Fall is always an incredibly busy season in Chicago’s art world, with new exhibitions opening across galleries and museums. Behind the scenes, many people in the community are working tirelessly to support artists and bring fresh perspectives to the public. We spoke with five insiders about what excites them now and what they anticipate next.

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“Although we’ve been writing about art for the last 15 years on Colossal, 2025 marks our first fall art season as gallerists. We’re thrilled to be working with twin sisters Haylie and Sydnie Jimenez on their exhibition, Speak of the Devil, on view at Joy Machine through September. It’s a very Chicago show, complete with the checkered brick patterns seen on many of our buildings and scenes of the artists’ beloved community here in the city.

We’ve also had the pleasure of working with Maria Gaspar, Bryana Bibbs, Raoul Deal, and Swoon at the Haggerty Museum of Art in Milwaukee. Titled No One Knows All It Takes, this project explores the connection between personal health and collective wellness through the lens of immigration, addiction, caretaking, and incarceration. We hope the exhibition inspires empathy and solidarity in a time of profound devastation and grief.”