Created in collaboration with The Visualist, Chicago’s leading visual arts calendar, Sixty’s Art Picks is a wide selection of Midwest arts events, handpicked for our audience of artists, cultural workers, and curators, prioritizing the spaces and events of historically marginalized peoples. Our list is broad but by no means comprehensive; please look at venue calendars to find more events.
All times are listed in Central Standard Time unless otherwise noted. Click here to get our Art Picks and latest articles delivered to your inbox monthly. You can find Art Picks from previous months here.
Before attending any in-person events, we hope you’ll read this open letter cowritten by a group of disabled queers to the Chicago party community, demanding COVID-safe protocols and mindful gathering to protect the most vulnerable members of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of this letter is to reach organizers who plan events and cultivate spaces for queer community building and joy. Please remember to mask; the pandemic is on-going.
Click a button below to jump to a specific week of events.
February 1-April 13, 2024
Okizi (To Heal)
NACDI: 1414 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN
Free
Thurs, February 1, 5-7pm
Jen Everett: Could you dim the lights?
Krannert Art Museu: 500 E Peabody Dr, Champaign, IL
Free
Thurs, February 1, 5-8pm
Gabriel Moses: Marsha
ANTHONY GALLERY: 1360 W Lake St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, February 1, 6pm
Amir H. Fallah: Artist Talk
Smart Museum of Art, The University of Chicago: 5550 S Greenwood Ave, Chicago
Free
Thurs, February 1, 7pm
“Architecture is a Child of the Sea”: Short Films from Prismatic Ground with Inney Prakash and Rhayne Vermette
Block Museum of Art, Northwestern University: 40 Arts Circle Dr, Evanston, IL
Free
Thurs, February 1, 7pm
“Chicago’s Modern Mayors” with Dick Simpson, Betty O’Shaughnessy, and Kari Lydersen
The Book Celar: 4736 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago
Free
Thurs, February 1, 7-8pm(EST)
Future Artifacts: Artist Talk with Dan Friday
Cincinnati Art Museum: 953 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH
Free
February 2-24, 2024
Bob Burdette: Space Invaders
Reuben Saunders Gallery: 3215 E Douglas Ave, Wichita, KS
Free
February 2-March 1, 2024
37th Annual Juried Undergraduate Exhibition
University of Nebraska, Lincoln: 120 Richards Hall, Lincoln, NE
Free
February 2-March 17, 2024
Giselle Trujillo: Hogar Dulce Hogar
Tube Factory artspace: 1125 Cruft St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
February 2-March 21, 2024
Vision Makers: Dreams and Possibilities
Gallery 924: 924 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
February 2-April 6, 2024
Miranda Forrester: Interiorities
MARIANE IBRAHIM: 437 N Paulina St, Chicago
Free
February 2-May 26, 2024
Manabu Ikeda: Flowers from the Wreckage
Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland: 11400 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH
Free
Fri, February 2, 10:30am-9pm
Birthplace of Creativity
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis: 3750 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, MO
Free
Fri, February 2, 7-9pm
Eli Wallace + Grain Bin Operettas
S1 Cloud House: 538 South Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA
Free
Fri, February 2, 5-8pm
Gallery Walk & Private Collection Fundraiser
Juniper Art Gallery: 615 W Kirkwood Ave, Bloomington
Free
Fri, February 2, 5-8pm
2024 Winter Opening Party
Lubeznik: 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City, IN
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-8pm(EST)
Art Therapy & Tarot: The Importance of Symbol; Then Now, and Forevermore
MSU Broad Art Museum: 547 E Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-9pm
Dawn is a Headspace, Night is a Feeling
Purple Window Gallery: 2233 S Throop St, #845, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-9pm
