Wow, a lot I didn't know about printing! Attended a free holiday public gathering with reasonable…read moresales of many artists, using various methods to achieve unusual results! Selection was all over the place, but traveling makes it difficult to get in suitcase. Very interesting!

So amazing!!! The people, the art, the mission all add up to a wonderful place to explore and…read moresupport...

Thirsty Ears Festival held by ACM is Chicago's only classical music street festival. For two days,…read moretwo blocks of Wilson Street between Hermitage and Ravenswood were closed to traffic, with the main stage featuring stellar ensembles and soloists performing classical music. This year's festival took place on Saturday, August 22, from 2:00-11:00 pm, and Sunday, August 23, from 1:00-9:00 pm, with a different ensemble or soloist featured each hour. This was our first time visiting the street fair, and we were fortunate to have gorgeous weather for an outdoor event. It was perhaps a little too sunny for me -- even with my bucket hat and sunglasses, the sun was still a little too strong on my back when I sat in the front row for half an hour. I joined my husband and daughter after an open studio at Lillstreet Art Center. From there, it was only a six-minute walk to the festival. When I arrived around 4:30 pm, they had already been comfortably sipping beer and enjoying classical music for hours. From 4:00 to 5:00 pm, Lakeshore Rush was performing, and they played beautifully. I especially enjoyed the last few pieces, which were upbeat and lively. The festival offered much more than beer and wine. There were numerous vendor booths, kid-friendly activities, and food trucks on both days. It was wonderful to see people of all ages having a good time while enjoying live classical music in such a relaxed outdoor setting. The suggested $10 entry donation felt very reasonable, especially since the festival was supporting a good cause. We had a lovely time, and I'm glad we finally discovered this unique Chicago event. I would definitely consider coming back next year.

Thirsty Ears Festival has been on my list to visit for a while because it's just a few blocks away…read more This year I finally made it, toddler in tow. A friend and her kiddo came along too. The festival is the brain child of Access Contemporary Music (ACM), the music school on the block, and it's the only classical music party in the city. It's a very small festival, spanning just the block on Wilson between Ravenswood and Hermitage. There's a packed schedule for the two days of the festival, with various musical ensembles and composers performing throughout the day. Of course the music was the main attraction, but there were a couple booths selling some food as well. Alcoholic beverages were available and pizza, and I think possibly another snack but I can't recall. Of course there's also a couple restaurants nearby as well, and the two that are right on this block have a bit of outdoor seating. Most of the booths were local artists selling their work; I saw a booth that made crochet wall hangings, a pottery booth, a local author selling his novels, and more. I was really glad that we happened to be here there when a small choral ensemble was performing. The other musician we hard was a pianist performing when we arrived. The main stage was on the eastern edge of the festival along the Hermitage end, and there were folding chairs set up for people to enjoy the concert. A kid's area and stage was on the Ravenswood end. They had some kids activities like face painting and balloon animals in addition to the musician playing children's music. It was great that they had a children's space since otherwise they might get bored quickly. On the weekend, the parking along Ravenswood is super easy. There's also the Metra, of course, with the Ravenswood stop a block away.

On the Third Friday of each month, Zhou Art center hosts a free exhibition and open studio event…read morewhere locals can explore the main galleries and the resident artist's studios. This is a great opportunity for Chicagoans from all over and tourists to come and support the artists. This was my first time visiting Zhou Art Center and it was ok. The staff was just walking around and not engaging with frowns on their faces. Some of the art work displayed throughout the center was pretty nice. It was nice to come out and see some creative pieces. This is a very beautiful art center. You can book an event space, host a party and wedding. A hidden gem right down the street from Bridgeport Art Center. You can have the best of both worlds and visit both art centers.

Visited over the weekend for Pigmented FINE Black Art Faire and the space was great. This space…read moreallowed the artist to spread out and viewers were able to admire the art up close and personal. There was so much space here it was a full house but we didn't feel like we were in a crowd. Lovely space can't wait to return.

Free (f)art gallery housed in the first-and-a-half floor of the University of Illinois at Chicago's…read moreArt and Design Hall. For a school that attempts so hard to be cutting edge and up to date, they sure hate the idea of accessibility and simplicity. First, to park, you have to battle condo and greektown street parking (not to mention student parking) or fall into the trap known as UIC lot parking. Word to the wise, take the train or bus (bike/walk) to get here, if you seriously need to take a car come early and hunt down a street spot because you'll be trapped in lots or be towed if you don't. Second, it is pretty hard to find. Its in the nondescript building marked by a bland painted steel sign, walk through the door with the glass facade and follow the hall to the left and up some stairs. If you do not do stairs, you have to take the elevator the ever-annoying 1/2 flight of stairs, delineated in the elevator as "1F" rather than "1." Perhaps the F is for "fuck, what moron built an art gallery 1.5 floors up?" Third, the reason its free is due to the fact that they happen to think the graduate work that is rotated in is.. get this, worth viewing. The redeeming quality about this place is its free. You can't vote someplace that is free with one star unless you get suckerpunched, in my opinion. I haven't been hit visiting the gallery yet. Currently there are some fantastic graduate works (MFA show) for the next few weeks, but it can be hit or miss. C. Britt and M. Jinks are showing work until April, when E. Fleischauer and D. Carter (amongst others) are showing work, shouldn't be missed. Hey, at least its not SAIC..

