2022 Comic issue of Lumpen is out.

“I would like to think of each one of the articles in this issue of Lumpen as a shock wave bouncing back to Chicago from the Haymarket Affair. I hope that this sharing of experiences and tactics fighting neofascist capitalism around the world from Rockford to Maputo, from Delhi to Devon Avenue, will give a few fellow Chicagoans ideas on how to pick up the torch and move forward towards…”

Public Media Institute and Co-Prosperity are honored to present Piotr Szyhalski’s COVID_19: Labor Camp Report Project, which will be wheat pasted and installed on the Co-Prosperity exterior mural wall and on the walls of Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar and Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream.

Now is your chance to submit a project for the NFO XPO booth at our exhibition, Successful Failures: 30 Years of Lumpens, Radical Media and Building Communities of the Future, at the Chicago Cultural Center Michigan Avenue Galleries.

Our exhibition showcasing 30 years of making media, spaces and building community opens October 16, 2021 at the Chicago Cultural Center.

"This edition of Lumpen magazine marks our first research foray into better understanding these places where people don’t wear masks, the places that supposedly vote for Trump. Forgotten places, “the rural”. It’s an attempt at understanding. It’s the beginning of a conversation we need to have if we want to stave the growing tide of authoritarian impulses here in the US."

Public Media Institute has created a Mutual Aid Chicago Map and Directory.

Based on our work on the Community Kitchen and Canteen we felt it important to share as much information we have about mutual aid groups, food distribution programs, kitchens and food pantries that provide free meals and provisions to the public.

Public Media Institute Community Kitchen and Community Canteen

As we enter these cold winter months, we are humbled by the support for the Community Kitchen and Community Canteen.

The 2020 Annual Report for Public Media Institute. This report is an overview of our activities in 2020 and features collaborations with hundreds of artists and cultural workers of all stripes.

This marks the 8th year for organizing Krampusnacht in Chicago! It’s always a wildly fun event with musicians & artists. This year, it’s carrying on for a livestream Krampusnacht variety show hour. Date is Saturday, December 5, 7pm. Streaming through http://www.krampusnachtchicago.com/ and lumpen.The lineup includes musicians, a puppet show, cooking tips and a slew of other fun shenanigans in the program.

Buddy has been put on hold until the Cultural Center opens, but we have launched a website and are now opening for a limited time at Co-Prosperity for the holidays to try to help the artists we work with during the economic hardships of the pandemic.

We need to be prepared to continue to fight for progressive change that will help working families, even as we work to reform our election system to better reflect the popular will.

As the coronavirus continues to kill thousands each day, tech companies are seizing the opportunity to extend their reach and power.

No Justice. No Peace.

This documentary needs to be seen by everyone, especially you and your family, and your neighbor and that guy not wearing a mask, and those kids not able to move out of their parents house, anyone in a service economy job, and our politicians that are not purchased by the 1% .