West Town, Wicker Park, Ukrainian Village, Kinzie Corridor, Humboldt Park

West Town

Wisconsin

IL • MI • IN

West Loop, Fulton Market, East Garfield Park

West Loop and West Side

Evanston, The North Shore, Northern, Western and Southern Suburbs

Suburbs

Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Uptown, Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park

North Side

Michigan Avenue, Streeterville, The Gold Coast, The Loop, and South Loop

Michigan Avenue

Pilsen, Bridgeport, Chinatown, plus Hyde Park, Jackson Park/Dorchester, and Bronzeville

South Side

Superior and Franklin streets, West Chicago Ave, and down to Merchandise Mart and the River

River North

The River North Design District proudly announces this year's annual River North Design District Fall Gallery Walk on September 11. The walk is comprised of 17 locations with special events throughout River North, featuring 31 artists and 16 designer vignettes. This year, the Gallery Walk's philanthropic partner is Tunnel to Towers, which will receive a portion of the proceeds. 17 design showrooms and galleries will come alive with art from some of the brightest talents on the scene, paired with vignettes from Chicago's top designers. The result? Insta-worthy feasts for the eye to inspire anyone who wants to make their home a beautiful haven. The walk is free and open to the public except for the afterparty. Showrooms will have extended hours on September 11, from 5–8 p.m., and will offer food and libations. The vignettes will be on display through October 9. The Gallery Walk is free to attend. A $10 suggested donation supports our philanthropic parter Tunnel to Towers as well as RNDD programming. The event's host committee includes Reem Hassaballa with Reems Design, Julie Laux with J. Jordan Homes, Clare Hennessy, Lisa Rodriguez with Mobili Möbel, Carrie Lannon of Lannon Consulting, Cortney Hall with NBC's&nbsp;Open House, and Joyce and Dusty Sang with Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation. <blockquote>"As we mark a decade of creativity and innovation since the River North Design District's Fall Gallery Walk began, we're thrilled to present an exceptional evening. This immersive event brings together industry leaders, passionate collectors, and visionary designers for a dynamic celebration of art and design. Guests will experience a diverse range of work from acclaimed artists around the world, alongside contributions from some of Chicago's most respected design voices. More than design destinations, we're proud to reaffirm our role as collaborators—supporting and elevating the vibrant art community at the heart of River North."</blockquote><blockquote>— Mike Cao, President, River North Design District</blockquote> Attend Light after Dark, the official after party closing the 10th Annual River North Design District Gallery Walk on September 11 from&nbsp;8:00–10:30 p.m.&nbsp;Hosted at the&nbsp;BSH Experience Center&nbsp;in the Merchandise Mart, the evening commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11 while celebrating a decade of art and design within the River North Design District. Guests are encouraged to dress in avant-garde fashion and will enjoy music by DJ Disko Kitty, crafted cocktails, and culinary offerings from the chefs at the BSH Experience Center. At the heart of the evening is&nbsp;Art is Living Fashion, a 6' × 30' immersive installation presented by Brizo. Conceived as a monumental textile, the work unites art, fashion, and design through 20 artist-created panels exploring themes of strength, resilience, courage, and light. Together, the panels form a continuous collective expression honoring both individual voice and shared humanity. The installation will be sold by the square foot at the event, with&nbsp;100% of proceeds benefiting the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. After Party tickets start at&nbsp;$100&nbsp;each if purchased in advance. <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/10th-annual-river-north-design-district-rndd-fall-gallery-walk-tickets-1992886102981?aff=oddtdtcreator" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Buy tickets HERE</a>. Check the website for periodic event updates. Image courtesy of Jasmin Reese Interiors, Photography by Michael Alan Kaskel

River North Design District 10th Annual Fall Gallery Walk

The much-loved triangle of public land known as Wicker Park, the neighborhood’s namesake, will be the site of the second annual Wicker Park Fine Art Fair on Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.The purpose behind this art fair is to create a space for artists and the public to interact. “There are so many people making really good art in Chicago, but there is a chasm between the physical places they can show their work,” says Mariottini. “I want the Wicker Park Fine Art Fair to be a place between a white-box gallery and a street festival, where the focus is truly on the quality of the art.” Visitors can expect a low-key atmosphere with no performance stages, beer tents, or parades just artists with their art. ﻿<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1782240033/onuvo7e4wmrygz257zpu.jpg">

Wicker Park Fine Art Fair

<a href="https://us.list-manage.com/6YxE22o4qC6?e=2f04d328f3&amp;c2id=7d64923c3526cff52cb47c267df831d2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Purchase Tickets to the Prairie Party</a> <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1787873264/ur1nuounmxddpwqxu295.png">