Tita Recometa-Brady & Jill Kolker: Landscapes / Cityscapes
SoNa Chicago Art Gallery: 1527 N Ashland Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-9pm
Tallulah Cartalucca: if a tree falls
Roman Susan: 1224 W Loyola Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-9pm
olivier & Martín Wannam: Archiving Edging: The edges of archives and to edge an archive
Roots & Culture: 1034 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-9pm
Abundance: Through the Lens of Black Women
Var Gallery: 643 S 2nd St, Milwaukee, WI
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-9pm(EST)
February 2024: In the Paint
Harrison Center: 1505 N Delaware St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-10pm
From Blue, to Bright
Fourtunehouse Art Center: 4410 S Cottage Grove Ave Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-10pm
Art House 310 First Friday – Ellen Mosiman & Dustin Youngman
Art House 310: 310 S Laura, Wichita, KS
Free
Fri, February 2, 6-10pm
CV: 2/2/24
Bill’s Auto: 3217 S Archer Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 7pm
BLACK WOMEN TAUGHT US by Jenn M. Jackson
Women & Children First Bookstore: Online
Free
Fri, February 2, 7pm
Cop City Will Never Be Built: History and Lessons from the Struggle
Pilsen Community Books: 1102 W 18th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 7-9pm(EST)
Member Opening: Border Cantos | Sonic Border
Grand Rapids Art Museum: 101 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids, MI
Free
Fri, February 2, 7-10pm
Full & Fragmented Affections
Yes Project Space: 1029 W 35th St, 3rd floor, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 2, 7-11pm
We Are What We You eat
Heaven Gallery: 1550 N Milwaukee Ave #2, Chicago
Free
February 3-March 16, 2024
Drawing
DAVID KLEIN GALLERY: 1520 Washington Blvd, Detroit, MI
Free
February 3-April 28, 2024
Sarah Maldoror: Tricontinental Cinema
Wexner Center for the Arts: 1871 N High St, Columbus, OH
Free
Sat, February 3, 12-3pm
The Art of Gathering / El arte del convivio
CAPE: 1010 W 35th St, STE 697, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 3, 1-3pm
BLACK WOMEN IN CLAY LEGACIES AND NEW DIRECTIONS
Navy Pier: 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 3, 1-4pm
Kristin Anahit Cass: Traversing Temporalities: Coffee Divination Workshop
Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago: 2233 S Throop St, Unit 419, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 3, 2-5pm
Mary Kind + Andy Moore: What Then (?)
boundary: 2334 W 111th Pl, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 3, 3-4:30pm
ciclo y ciclo: Poetry Reading & Conversation
DePaul Art Museum: 935 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 3, 5:30-7:30pm
For the Love of Art
Harrison County Arts: 113 E Beaver St, Corydon, IN
Free
Sat, February 3, 5:30-8pm
Brittany Nelson : I can’t make you love me
PATRON: 1612 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Sun, February 4, 2pm
ITALIAN SAXOPHONE QUARTET
North Dakota Museum of Art: 261 Centennial Drive Stop 7305, Grand Forks, ND
Free
Sun, February 4, 5-8pm
Amanda Beech: Delphic Future
Twelve Ten Gallery: 1210 W Thorndale Ave, Chicago
Free
Sun, February 4, 6pm
Live To Tell: Barbara DeGenevieve, her Library at OHKLAHOMO
Ohklahomo: 2518 W Iowa St, Chicago
Free
Mon, February 5, 7pm
Anti-Imperialist Engineering 101: Shotspotter & Technosolutionism
Pilsen Community Books: 1102 W 18th St, Chicago
Free
February 6, 2024-May 31, 2025
Echoes of the Pandemic
Allen Memorial Art Museum, Oberlin College: 87 N Main St, Oberlin, OH
Free
Tues, February 6, 12-1:30pm
Reimagining Chicago’s Collective Future
National Museum of Mexican Art: 1852 W 19th St, Chicago
Free
Tues, February 6, 6:30pm(EST)
Artist Talk: Wendy White
MSU Broad Art Museum: 547 E Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI
Free
Wed, February 7, 6-8pm
