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

On May 4th, five people with varying degrees of connection to one another accepted an invitation to go to the Civic Opera House for a performance. They—Max Guy, Thomas Lin, Lily (pseudonym), Jenna Lyle, and Wilson Yerxa—had all seen advertisements for it (everywhere) but never an actual performance. In this panel presentation moderated by Arts Club artist fellow Qiuchen Wu, an ensemble of artists, scholars, and thinkers reflect on the experience.This event is co-presented with&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsclubchicago.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=502da7c1672081e981f967563&amp;id=8e1db88213&amp;e=e3c33543d7" target="_blank">SHANGHAI SEMINARY</a>.Free and open to all.<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsclubchicago.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=502da7c1672081e981f967563&amp;id=5146c01f9b&amp;e=e3c33543d7" target="_blank">In-Person</a><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://artsclubchicago.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=502da7c1672081e981f967563&amp;id=ddda8d9205&amp;e=e3c33543d7" target="_blank">Virtual</a>

sH3n YvN 2025: A Panel

Bert Green Fine Art&nbsp;is pleased to present our first solo show by Indiana-based contemporary artist&nbsp;Tom Torluemke.Tom Torluemke&nbsp;is known for his ambitious and evocative socio-political paintings. Drawing is the rarely seen starting point and driving force in his practice. It serves as a meditative and relaxing exercise, a testing ground for ideas, and a springboard for the direction the artist takes when pursuing a project. This exhibit features a selection of drawings by the artist stemming from three areas of the artist's work: plein air landscape drawings of the area near the artist's home, fanciful and personal autobiographical graphite drawings, and studies for the artist's large, imaginative, ambitious socio-political paintings.Born in Chicago, Illinois, his practice spans 40+ years and includes works in painting, drawing, sculpture, and installations in various mediums. Torluemke is known for his powerful, no-holds-barred approach to subject matter relating to socio-political, ethical, and humanistic themes. With over 150 solo and group exhibitions and 30 public art commissions throughout the Midwest, his work testifies to the relevance and scope of his ideas and his ability to present them in a meaningful context within their communities. In 2025, Torluemke's work on paper was the subject of a career retrospective,&nbsp;Tom Torluemke: Live! On Paper, 1987 – 2024&nbsp;curated by&nbsp;Dan Cameron&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Chicago Cultural Center&nbsp;with a monograph published by&nbsp;SKIRA Editore, Milan. The show was reviewed in&nbsp;Art Forum&nbsp;magazine in October 2025.&nbsp; All gallery events are free and open to the public. Additional information found at the gallery website at&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bgfa.us./" target="_blank">https://bgfa.us.</a>&nbsp;Please forward to any interested parties.

Tom Torluemke: Sorted Sheets

Timed with the release of the sequel to last year’s blockbuster film,&nbsp;Wicked,&nbsp;The&nbsp;Land of Oz: Beyond the Page&nbsp;takes visitors back to the original 1939 inspiration. The installation will be on view in two galleries on the Museum’s third floor. Curated by Laura Woolley, a memorabilia expert and consultant known for her appearances on&nbsp;Antiques Roadshow&nbsp;and her work at The Collector’s Lab,&nbsp;Land of Oz: Beyond the Page&nbsp;explores the imaginative artistry required to turn the classic children’s story into a beloved movie. Divided into three sections—Writing, Costume, and Production Design—the installation reveals how designers brought L. Frank Baum’s world to life.Highlights include a replica of Dorothy’s Ruby Red Slippers, an early draft of the script, a prototype of the iconic Flying Monkey costume, a character costume from Emerald City, and a replica of the Cowardly Lion’s Medal of Courage. Visitors will also see an original edition of the&nbsp;Wizard of Oz&nbsp;book, a historic telegram announcing the change from silver to ruby slippers, and a rare illustration of the Emerald City. Families, film lovers, and design enthusiasts alike will find something to spark their imaginations.Land of Oz: Page to Screen&nbsp;deepens the natural partnership between the Driehaus Museum and the Richard H. Driehaus Art Exhibition Lending Foundation. This&nbsp;support&nbsp;cements&nbsp;the&nbsp;Museum’s&nbsp;role&nbsp;as&nbsp;a&nbsp;cultural&nbsp;steward&nbsp;of&nbsp;the&nbsp;Richard&nbsp;H.&nbsp;Driehaus&nbsp;Collectionand&nbsp;extends&nbsp;its&nbsp;ability&nbsp;to&nbsp;tell&nbsp;new&nbsp;stories&nbsp;through&nbsp;exceptional&nbsp;design.&nbsp;According to&nbsp;Cynthia Van Osdol, the President and CEO of the Driehaus Trust Company, “From a young age, the Land of Oz presented a fantasy world for our founder, Richard Driehaus. He found great escape in the purpose and teamwork of its characters, and the Yellow Brick Road held a particularly vivid allure for him. As he expanded his art collection, he acquired texts, costumes, and production design originals from the 1939 film. These included, of course, our pair of Ruby Red Slippers, and a series of brilliant watercolors by Jack Smith Martin which were instrumental in the creation of the film. Equally influential is a spectacular pastel of the Emerald City, with its pair of concentric deco-styled white halos and the white light that radiates from its core. As a champion of late 19th and early 20th century architecture, it's easy to imagine why this piqued Richard's imagination. By sharing these treasures--some for the first time--we hope the public will be equally inspired. "