The Prairie Party at The Nate

GALLERY HOURS:&nbsp;Monday–Thursday, 9am–6pm; Friday, 9am–5pm; Saturday &amp; Sunday, 9am–4 pm*Registration is required. Visit&nbsp;www.EvanstonArtCenter.org&nbsp;for more information.The Evanston Art Center (EAC) is excited to welcome the public to our upcoming exhibition,&nbsp;John Wangendo | Stories from Africa.&nbsp;The exhibition will be on display from&nbsp;August 8 - September 13, 2026 with an opening reception on Sunday, August 9, 1-4pm that will be free and open to the public.Through his colorful and detailed portraits, artist John Wangendo gives viewers&nbsp;a glimpse into stories from the continent of Africa, from its civil wars to its deep cultures and traditions. Wangendo was nominated for&nbsp;the Mayor's Award for the Arts by the City of Evanston, Illinois in 2023. John Wangendo | Stories from Africa&nbsp;will be exhibited in the Second Floor Gallery of the Art Center.The opening reception is free and open to the public. This exhibition is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the EAC’s general membership.Evanston Art Center, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization, is dedicated to fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences. The Art Center offers extensive and innovative instruction in broad areas of artistic endeavor through classes, exhibitions, interactive arts activities, and community outreach initiatives.

John Wangendo | Stories from Africa

The Evanston Art Center (EAC) is excited to welcome the public to our upcoming exhibition,&nbsp;Voytek Glinkowski | Pages From My Notebook. The exhibition will be on display from August 8 - September 13, 2026 with an opening reception on Sunday, August 9, 1-3pm that will be free and open to the public."Every day, most of the time we are processing and transferring messages, news, pictures and feelings into the notebooks of our minds. The fabrics of those thoughts and images become Pages From My Notebook. I don't want to lose them. One never knows."– Voytek GlinkowskiGlinkowski received a Master's Degree in Fine Arts from the Strzeminski Fine Art Academy in Poland. His work has been exhibited in over 30 individual and group shows in the USA and Europe including at Stricoff Fine Art Gallery in New York, Discovery Galleries in Bethesda, Atlas Galleries in Chicago, Vail Fine Art Gallery in Vail, Triada Gallery in Gdansk, and Newborough Avenue Gallery in Boston.

Voytek Glinkowski | Pages From My Notebook

Join the Art Harder Collective on a mini vacation for your nervous system. Meditate to a soundscape painted by three expert musicians. Two sessions are available: session one lasts 30 minutes, followed by a 15-minute interval before session two begins. Session two will last 1 hour. Come for one or both. The event will take place at The Kavanagh Gallery at Fine Line on Sunday, September 13. Attendees are encouraged to bring their yoga mat, blankets, and pillows. Doors open 15 minutes before each session. The event is titled 'Ambient Sound Bath'. The Fine Line Creative Arts Center is located at 37W570 Bolcum Rd, St. Charles, IL. Doors for session 1 open at 2:45 pm, with the session running from 3:00 to 3:30 pm. Doors for session 2 open at 3:30 pm, with the session running from 3:45 to 4:45 pm. Tickets are available at www.fineline.org.