Nadia Colburn, “I Say the Sky: Poetry, Grieving, and Celebration: An Interactive Reading and Workshop”
The Book Celar: 4736 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago
Free
Wed, February 7, 6:30-8:30pm
We Free Us: Panel Discussion and Book Launch
Generator Space: 1804 Vinton Street Omaha, NE
Free
Wed, February 7, 7-8:30pm
A Conversation with Artist Leon Hushcha
TMORA: 5500 Stevens Ave, Minneapolis, MN
Free
Thurs, February 8, 5-6:30pm
Exhibition Reception
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art: 410 Third Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA
Free
Thurs, February 8, 5-7pm
Giselle Mira-Diaz: Rotten Fruit
C33 Gallery: 33 Ida B. Wells Dr, Chicago
Free
Thurs, February 8, 7pm
HOUSE OF CARAVANS by Shilpi Suneja
Women & Children First Bookstore: Online
Free
February 9-March 8, 2023
Abbi Hurst | Shannon Vaught |Stephanie Nayarko
ROY G BIV: 435 W Rich St, Columbus, OH
Free
February 9-March 16, 2023
Cbabi Bayoc
Houska Gallery: 4728 McPherson Ave, St. Louis, MO
Free
Fri, February 9, 5-7pm
Parabola 2024
Des Lee Gallery | Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts: One Brookings Dr, St. Louis, MO
Free
Fri, February 9, 6pm(EST)
Poetry Out Loud State Finals
Ross Community Room, WOSU Public Media: 1800 N Pearl St, Columbus, OH
Free
Fri, February 9, 7pm
Anti-Valentine’s Day Party
National Museum of Mexican Art: 1852 W 19th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 9, 7pm
UNCOMMON WEALTH with Dr. Kojo Koram and Dr. Julian Go
Pilsen Community Books: 1102 W 18th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 9, 7pm
Unprecedented Conversations
Sheldon Museum of Art: University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 12th and, R St, Lincoln, NE
Free
February 10-25, 2024
February Community Workshops
Yours truly: 833 E Center St, Milwaukee, WI
Free
February 10-March 17, 2024
Young Artists of Kalamazoo County 2024
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts: 314 S Park St., Kalamazoo, MI
Free
February 10-May 12, 2024
States of Becoming
Des Moines Art Center: 4700 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA
Free
Sat, February 10, 1-3pm
Black genealogical research with genealogist Ricki King and artist Jill Wells
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art: 410 Third Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA
Free
Sat, February 10, 3-7pm
Tending Responsibility / Borne Responsibility
P.O. Box Collective: 6900 N Glenwood Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 10, 7pm
Osnat Netzer: Dot : Line : Sigh Release Show
Experimental Sound Studio: 5925 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago
$15
Sun, February 11, 11am-1pm
WALKING TOUR / Winter Bird Walk
LAUMEIER SCULPTURE PARK: 12580 Rott Rd, Saint Louis, MO
Free
Sun, February 11, 2pm
Chasing the Stars: Women Computers at Washburn Observatory
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art: 227 State Street Madison, WI
Free
Sun, February 11, 2-4pm
art-i-facts
Prairie Museum of Art & History: 1905 S Franklin Ave, Colby, KS
Free
Sun, February 11, 2-5:30pm
No One Is Going To Mythologize My Life: Daughters of the Dust by Julie Dash
Jupiter Magazine: Blanc Gallery, 4445 South MLK Drive, Chicago
Free
Tues, February 13, 6-8pm
Dovetails
Intersect: 3636 Texas Ave, St. Louis, MO
Free
Wed, February 14, 5:30-7:30pm
Makers & Masterpieces | Love Wins
Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount St, Wichita, KS
Free
Wed, February 14, 7-11pm
Chapel of the Divine Flesh
Co-prosperity: 3219 S Morgan St, Chicago
Free
February 15-18, 2024
The Premiere Premieres
The Premiere Playhouse: 315 N. Phillips Ave, Sioux Falls, SD
Free
Thurs, February 15, 5-7pm
Rhonda Wheatley: There Are Universes… Closing Reception & Catalog Release Party
Glass Curtain Gallery: 1104 S Wabash Ave, Chicago
Free
February 16-March 16, 2024
Bowen Kline: Pictures of You
