Workshop: Roots of Resilience—Indigo Textile Dyeing

Create your own unique tiny textiles and experiment in the ancient traditional use of indigo vat dye!

As part of Festival de la Francophonie 2026, Chicago-based Haitian-American visual artist Ameera Pernebsati Lys is offering an indigo textile dyeing workshop in connection with her exhibition Roots of Resilience, on display in the Eleanor Wood Prince Salon through March 31.

Indigo is one of the oldest natural plant-based dyes in the world for coloring fabrics and is used today to color blue jeans. Develop artistic designs using traditional Japanese Shibori techniques of tying, knotting, accordion folding, and binding.

Doors at 6:00 pm. Workshop at 6:30. Please enter via 54 W Chicago Ave. Tickets are non-refundable after March 18.

About the Workshop Presenter

Ameera Pernebsati Lys (She/Her) is a Haitian-American fiber and mixed media artist creating with textile design, indigo, Japanese Shibori, collage, stamping, painting, ink, sculpture, quilting, jewelry design, photography and graphic design. Ameera’s work is inspired by her Haitian heritage, traditional African culture and spirituality, and the injustices of racism. Ameera was born and raised in Chicago and has her B.A. from Carleton College and M.S.W. from Smith College School for Social Work.About Festival de la Francophonie

About Festival de la Francophonie

Festival de la Francophonie is the Alliance Française de Chicago’s annual flagship festival, featuring a vibrant lineup of free public programs over the course of the month of March—the official Mois de la Francophonie—celebrating the world’s French-speaking cultures. AF-Chicago is honored to partner with cultural organizations and government institutions across the city to offer high-quality cultural experiences and a forum where people of all ages and backgrounds can discover and connect with the cultures, customs, and language of the Francophone world, to promote lifelong learning and cultural understanding.

Getting Here

The Alliance Française de Chicago is one block from the CTA Red line stop at Chicago Ave. Best bus routes are the 22 on Clark and the 66 on Chicago Ave. A Divvy station is located in front of the 54 W Chicago Ave entrance.

Parking Information

$12 for 12 hours at InterPark at 100 W Chestnut St. Validation is available at reception.

Please be advised that students, members, and attendees at cultural events or programs may be photographed, and these images may be used for marketing purposes.