Ambient Sound Bath

This summer, the&nbsp;Driehaus Museum&nbsp;presents&nbsp;Ink &amp; Outrage: 18th&nbsp;Century Satirical Prints in London &amp; Dublin,&nbsp;an exhibition that explores the wit and graphic brilliance displayed by English graphic satirical artists such as James Gillray (1765-1815) and Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827) to lampoon civics, society, and culture in Georgian London. The exhibition places original prints in dialogue with plagiarized works by artists in Ireland, evoking conversations about piracy, originality, and reproduction that have become more relevant than ever today. Organized by guest curators&nbsp;Silvia Beltrametti&nbsp;and&nbsp;William Laffan&nbsp;and following its debut at the Irish Architectural Archive in Dublin in 2025,&nbsp;Ink &amp; Outrage: 18thCentury Satirical Prints in London &amp; Dublin&nbsp;takes place at the Driehaus Museum, 50 E. Erie Street, from&nbsp;May 15 to September 13, 2026.&nbsp;Now ubiquitous in Internet meme culture and modern-day satire, the groundbreaking use of image and text during the Georgian period was a powerful form of storytelling, holding those in power accountable, and fostering bonds between classes and communities.&nbsp;Ink &amp; Outrage: 18th&nbsp;Century Satirical Prints in London &amp; Dublin&nbsp;includes approximately 100 original prints and features loans from The William A. Gordon Library of British Caricature, the collection of the O’Brien family, and the Richard H. Driehaus Art Exhibition Lending Foundation.The exhibition places original prints alongside plagiarized works made in Ireland,&nbsp;where copyright law of images did not apply and business for replicas flourished. These pirated copies provoked historic debates around authorship and plagiarism that set the stage for current conversations around artificial intelligence, intellectual property, and mass reproduction today.In the context of the Driehaus Museum, the exhibition presents Georgian satirical prints as a vital precursor to the art, architecture, and ideas that shaped the United States during the Gilded Age. The works reflect the visual and political culture of an influential period in Britain and Ireland that went on to inform American taste and civic life.&nbsp;Executive Director of the Driehaus Museum&nbsp;Lisa M. Key&nbsp;says, “Ink &amp; Outrage: 18th&nbsp;Century Satirical Prints in London &amp; Dublin&nbsp;is a model for meaningful international collaboration, strengthening the Museum’s commitments to rigorous scholarship, shared stewardship, and cross-cultural exchange.&nbsp;We hope visitors see the trajectory from these early forms of satire to the present day, and the importance of satire as a public forum for debate and connection.” Co-curator&nbsp;Silvia Beltrametti&nbsp;adds, “Caricature is the intellectual vehicle that speaks truth to power in the fastest, funniest, and most piercing way possible. Behind the blasts of color in these prints lie a remarkable copyright story-- free from the legal constraints, Irish publishers could copy original productions from London.”Major support for this exhibition is provided by the Driehaus Trust Company, LLC. ABOUT THE CURATORSSilvia&nbsp;Beltrametti&nbsp;is&nbsp;a&nbsp;lecturer&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;Department&nbsp;of&nbsp;Art&nbsp;History,&nbsp;Theory&nbsp;and&nbsp;Criticism&nbsp;at&nbsp;the&nbsp;School&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Art&nbsp;Institute&nbsp;of&nbsp;Chicago. Beltrametti is an expert on art law and her research focuses on the international trade of art as well as intellectual property, specifically on how copyright shapes artistic production. She has published in the&nbsp;Columbia&nbsp;Journal&nbsp;of&nbsp;Law&nbsp;and&nbsp;the&nbsp;Arts&nbsp;andNorthwestern&nbsp;Journal&nbsp;of&nbsp;Technology&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Intellectual Property.&nbsp;In&nbsp;2025&nbsp;she&nbsp;contributed&nbsp;to&nbsp;Myth&nbsp;and&nbsp;Marble,&nbsp;Ancient&nbsp;Roman Sculpture from the Torlonia Collection&nbsp;(ed. Lisa Ayla Çakmak and Katharine&nbsp;A.&nbsp;Ruff,&nbsp;Yale&nbsp;University&nbsp;Press).&nbsp;With&nbsp;William&nbsp;Laffan,&nbsp;she has published two substantial articles on Dublin caricatures in&nbsp;Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies.William Laffan&nbsp;is a cultural historian and the author of numerous books on Irish art and architecture. He served as editor of&nbsp;Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies&nbsp;and has published extensively across a wide variety of cultural topics.&nbsp;In 2014 he co-authored&nbsp;Russborough:&nbsp;A&nbsp;Great&nbsp;Irish&nbsp;House,&nbsp;Its&nbsp;Families&nbsp;and&nbsp;Collections&nbsp;and&nbsp;the following year was historical adviser to the landmark exhibition at the Art&nbsp;Institute&nbsp;of&nbsp;Chicago,&nbsp;Ireland, Crossroads of Art and Design, 1690- 1840&nbsp;and edited the show’s catalogue.&nbsp;In 2024 he curated&nbsp;Thomas Frye, An Irish Artist in London&nbsp;at&nbsp;Dublin&nbsp;Castle.&nbsp;With&nbsp;Silvia&nbsp;Beltrametti, he has published two substantial articles on Dublin caricatures in&nbsp;Irish Architectural and Decorative Studies.&nbsp;Image: After James Gilray,&nbsp;Oh! that this too too solid flesh would melt, Published by William McCleary, Dublin.

Ink & Outrage: 18th Century Satirical Prints in London & Dublin

This exhibition highlights Ferrigno's newest monotypes. The ten works in the show, populated by biomorphic and architectonic&nbsp;forms, manifest an aesthetic sensuality which is heightened by a prismatic array of colors.<a href="https://www.artsy.net/show/manneken-press-andrea-ferrigno-collective-effervescence" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">View on Artsy</a> Image: Andrea Ferrigno:&nbsp;We're At A Crossroads. 2026. Monotype, 27.75" x 37".