M CONTEMPORARY ART: 205 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI
Free
February 16-March 16, 2024
MORGAN
ENGAGE Projects: 864 N Ashland Ave, Chicago
Free
February 16-April 14, 2024
Sif Itona Westerberg: Twin Flame, Double Ruin
The Richard H. Driehaus Museum: 40 E Erie St, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 16, 1-6pm
Talk | Chotin’: Curatorial Practices at the Edge
Arts Club of Chicago: 201 E Ontario St, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 16, 6-9pm
Myron Laban: Fly Away: A Different View
Elephant Room Gallery: 704 S Wabash Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, February 16, 8pm
Ka Baird (solo) / Brain Transplant (opening duo)
Schlafly Tap Room: 2100 Locust St, St Louis, MO
$10-20
February 17-May 12, 2024
Moments of Is: Stuart Artist-in-Residence Alums
South Dakota Art Museum: 1036 Medary Ave, Brookings, SD
Free
Sat, February 17, 10am-7pm
A Thesis on Spillage, a Symposium-like Gathering
The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts: 4 W Burton Pl, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 17, 4 & 7pm
Middle Eastern Music Ensemble with Chamber Orchestra
The University of Chicago, Edward H. Levi Hall: 5801 S. Ellis Ave, Chicago
$5-10
Sat, February 17, 6pm
Tallulah Cartalucca: if a tree falls
Roman Susan: 1224 W Loyola Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 17, 7-10pm
Volt Sea // Between Two Lakes // Revoltergeist
Communication: 2645 Milwaukee St, Madison, WI
Free
Sun, February 18, 2-5:30pm
No One Is Going To Mythologize My Life: Eve’s Bayou by Kasi Lemmons
Jupiter Magazine: Blanc Gallery, 4445 South MLK Drive, Chicago
Free
February 19-June 2, 2024
Message from Our Planet
Chazen Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin: 750 University Ave, Madison, WI
Free
February 22-March 16, 2024
Erika Hagberg
Hallberg Center for the Arts: 5521 E Viking Blvd, Wyoming, MN
Free
February 23-May 19, 2024
Our Stories: African American Topeka Before and After Brown
Sabatini Gallery: 1515 SW 10th Ave, Topeka, KS
Free
Fri, February 23, 2024
Ernestine Betsberg: A Retrospective
Philip Slein Gallery: 4735 McPherson Ave, St. Louis, MO
Free
Fri, February 23, 7pm
Stretchmetal
Comfort Station Logan Square: 2579 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
February 24-May 5, 2024
Tara Will: Wild Beauty
Fort Wayne Museum of Art: 311 E Main St, Fort Wayne, IN
Free
Sat, February 24, 10–11:30am, 1:30–3pm, 3:30–5pm
In Progress | Micah Schippa: Negative Ecstasies
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, February 24, 7pm
Mend and Remake: Fashion Upcycle Event
Peoria Art Guild: 203 Harrison St, Peoria
Free
Sun, February 25, 2-4pm
Chicago Creative Machines: Hugo Flores Garcia
Experimental Sound Studio: 5925 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago
Free
Tues, February 27, 7pm
RECKONING by V
Women & Children First Bookstore: Online
Free
February 28-August 31, 2024
In Between: Contemporary Artists Working in Two and Three Dimensions Featuring Dennis Lee Mitchell
RAM: 441 Main Street, Racine, WI
Free
February 29-April 27, 2024
Max Guy
Good Weather: 1524 S Western Ave, Suite 121, Building A, Chicago
Free
Thurs, February 29, 7:30pm
The Flick
Nebraska Repertory Theatre – Studio Theatre: 1209 R St, Temple 1st Fl, Lincoln, NE
$15-25
Ending Feb 4
Mark Thomas Gibson: A Retelling
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit: 4454 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI
Pay-What-You-Can ($10)
Ending Feb 4
Ruth Duckworth: Life As A Unity
Smart Museum of Art: 5550 S Greenwood Avenue, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 4
Sarah Rosalena: In All Directions
Columbus Museum of Art: 480 E Broad St, Columbus, OH
$0-18
Ending Feb 5
Screenic Paradigms
Jack Olson Gallery: 330 Gilbert Dr, Dekalb, IL
Free
Ending Feb 10
Making Sense of It All
Elephant Room Gallery: 704 S Wabash Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 10