Solid gallery with amazing history. If you're looking for a place that has been around for a long…read moretime, worked with a slew of Chicago artists, with the funkiest/weirdest floors you'll ever see, this is the place. UIC connected, in the arts building, fitting...and great staff!

Forget anything else about the architecture or this structure and just focus on the historical…read moresignificance and that alone makes it worth a look. It's old enough to predate the Great Fire, making it one of the few structures to survive. The Chicago Water Tower is still here, kind of looking out of place among the skyscrapers and whatever. Along with the tower is the pump house. Sometimes there will be art galleries and you can get inside. As for the actual structure, it's also a piece of art. It certainly was built sturdy to make it this long. The tower is in the middle of the intersection of Chicago and Michigan, close to many other tourist attractions and the overpriced shopping. A small park also surrounds it. The pump house is across the street, which can't be forgotten about if looking at this historic structure so go take a look at it too. Also there's a popular mall next to here. They have souvenirs and that kind of stuff you can buy there. Going to just check out the outside of it is enough of a reason to look around here. It's also open at certain times for art galleries, or it used to be that is. This is close enough for certain people to walk to from Navy Pier, and just up the street from the shopping and whatever.

The water tower looks like a castle near all of the upscale shops on the magnificent mile. Happily…read moreI was able to go inside and see all of the pumps, it was fascinating. By the 1860s, Chicago's water supply was inadequate for its growing population. Near-shore lake water was too polluted to be used because of runoff from the Chicago River. In 1867, Chesbrough, an engineer designed a water supply tunnel system running nearly 2 miles offshore pumped back to shore through this pumping station. Boyington designed both the pumping works building & Water Tower that houses the standpipe. Both buildings were built in the Gothic Revival style with distinctive yellow Joliet limestone. The buildings look like something out of a fairy tale. The Chicago Water Tower was the most iconic structure that remained standing after the Great Fire of 1871. It was a rallying point for the city. It stood as a symbol for a city determined to rise from its own ashes. Sadly at 9 o'clock on a Friday morning homeless filled most of the benches panhandling with all of their belongings.

A little shocked more people haven't written about this--for my money it's the most consistently…read moreenjoyable gallery in the West Loop/Peoria area. Specializes in contemporary Asian art--lots of Chinese artists, but plenty of material from India, South Korea, and elsewhere. What I love about it is the sheer variety of the exhibits--you really never know what you might find, could be sculpture, photos, paintings, found objects, whatever you like, yet it's always compelling stuff. I've honestly never been disappointed. Their next opening is September 11th--given that just about every other gallery in the area's also having an opening that day, you can head down there and make a night of it--it'll be fun.

they exhibit primarily contemporary asian art. if you want to know what's really going on in the…read moreart world on the other side of the globe, go there.

An amazing collection of work from a prolific photographer whose work spans not only cities, but…read morecontinents across the world. The initial feeling as you walk into the exhibition is one of excitement, as rows and rows of his work consume the walls of the gallery. Familiar, iconic images can be found scattered amidst many other equally defining works. The joy is just really going through them all to find the "decisive moment" in each of his works, but then relishing in the unexpected pieces that you discovered somewhere along the way. Coming back again for the free Thursday night admission? I'd skip all the other works and make a beeline for Henri's work and start right there. Because then you can be sure that you leave the AIC without any other regrets before the museum closes its doors for the evening. But I can't promise what you MAY regret after the doors have closed and you've been left to your own devices for the rest of the night that has yet to begun!

when i was in chicago rolling through town, i made it a point to see this exhibition and boy was it…read moreamazing. the tickets were reasonably priced for such a famed photographer. there are a lot of original prints in this exhibit and the space they created for his photos reflects the same feel that's in his photos.

The North Shore Art League's current exhibition, "Summer Open," has been extended through August…read more24, 2026, making it the perfect destination for an inspiring summer outing. With the exhibition now spanning nearly the entire season, there's still plenty of time to experience this wonderful showcase of local artistic talent. Admission is free, and the gallery is open to the public every day from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, even when the office is closed. Since 1924, the North Shore Art League has remained dedicated to its stated mission of "enriching the human spirit through art education and exhibitions". We found that the art gallery space of the North Shore Art League was bright, airy, and pleasant, with the exhibition thoughtfully and professionally curated. All the staff whom we had encountered were friendly and welcoming. If you are in the area, I highly recommend you stopping by the Northshore Art League, on the second floor of the Winnetka Community House, to see "Summer Open". Part of the exhibited art work were even for sale. There is a great variety of beautiful 2D art to choose from. A portion of all sales supports the North Shore Art League, a not-for-profit, 501©(3) organization.

My mother-in-law is on the board, so I'm a little biased, but we sent my daughter to art camp this…read moreweek and she's having an absolute blast! I'm so relieved because we pulled her from an Oak Park-area ceramics camp that just wasn't her thing. Great job of engaging the kids!