Andrea Ferrigno:  Collective Effervescence

Pushing Boundaries: The Lowell and Diane Fixler Collection is a live auction event scheduled for 15 September 2026 at 11 AM CT. The event will feature a collection curated by Lowell and Diane Fixler. For more information and to view the lots available for auction, interested parties can visit the provided links. <a href="https://wright20.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=50e5c1be866e9aaa28cfec1db&amp;id=ac6c45e5b9&amp;e=d509e17cc6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">INFORMATION</a><a href="https://wright20.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=50e5c1be866e9aaa28cfec1db&amp;id=28a1ed01ab&amp;e=d509e17cc6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">VIEW LOTS</a>

Pushing Boundaries: The Lowell and Diane Fixler Collection

Hilton Contemporary is pleased to present&nbsp;Cristina Mittermeier: Marks of Memory, a solo exhibition of new works on view from&nbsp;July 22 - September 15&nbsp;at Hilton Contemporary's River North gallery. The exhibition features a new body of mixed-media collages alongside a selection of limited-edition photographs, expanding Mittermeier’s celebrated visual language through layered, tactile works that reflect on memory, place, and the fragile beauty of the natural world.These new collage works extend Mittermeier’s longstanding exploration of our connection to nature while introducing a new physicality to her practice. Built through layers of image, texture, and mark-making, the works reflect both personal remembrance and collective environmental memory—traces of landscapes, coastlines, wildlife, and lived experience that remain with us long after a moment has passed. The result is a body of work that feels both expansive and deeply personal, balancing wonder with urgency. Coinciding with the exhibition, Mittermeier will also appear in Chicago as an honorary guest speaker at Aspen Institute's&nbsp;Aspen Ideas: Climate Chicago&nbsp;at&nbsp;Shedd Aquarium on&nbsp;July 21st&nbsp;— a fitting extension of the environmental and conservation themes that have defined her career. Serving as the focal point for the summit's "Evenings at Ideas", the event brings together global leaders, policymakers, and climate innovators. <ul><li>Evening at the Shedd (July 21): From 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM attendees can enjoy climate-focused dialogue surrounded by marine life. The festival's signature "Spark Talks" transforms into "Shark Talks," exploring nature-inspired climate solutions from sea otters, coral reefs, and electric eels.</li></ul> <ul><li>Speakers: In addition to Cristina Mittermeier, the speaker roster includes figures like Al Roker, actor Rainn Wilson, Chef Rick Bayless, and Shedd’s Vice President of Environmental Operations, Allen LaPointe</li></ul> Mittermeier is widely known as one of the leading voices in contemporary conservation photography. A photographer, marine biologist, and co-founder of the conservation organization&nbsp;<a href="https://vl6pibjab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Mn0h9qKSeNKjj9qj_8-HRZR8K7J5AxQr5yvA7QmdMKUIpIfLJi9XzJoFOQMoEOBzmBGerXHbxZkwFboJbNHM_shT9MLxWwjyKyCqXCWeyNOC7DOeyuWZT185eQWprAEGerJjyqiqAVQB2F6fLRprw4wnmQ_sjjzoVYvulustOWLQl0vcXR4PPGiZs8206qyP&amp;c=yN_KKghckIyp5r5sh56YsUgVn8wywT0gOJ6wtVAErUEzgJqn-GEuyg==&amp;ch=wtknYliUM8ea4LR5mTae8Vu9rGMlJJYRdV-bL2HVP-6vtieFAfDiwQ==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" target="_blank">SeaLegacy</a>, her work has helped shape global conversations around climate change, biodiversity, and ocean protection.&nbsp; ﻿Yet even as her images bear witness to the environmental crisis, they are rooted in reverence—an effort to inspire care, responsibility, and a deeper sense of belonging within the natural world.﻿In&nbsp;Marks of Memory, that sense of reverence takes on new form. The exhibition invites viewers to consider how images function not only as records, but as vessels: carrying emotion, experience, and evidence of what has been loved, witnessed, and at risk of being lost. Together, the collages and photographs offer a meditation on remembrance, stewardship, and the enduring marks left by both nature and human presence. Marks of Memory&nbsp;will be on view at Hilton Contemporary through September 15, 2026 312.852.8200 •&nbsp;<a href="mailto:arica@hiltoncontemporary.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" target="_blank">arica@hiltoncontemporary.com</a>&nbsp;•&nbsp;<a href="https://vl6pibjab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Mn0h9qKSeNKjj9qj_8-HRZR8K7J5AxQr5yvA7QmdMKUIpIfLJi9XzLIV9ZLYw1n7JlEAeV3DQhp04tBKDv7fqg9igZEhiMW1Qq3rURa4FhV4gb8t0SX7HlqK6qbDZu1ZrCENzC8EJO4dNUTg_9EKch0u1NkerN0_Ei8yuTh8ULw=&amp;c=yN_KKghckIyp5r5sh56YsUgVn8wywT0gOJ6wtVAErUEzgJqn-GEuyg==&amp;ch=wtknYliUM8ea4LR5mTae8Vu9rGMlJJYRdV-bL2HVP-6vtieFAfDiwQ==" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" target="_blank">http://www.hiltoncontemporary.com</a>&nbsp; Image: Muñeca con Flores