Don’t You Feel At Home
934 Gallery: 934 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH
Free
Ending Feb 10
Professor Sandra Williams
Carnegie Arts Center: 204 W 4th St, Alliance, NE
Free
Ending Feb 10
Sticky Note Saturdays
31Art Gallery: 3520 Hampton Ave, Saint Louis, MO
Free
Ending Feb 11
Evelyn Hofer: Eyes on the City
Nelson Atkins Museum of Art: 4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO
Free
Ending Feb 11
Collage/Assemblage Part I: 1940-1989
Minneapolis Institute of Art: 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN
Free
Ending Feb 17
All Colors
Portfolio Gallery at St Louis Artists Guild: 12 N Jackson Ave, St. Louis, MO
Free
Ending Feb 17
Third Spaces of the Anthropocene
Detroit Artists Market: 4719 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI
Free
Ending Feb 17
Cody Hudson: There Are Several Ways of Marking Trails
Andrew Rafacz Gallery: 1749 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 17
Monica Rezman: Meeting of Two Oceans
65Grand: 3252 W North Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 17
Paula Kamps | Word of Honor
M. Leblanc: 3514 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 17
Mine, Yours, Ours, Kitchen and Familial Stories
Woman Made Gallery: 1332 S Halsted St, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 17
Meanwhile
Beeler Gallery: 60 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH
Free
Ending Feb 17
Broken Hearts
Soulard Art Gallery: 2028 S 12th St, St. Louis, MO
Free
Ending Feb 18
Pamela Hignite: I Am. We Are.
Art Museum of Greater Lafayette: 102 S 10th St, Lafayette, IN
Free
Ending Feb 20
Alumni Spectacular
Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts: 11 Uptown Circle, Suite 103, Normal, IL
Free
Ending Feb 21
Natalie Wadlington: Pollards
Library Street Collective: 1274 Library St, Detroit, MI
Free
Ending Feb 23
Edgar Miller: Anti-Modern, 1917-1967
Depaul Art Museum: 935 W Fullerton, Chicago
Free
Closing Feb 23
Eventually by Dona Lantz
The Hub Gallery
Free
Ending Feb 24
G.E. Liu: Good Hearts
Goldfinch Gallery: 319 N Albany Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 24
Fields of Vision: Juried Fine Art Exhibition
Crooked Tree Arts Center: 461 E. Mitchell St, Petoskey, MI
Free
Ending Feb 24
terrain: wet plate photography by Megan Karson
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center: 2012 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO
Free
Ending Feb 25
Material and Immaterial in Korean Modern and Contemporary Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art: 1150 E Boulevard, Cleveland, OH
Free
Ending Feb 25
Beneath the Visible
Hyde Park Art Center: 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending Feb 25
Behind the Queen
Edessa School of Fashion at MARN ART + CULTURE HUB: 191 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI
Free
Ending Feb 25
Solemn Spaces: Works by Robert Kipniss
Fort Wayne Museum of Art: 311 E Main St, Fort Wayne, IN
$0-$10
Ending Feb 25
Cities Are for People: Street Photography, 1945-1970
Nelson Atkins Museum of Art: 4525 Oak St, Kansas City, MO
Free
Ending Feb 25
Spandita Malik: Jāḷī—Meshes of Resistance
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art: 4420 Warwick Blvd, Kansas City, MO
Free
Ending Feb 25
Carl Toth: Reordering Fictions
Cranbook Art Museum: 39221 Woodward Ave Box 801, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Free
Ending Feb 25
Ash Arder: Flesh Tones
Cranbook Art Museum: 39221 Woodward Ave Box 801, Bloomfield Hills, MI
Free
About the illustrator: Julia O’Brien was born and raised in Colorado before earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her work explores how the body can hold histories and tell stories as the boundary between internal and external identity. She describes herself as an image maker and a storyteller who loves learning new skills and hearing silenced voices.