The Land of Oz: Beyond the Page

@ MoCP&nbsp;Print Study Room, 2nd Floor600 S. Michigan Ave.Chicago, IL 60605 This program is in partnership with the&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://mocp.us5.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9e4250b7536dc23e9352b28ee&amp;id=93726e441d&amp;e=62775191de" target="_blank">Chicago Architectural Biennial.</a>

Public Print Viewing: Building Pictures

Staple + Stitch is an art book and print fair.A celebration and engagement with art, text, print, and paper hosted at 21c Museum Hotel Chicago. Exhibitors include arts publishers, small and independent presses, book artists, zine makers, and printmakers across the 2nd-floor spaces of the 21c Chicago. Tandem programming includes book signings, workshops, and demonstrations open to all ages. The three-day fair is free and open to the public with an emphasis on publications, artist books, zines, and other print-related materials.Fair Hours - all events free and open to the public.November 14: Preview Night, 6 - 9 pmNovember 15: Public Hours, 11 am - 6 pmNovember 16: Public Hours, 11 am - 6 pm<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.stapleandstitchfair.com/" target="_blank">Details</a>

Staple + Stitch Art Book and Print Fair

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is excited to announce the Chicago presentation of Firelei Báez, the first North American survey exhibition of the artist, running from November 15, 2025, to May 31, 2026. This landmark exhibition spans two decades of Báez’s spirited practice, showcasing her vibrant and captivating paintings and installations. Through a bold visual language that blends folklore, fantasy, mythology, and science fiction, Báez constructs layered worlds that challenge dominant historical narratives and unsettle the often-fixed categories of race, gender, and nationality. The exhibition emphasizes resilience and creative agency, especially among marginalized communities who have always found ways to create refuge and power in defiance of systems of repression. Known for her richly pigmented, multidisciplinary approach, Báez combines saturated colors, intricate patterns, and expressive figuration with abstract gestures, architectural plans, colonial-era maps, and culturally resonant symbols. Her work draws deeply from Afro-Caribbean traditions and acts as a cultural and historical crossroads for the enduring legacies of colonialism across the Americas, the African Diaspora, and the cultural nexus of the Caribbean. This major exhibition reaffirms Báez’s place as one of the most compelling and visionary artists of her generation. In addition to her dynamic paintings, the exhibition will feature one of her more immersive pieces, A Drexcyen chronocommons (To win the war you fought it sideways) (2019), which will occupy an entire gallery at the MCA. This large-scale work consists of paintings, mesh, papier-mâché, cutout tarp, and plants that transport visitors into one of Báez’s created worlds. Chicago is also highlighted in the exhibition: The trace, whether we are attending to it or not (a space for each other’s breathing) (2019) features a ciguapa (a feminine, trickster creature from Dominican folklore) bending over an architectural plan of the Illinois Central Railroad, uniting both sides of the tracks, which run between New Orleans and Chicago, to restore the divisions left by colonial trade. Firelei Báez is organized by the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston and curated by Eva Respini, Deputy Director and Director of Curatorial Programs, Vancouver Art Gallery (former Barbara Lee Chief Curator, ICA/Boston), with Tessa Bachi Haas, Assistant Curator, ICA/Boston. The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago presentation is organized by Carla Acevedo-Yates, former Marilyn and Larry Fields Curator and Director of Curatorial Initiatives, with Cecilia González Godino, former Marjorie Susman Curatorial Fellow, and Iris Colburn, Curatorial Associate.

Firelei Báez

In conjunction with artist Temitayo Ogunbiyi’s exhibition, indigenous scholar and practitioner Stephanie Morningstar speaks on themes related to her work and to Ogunbiyi’s. A storyteller connecting people, plants, and the land, Stephanie bridges Indigenous and Western paradigms, helping communities reclaim relationships with the natural world and each other.Free and Open to the Public.&nbsp;Photo:&nbsp;You will feel out of many one people, 2019. Varnished Japanese ink and acrylic on found fabric. 54 x 36 in (137.1 x 91.4 cm).