Cristina Mittermeier: Marks of Memory

International Currents Gallery Taqi Spateen is a contemporary Palestinian painter and muralist, who held a 3 month Residency at the John David Mooney Foundation through our Artists at Risk Program. Born in Husan, Bethlehem, his work is inspired by the sacred beauty of the Palestinian countryside, as well as the displacement caused by the settler expansion. From That Land will be on display and open to the public from August 27 through September 17. Parking Available across the street at Sterling Park. Garage. Image: Committed Nature, Acrylic on Canvas, 2025

Taqi Spateen: From That Land

Artists'&nbsp;Talk&nbsp;at Gallery:&nbsp;Thursday, September 17, 7pmThe artists will give a&nbsp;talk about their work&nbsp;on Thursday, September 17 at 7pm. Please note: This will be an in-person event, held at Perspective Gallery.Perspective Gallery in Evanston is excited to host&nbsp;an exhibition featuring new work by gallery members&nbsp;<a href="https://perspectivegallery.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=04a588cae42ffc5c2d944d823&amp;id=9b849841b0&amp;e=d73170d386" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Maria Finitzo</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://perspectivegallery.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=04a588cae42ffc5c2d944d823&amp;id=976e5acd37&amp;e=d73170d386" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">William Bridges</a>.&nbsp;In her debut exhibition at Perspective, Finitzo&nbsp;presents the first public viewing of&nbsp;Ice &amp; Light,&nbsp;which revisits images made in 1993 on Ellesmere Island in the Canadian High&nbsp;Arctic. Unresolved at the time of their making, the&nbsp;original color transparencies were set&nbsp;aside for three decades before being rediscovered. Their return contrasts&nbsp;the material endurance of analog photography with the fragility of the subject matter. The ice shelves of northern Ellesmere Island, among the oldest in the Northern Hemisphere, have since undergone significant loss due to climate change, rendering these images a record of a disappearing landscape.In&nbsp;MY&nbsp;Photographic Memory?,&nbsp;Bridgesexplores an alternate, possible link between memory and photography. "Some people are said to have 'photographic memories', the ability to recall comprehensive, detailed pictures of everything they have seen," he writes. "I believe that everyone has a photographic memory but that the type of mental imagery differs from one person to the next. What I offer here are not crystallized pictures of the past, but photographs of how my recollections appear in my head."The exhibition opens Thursday, September 3 and runs through Sunday, September 27, 2026.&nbsp;An&nbsp;opening reception&nbsp;will be held on Saturday, September 12, from 5-7pm.

Artists' Talk: Maria Finitzo and William Bridges. 

Paintings by Thomas McCueOak Park Public Library (Main Branch)2nd Floor Gallery834 Lake St. Oak Park, IL 60302 Generative Interference is a solo exhibition of paintngs by Thomas McCue The artist will exhibit recent work representative of ongoing explorations into expressive and abstract image making. The work is a product of a highly intuitive, spontaneous, and "generative" process.Influenced by biological entities, processes, and environments, both real and imagined, with form and composition emerge over&nbsp;the course of layering intuitive mark making and color. The artist is legally blind, having experienced significant vision loss&nbsp;over twenty years ago. Thomas has had to contendl loss of central vision, relying ofn his peripheral vision to do both every-day life tasks and make art. "Interference" in part refers to the artist's condition, called Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON). In addition to loss of central vision, LHON presents with dynamic visual artifacts, simple visual hallucinations and "noise". The artist has had to adapt and work using memory, close-looking, technology, and intuition the work reflects both a process of real-time adaptation and a running internal narrative of nature's complexity, chaos, and beauty. The work is also defined by the effort to see through the interference with the use of contrast, saturated color, line, and repetition. Generative Interference will be at the Oak Park Public Library mMain branch from August 18 to September 18. Image: "The Idyll" 48" x 60" , Oil on Canvas, 2026, Thomas McCue

