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 Renaissance Society is thrilled to announce that artist&nbsp;Maurizio Cattelan&nbsp;will conceive and orchestrate&nbsp;RenBen 2026, taking place on&nbsp;Wednesday, April 8, 2026, during Chicago's EXPO Art Week.&nbsp;Known for his provocative and darkly humorous approach to contemporary art, Cattelan has spent four decades creating works that spark conversation, to say the least. From his infamous solid gold toilet&nbsp;America&nbsp;to his hyperrealistic sculptures, Cattelan's work consistently captivates audiences while questioning authority, religion, celebrity, and the art world itself.&nbsp;RenBen is the Renaissance Society’s annual artist-centered gala and the institution’s most important fundraising event, vital to sustaining its experimental exhibitions and programs throughout the year. Each edition invites a single artist to design every aspect of the evening, from the space and performances to the food and choreography. Past editions have been conceived by Meriem Bennani (2025), Kevin Beasley (2024), Adam Linder (2023), and Piero Golia (2022), each expanding what an artist-driven benefit can be.&nbsp;For RenBen 2026, Cattelan will draw on his established signature forms of playful inversion, surprise, and surrealist elegance. Guests can expect his subversive wit and theatrical sensibility. “BEING AN ARTIST IS NOT A JOB, IT'S A MALFUNCTION,” he shared.&nbsp;Maurizio Cattelan's work has been featured in major museums and exhibitions worldwide, including solo shows at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, and the Beyeler Foundation in Basel. His collaborations through&nbsp;Toiletpaper&nbsp;magazine and with brands including Kenzo, Berluti, Longchamp, and Seletti—demonstrate his ability to merge high art with popular culture, making him an ideal artist to reimagine RenBen.&nbsp;All proceeds from RenBen 2026 support the Renaissance Society's program of exhibitions,&nbsp;Intermissions, concerts, public programs, and publications—all free and open to the public.&nbsp;RenBen 2026 takes place during Chicago's EXPO Art Week, in alignment with EXPO CHICAGO contemporary art fair, attracting cultural figures from around the globe.&nbsp;Additional details will be announced in early 2026.&nbsp;Corporate sponsorships and in-kind gift opportunities are available.&nbsp;Please contact Polina Kasian at&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="mailto:pkasian@renaissancesociety.org" target="_blank">pkasian@renaissancesociety.org</a>&nbsp;for more information.&nbsp;Underwriter and Benefactor sponsorships and individual tickets are now available&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/TqGCpLmdPWCEh8kci33nKQ" target="_blank">here</a>.&nbsp; Photo:&nbsp;Maurizio Cattelan by Alberto Zanetti.

RenBen 2026

Mark your calendars for this annual&nbsp;celebration of community and creativity. This&nbsp;year, The Art Center will highlight the incredible work of celebrity photographer&nbsp;Sandro Miller, featuring his series on members of Chicago’s historic Steppenwolf Theatre, and members of the Chicago Imagists group,&nbsp;Hairy Who.

TAC's Spring Benefit

The Evanston Art Center (EAC), a non-profit arts organization, proudly presents its&nbsp;<a href="https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/sf-0018000000kI1AnAAK/events/vevt:df36c06f-0832-407a-9888-dcabf6d63cdd/home/story" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">37th Annual The Art Party</a>,&nbsp;taking place on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 6:00 pm at 1717 Central Street.This yearly tradition includes silent and live auctions that raise money to support EAC’s mission: fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences. Last year, over 230 attendees from the Chicago and North Shore areas helped to raise $100,000 for outreach, scholarship, and exhibition programs.For almost 100 years, EAC has provided public outreach programs, exhibitions, and resources for art education. The Spring Benefit is an integral part of the Evanston Art Center’s success.To purchase tickets, go to our&nbsp;One Cause&nbsp;page. Individual tickets cost $275. The price for all tickets includes a wonderful dinner by J &amp; L Catering and the opportunity to bid on a selection of items in our silent and live auctions. Items include a vibrant range of artwork, hotel stays, restaurant certificates, weekend getaways, jewelry and accessories, and more.This event will be a lovely evening out and an opportunity to support EAC’s important mission. Even if you can’t attend, you can still participate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://my.onecause.com/event/organizations/sf-0018000000kI1AnAAK/events/vevt:df36c06f-0832-407a-9888-dcabf6d63cdd/home/story" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">online auction</a>.The Evanston Art Center is dedicated to fostering the appreciation and expression of the arts among diverse audiences by offering extensive and innovative instruction in broad areas of artistic endeavor through classes, exhibitions, interactive arts activities, and community outreach.

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