On the South Side, Irish pride isn’t reserved for one day in March. It lingers in the glow of neon beer signs, in familiar storefronts, and in spaces that have quietly anchored neighborhoods for generations.
That spirit is the focus of “Cheers to the South Side,” a photography exhibit by Chicago photojournalist Kelly White opening from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 13, at the Beverly Arts Center, located at 2407 W. 111th St. The exhibit will remain on display throughout March. During the opening reception, a cash bar will be available, and live music will be performed by Ethan Sellers.
The project is as personal as it is professional.
“The South Side is full of Irish pride — from the parade to the local bars — it’s a sense of community,” White said. “This exhibit represents the sense of camaraderie on the South Side and the fact that some things never change. You can move away and come back, and the neighborhood is just as you remembered it growing up.”
Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, White has spent two decades documenting the people and places that define it. A graduate of Saint Xavier University, she began her journalism career at The Xavierite before contributing to the Daily Southtown and the Chicago Tribune. She now works as an editor and photojournalist at Southwest Regional Publishing and teaches communication courses at her alma mater.
In this exhibit, White focused on the architectural character of South Side Irish pubs, capturing familiar buildings that residents pass by every day that evoke a deep sense of nostalgia. The photographs highlight the charm and history embedded in these neighborhood landmarks, reflecting both their enduring presence and the memories they hold for generations of patrons.
The images chronicle the South Side’s unique cultural heartbeat, showing spaces that have weathered decades of change yet remain rooted in tradition.
White said what struck her most while working on the project was this continuity. Faces may change, ownership may pass to the next generation, but the feeling these spaces evoke remains constant.
“There’s history in those walls,” she said. “People celebrate birthdays there, grieve losses there, plan fundraisers there. It’s where life happens.”
At the Beverly Arts Center, visitors will find more than framed photographs. They will encounter a visual love letter to a part of Chicago where tradition runs deep and where, for many, walking past a familiar storefront feels like coming home.