Generative Interference

Woman Made Gallery (WMG) proudly announces the launch of its inaugural <a href="https://womanmade.org/makers-shakers-bash-2026-fundraiser/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">Makers &amp; Shakers Bash</a>, a new annual celebration honoring the artists and activists who are reshaping culture and driving equity across the nation. The event will take place Friday, September 18, 2026, from 6 to 9 PM at the stunning indoor/outdoor venue at Morningstar’s Headquarters, 22W Washington St., 7th Floor, Chicago, IL.As the United States reflects on 250 years of history, WMG poses a vital question: Who is writing the next chapter? The Makers &amp; Shakers Bash recognizes those already forging the future. In this inaugural year, WMG honors:<a href="https://scheherazadetillet.com/bio" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">Scheherazade Tillet</a> — 2026 Maker, an artist whose visionary work shifts culture and expands the possibilities of creative expression.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lwvchicago.org/jane-ruby" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">Jane Ruby</a> — 2026 Shaker, an activist whose leadership as President of the League of Women Voters Chicago moves communities toward justice, equity, and shared freedom.The Bash is presented alongside WMG’s exhibition, Feminism 250: Woman Made America, marking both the nation’s semi-quincentennial and 34 years of WMG’s commitment to uplifting women and non?binary artists.2026 Event Highlights<ul><li>Tête-à-Tête Conversation featuring the inaugural honorees</li><li>Silent Auction of original artworks and one-of-a-kind experiences</li><li>&nbsp;Live Blues Performance by Patch of Blues, Chicago Music Award 2024&nbsp;</li><li>DJ Set by DJ Justeez, spinning sounds curated to the Makers &amp; Shakers vibe</li><li>Immersive Art Experiences, including hands-on creativity stations</li><li>Mystery Bags filled with art-inspired treasures</li><li>Cocktails + Bites and sweet + savory offerings on one of the Loop’s best patios</li><li>Virtual tour of the Feminism 250: Woman Made America exhibit</li><li>Showcase of the Resilience Community Quilt by Dorothy Straughter&nbsp;</li></ul>WMG Member Tickets: $95 for one | $160 for twoGeneral Admission: $125 for one | $200 for twoFor more details on how to get involved, purchase tickets, or sponsor the event, visit <a href="https://womanmade.org/makers-shakers-bash-2026-fundraiser/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">https://womanmade.org/makers-shakers-bash-2026-fundraiser/</a>Woman Made Gallery | 1332 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60607312-738-0400 | general@womanmade.org | <a href="http://email.mg2.lglcrm.net/c/eJxdjt0OgyAMhZ8GLoktiHDBhdPsNQxK_UlEF8ey1x9u2cWWNOk5bXr6BUdejRr54rBAKCQgaCklCBBa1qpp0LS1bVGBZaqIE4p1Wocjio0Sz7KLflmXbeqWwMoLK1t3NsxRBiRUWeUZX92c0u3OZM3wmuu5R79FH0jsx5Q9P1xPPlF-8bPiyflh2B9b6kCh0Xx2BUHojZLWj5Ulq1VpMRCYigbo9Vi9ob5H_1BnxgfpBV2PR2w" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" target="_blank">https://womanmade.org/</a>Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Sunday 12–5 PM CST

Inaugural Makers & Shakers Bash 

Brendan Fernandes: In the Round

Letica Pardo: Carcasa (109 E. Ontario St.)Through a material reconfiguration of the Mies van der Rohe stair and walls from The Arts Club building, the installation foregrounds aspects of architectural production often minimized or rendered invisible within dominant historical narratives. Originally produced for The Arts Club’s former location, the stair was salvaged from demolition and reinstalled in the institution’s current building, becoming an object in the collection.Translating the stair into exposed rebar—a material typically embedded within built infrastructure and intentionally concealed—brings construction to the surface. The seemingly unfinished structure draws attention to manual labor carried out by immigrant workers who have sustained the U.S. building industry. Silicone casts taken from travertine slabs surrounding the staircase function as reversed impressions of the stone, revealing internal veining and voids as surface textures. Together, the rebar structure and silicone casts establish a dialogue between structure and body, visibility and concealment, and value and labor.Reducing architecture to bone and skin, Carcasa (109 E. Ontario St.) approaches modernism as a system whose authority and visibility were produced through selective recognition. In doing so, it positions architecture as a cultural record of collective making shaped by social relations.This project was curated by Executive Director and Chief Curator Janine Mileaf.This site-specific installation involved production assistance by Dishan Rahman, and metal fabrication by Alejandro Castellanos, Ernesto Garcia, Jair Martínez, José Martinez, Ricardo Martínez, Danilo Medina, Ernesto Medina, Gonzalo Medina, Nelson Ramírez, Francisco Rivadeneyra, Heriberto Valdez, Daniel Valencia, Randi Vigueras, D5 Design and Metal Fabrication.Special thanks goes to Gallery Manager Colby Starck and preparators Reggie Williamson, Xavier Hughes, and Adele Henning. Carcasa (109 E. Ontario St.) (detail), Leticia Pardo. Photo by Fran Peñaflor.