Stephanie Morningstar on Indigenous Plant Knowledge

Tickets $25 / $13 children&nbsp;<a style="color: rgb(70, 120, 134);" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://46316.blackbaudhosting.com/46316/tickets?tab=3&amp;txobjid=a2ec3c95-9c05-4558-b033-4615a78731fa" target="_blank">HERE</a>Drie-cember is here with Santa’s annual visit to the Driehaus Museum! Join him in the museum’s Front Parlor to share your Christmas wish list and snap selfies with jolly old St. Nick. In addition to photos with Santa, families can enjoy festive activities for kids and explore the Drie-cember Market featuring seasonal treats and holiday gifts. This magical, family-friendly event will fill up fast—advance registration is encouraged.

First Santa Saturday

Drie-cember MarketSaturday, December 6, 11:00am-5:00pmFreeShop local this holiday season at the Driehaus Museum’s annual Drie-cember Market, featuring dozens of vendors from the Chicagoland area. Visitors can find unique gifts, vintage jewelry, handmade crafts, and local art in addition to a selection of special holiday-themed products from the Driehaus Museum Store. Step into the holiday spirit with the museum’s sparkling decorations and seasonal activities for all ages.&nbsp;

Drie-cember Market

Tickets $40&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://46316.blackbaudhosting.com/46316/tickets?tab=3&amp;txobjid=50eef7e9-22b7-42b3-8e01-5dbecf09213c" target="_blank">HERE</a>As the December skies darken, join&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.ghostlightensemble.com/" target="_blank">Ghostlight Ensemble</a>&nbsp;by the Museum’s majestic fireplace as they revive the Victorian tradition of telling ghost stories at Yuletide with a multi-story (and multi-storied) immersive twist.

Thursday's Holiday Spirits: A Collection of Victorian Yuletide Ghost Stories

Friday's Holiday Spirits: A Collection of Victorian Yuletide Ghost Stories

Tickets $25 / $13 children&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://46316.blackbaudhosting.com/46316/tickets?tab=3&amp;txobjid=a2ec3c95-9c05-4558-b033-4615a78731fa" target="_blank">HERE</a>Drie-cember is here with Santa’s annual visit to the Driehaus Museum! Join him in the museum’s Front Parlor to share your Christmas wish list and snap selfies with jolly old St. Nick. In addition to photos with Santa, families can enjoy festive activities for kids and explore the Drie-cember Market featuring seasonal treats and holiday gifts. This magical, family-friendly event will fill up fast—advance registration is encouraged.

Second Santa Saturday

Tom Torluemke&nbsp;is known for his ambitious and evocative socio-political paintings. Drawing is the rarely seen starting point and driving force in his practice. It serves as a meditative and relaxing exercise, a testing ground for ideas, and a springboard for the direction the artist takes when pursuing a project. This exhibit features a selection of drawings by the artist stemming from three areas of the artist's work: plein air landscape drawings of the area near the artist's home, fanciful and personal autobiographical graphite drawings, and studies for the artist's large, imaginative, ambitious socio-political paintings.Born in Chicago, Illinois, his practice spans 40+ years and includes works in painting, drawing, sculpture, and installations in various mediums. Torluemke is known for his powerful, no-holds-barred approach to subject matter relating to socio-political, ethical, and humanistic themes. With over 150 solo and group exhibitions and 30 public art commissions throughout the Midwest, his work testifies to the relevance and scope of his ideas and his ability to present them in a meaningful context within their communities. In 2025, Torluemke's work on paper was the subject of a career retrospective,&nbsp;Tom Torluemke: Live! On Paper, 1987 – 2024&nbsp;curated by&nbsp;Dan Cameron&nbsp;at the&nbsp;Chicago Cultural Center&nbsp;with a monograph published by&nbsp;SKIRA Editore, Milan. The show was reviewed in&nbsp;Art Forum&nbsp;magazine in October 2025.&nbsp;All gallery events are free and open to the public. Additional information found at the gallery website at&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bgfa.us./" target="_blank">https://bgfa.us.</a>&nbsp;Please forward to any interested parties. Closing Reception: Saturday January 17 2026, 2-5 pm

Artist Talk: Tom Torluemke

Free; registration recommended&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://46316.blackbaudhosting.com/46316/Third-Wednesday-Night-17Dec2025" target="_blank">HERE</a>Visitors are invited to bring a book of choice and get ‘hygge’ with the Driehaus Museum in this silent book club inspired by Scandinavia's cozy yule traditions. Cookies and warm beverages will be served. After an hour of cozy quiet, stick around to chat and meet fellow readers.

Third Wednesday | Hygge Silent Book Club

<h4>EXPO CHICAGO</h4><h3>Contemporary Art Fair</h3><h3>April 9–12, 2026</h3>

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