Letica Pardo: Carcasa

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence defined “unalienable rights” as “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And five years after the end of the Revolutionary War, the founding generation ratified a new Constitution to, among other things, “secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.” What it meant to dedicate a country to liberty was immediately contested and continues to be contested to this day. For whom were these “Blessings of Liberty” to be secured? Under what circumstances could individuals expect the inalienable right of liberty to be recognized? What justifies limitations on liberty, and what does a dedication to liberty demand of us?Though Americans grappled with these issues in all times and places, nothing crystallized the tensions around liberty quite like war. President Abraham Lincoln, in his address at the newly dedicated Gettysburg National Cemetery in the midst of the Civil War, centered his reflection on this very question: “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” At the site of so much death and destruction, he wondered whether a nation, “so conceived and so dedicated can long endure.”Conceived in Liberty: Cartoons, Caricatures, and Illustrations in the Wartime US, 1812-1918&nbsp;will draw on the Newberry’s collection to show how artists living through wartime “conceived” cartoons, caricatures, and illustrations that grappled with questions about liberty. These images appeared throughout broader print culture (newspapers, magazines, sheet music, broadsides, posters) as well as in more private contexts, such as diaries, letters, or sketchbooks. Whether patriotic or dissenting, available to the masses or only to a few, wartime imagery reveals in dramatic, visually compelling ways how the people of the US have used the occasion of war to question, revise, challenge, and champion this core value of the country since its founding 250 years ago.<a href="https://www.newberry.org/calendar/conceived-in-liberty" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">DETAILS</a>

Conceived in Liberty: Cartoons, Caricatures, and Illustrations in the Wartime US, 1812-1918

On Saturday, September 19, Corbett vs. Dempsey presents a conversation between John Corbett and Hamza Walker on the topic of Jon Waine. As a special treat, original band members Franc Palaia (drums) and Ellen La Forge (bass) will perform selections from the Jon Waine repertoire.

John Corbett & Hamza Walker in Conversation

STONE AGE: Lithography Show opening on September 19, from 5 - 8pm at WING Studio, 4883 N. Lincoln (60625).

STONE AGE: Lithography Show opening

Willem de Kooning Drawing&nbsp;is the first exhibition to explore the full scope of Willem de Kooning’s drawing practice and how it was foundational to his boundary-breaking artistic career. Featuring more than 200 artworks including rarely-seen drawings—alongside paintings, sculptures, and prints—this exhibition offers an unprecedented opportunity to experience the totality of his graphic production over seven decades and sheds light on his experimentation with materials, tools, and techniques.

Willem de Kooning Drawing

The 78th Greenwich Village Art Fair is a two-day outdoor event held at Rockford Art Museum featuring juried artists, live music by local musicians, children’s art activities, a local vendor marketplace, food trucks, cocktails, and more.Established in 1948, GVAF is the longest-running art fair of its kind in the Midwest. All artwork on display at Greenwich Village Art Fair is original and produced entirely by the hands of the exhibiting artist.Admission proceeds support Rockford Art Museum, located at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois.<a href="https://us.list-manage.com/j5SLl2sLHHP?e=7aced3c85f&amp;c2id=022ea89fe4e8ce5503f91bd1a7cb9b2e" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Click here</a>&nbsp;for more information.&nbsp;

Greenwich Village Art Fair

Have you ever kneaded wet dough? It feels amazing. Smack smack thwap stretch flop. Throw it in the air and see what happens. It can be any shape you want.&nbsp;Fruit flies like dough too. Buzzzzz buzz buzz.My face is stiff and my arms are somewhat immobilized by a complex arrangement of bandages, but a sweet young thing named Annie sits&nbsp;patiently&nbsp;next to me, holding a plastic cup with a straw up to my parched lips. Pink sparkling rosé, my favorite. It’s about the little things. Miami Beach. Printed minidress. Chunky necklace on tan skin.... Cars slow down to get a better look at me....

Jesse Bond: Own Who You Are

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is thrilled to announce&nbsp;Dancing the Revolution. This exhibition is the first of its kind to explore and expand the visual, political and spiritual histories of dancehall and reggaetón through contemporary art—two dynamic genres that have transcended their grassroots origins to shape global culture. From Kingston to San Juan through London, Toronto, New York City and Panama,&nbsp;Dancing the Revolutionpositions music and dance as a revolutionary practice for collective liberation rooted in the struggle against colonial oppression. Dancehall and reggaetón are not only musical genres but cultural practices and powerful expressions of resistance and joy—reminders of the Caribbean's centuries-old traditions of dance and music as means of liberation and protest rooted in Black Atlantic history and culture.&nbsp;Dancing the Revolution&nbsp;showcases pivotal moments and themes from these histories, starting with the sound system—a mobile disco that embodies both a community experience and a vital civic institution.&nbsp; Presenting work across varied mediums,&nbsp;Dancing the Revolution&nbsp;includes painting, sound sculptures, installations, photographs, and video, showcasing how artists have been and continue to be inspired by these histories and the visual forms that emerge from them. The exhibition features more than 35 artists, including Isaac Julien, Jean Michel Basquiat, Edra Soto, Alberta Whittle, Carolina Caycedo, supakid and Lee "Scratch" Perry. A special commissioned mixtape project invites visitors to learn about the evolution of these popular genres in Panama and hear iconic songs that have paved the way for the global phenomenon of reggaetón. Audiences also will be able to purchase the exhibition’s bilingual catalogue (Spanish/English), which features scholarship on topics such as sound system and sonic aesthetics in painting, dancing and protest during Puerto Rico's&nbsp;Verano del 19, or Summer of 2019, and Panama’s reggae en español, as well as extensive illustrations reproducing exhibition artworks. Dancing the Revolution&nbsp;considers music and dance as powerful tools for sexual and political liberation. The exhibition’s title is inspired by the shifting RPMs (revolutions per minute) that mark the tempo and history of Caribbean popular music, including historic events like Verano del 19 (which famously included protests attended by singers iLe, Residente, Ricky Martin, and Bad Bunny). At this critical moment of collective action, LGBTQ+ and feminist activists led&nbsp;perreo combativo, or “combative twerking,” on the steps of San Juan Cathedral prior to Governor Ricardo Roselló’s resignation, transforming reggaetón’s characteristic dance into a form of political protest. This reclamation of public space through dance—an act deeply rooted in dancehall history and culture—demonstrates how music and dance can serve as bold acts of collective resistance and emancipation. Dancing the Revolution&nbsp;is curated by Carla Acevedo-Yates, former Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator and Director of Curatorial Initiatives, with Iris Colburn, Curatorial Associate, Nolan Jimbo, Assistant Curator, Cecilia González Godino, former Marjorie Susman Curatorial Fellow, and nibia pastrana santiago, Curatorial Consultant.

Dancing the Revolution

The Evanston Art Center (EAC) is excited to welcome the public to our upcoming exhibition,&nbsp;Glass Castles | Curated by Azul Alberto Nogueron. The exhibition will be on display from August 8 - September 20, 2026 with an opening reception on Sunday, August 9, 1-3pm that will be free and open to the public.Glass Castles&nbsp;is a whimsical, surrealist exhibition of works about spirituality and religious trauma curated through the queer perspective.&nbsp;Glass Castles&nbsp;is the second of three exhibitions curated by Azul Alberto Nogueron as part of their time as the EAC's COMPASS Resident.The COMPASS Curator Residency provides an emerging curator with an opportunity to curate three shows in the Evanston Art Center’s Lobby Gallery space. The EAC’s Lobby Gallery is a space dedicated to exhibiting emerging and underrepresented artists/curators and responds to current social events. This dynamic and inclusive space draws in new curators, artists, and audiences. Glass Castles | Curated by Azul Alberto Nogueron&nbsp;will be exhibited in the Lobby Gallery on the FirstFloor of the Art Center. The opening reception is free and open to the public. This exhibition is partially funded by the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the EAC’s general membership.Evanston Art Center, a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization, is dedicated to fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences. The Art Center offers extensive and innovative instruction in broad areas of artistic endeavor through classes, exhibitions, interactive arts activities, and community outreach initiatives.

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