July Art Picks
Sixty’s selection of art exhibitions and events in Chicago and the Midwest for July 2023.
If you’ve followed us for a while, you know that our Art Picks offer a wide scope of events that are relevant to our audiences because we and the artists, cultural workers, curators, spaces, and projects we support live full lives that know no boundaries. We maintain expansive practices and work toward justice for BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disability communities in Chicago and the Midwest.
Created in collaboration with The Visualist, Chicago’s leading visual arts calendar. Click here to get our Art Picks and latest articles delivered to your inbox monthly. This is a growing list, so check back often with new additions. All times are listed in Central Standard Time unless otherwise noted. Any events highlighted in green are shows and events the editorial team is excited to see.
Click a button below to jump to a specific week of events
In solidarity with and in support of an open letter to the Chicago party scene we recently published here at Sixty, we’d like to share this you in hopes that you read and consider while looking through the events listed below. The letter was cowritten by a group of disabled queers with the goal of reaching organizers who plan events and cultivate spaces for queer community building and joy.
This month’s featured imagemaker is Tonal Simmons.
July 1-15, 2023
Soft Spots | Stephanie Alaniz
Public Space One: 538 S Gilbert, Iowa City, IA
Free
Sat, July 1, 4-7pm
Kayla Anderson and Dao Nguyen: Manifesto for Mutualistic Tendencies
Comfort Station Logan Square: 2579 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 1, 5-9pm
Fairyland Series
T. Mari Art Gallery: 1227 W Devon Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 1, 7:30-11pm
Fierceness Served: Creating Black Queer Cultural Space
Green Line Performing Arts Center: 329 E Garfield Blvd, Chicago
Free
July 2-30, 2023
Michael Bolan: Impossible Figures and Illustrations
Owatonna Arts Center: 435 Garden View Ln, Owatonna, MN
Free
Sun, July 2 & 9, 12-5pm
IDOLATRY VII
Bird Show: Online
Free
Sun, July 2, 1-3pm
Lab E: In-Progress Showing
Experimental Station: 6100 S Blackstone Ave, Chicago
Free
Sun, July 2, 4:30-7:30pm
Open Lab: Helen Lee | Curiosities of Wellness in Bodies of Grief
High Concept Labs: 2233 S Throop St, Chicago
Free
Tues, July 4, 3-9pm
Party Noire Presents: Black Pride
The Promontory: 5311 S Lake Park Ave West, Chicago
$12
Wed, July 5, 7:30pm
Michael Flora, Mykola Haleta, Chooch Karton, Soliday/Daly
Tritriangle: 1550 N Milwaukee Ave, Fl 3 Chicago
$10
Wed, July 5, 7:30pm
Michael Flora, Mykola Haleta, Chooch Karton, Soliday/Daly
Tritriangle: 1550 N Milwaukee Ave, Fl 3 Chicago
Free
Thurs, July 6, 5:30-8:30pm
Downtown Arts Market
Hansen Arts Park: 122 1st Ave S, Jamestown, ND
Free
Thurs, July 6, 6-9pm
What’s in Your Crate Curated by Yasmeenah
Walker Art Center: 725 Vineland Pl, Minneapolis, MN
Free
Thurs, July 6, 7:30-9:30pm
Comfort Music: nunn & Rin Peisert/Jason Stein
Comfort Station: 2579 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
July 7-8, 2023
BLACK HILLS PRIDE 2023
Various Location
Free
July 7-21, 2023
Charlotte Martin & Sarah Daniels
Tube Factory artspace: 1125 Cruft St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
July 7-August 12, 2023
Dreamwork: Meredith Morrison
PLAYGROUND DETROIT: 2845 Gratiot Ave, Detroit, MI
Free
Fri, July 7, 5-9pm
Culture Flow – The OCEAN BETWEEN VI, an International Art Symposium
Oliva Gallery: 3816 W Armitage Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 7, 6-8pm
Makes Me Wanna Holla: Art. Death & Imprisonment
Logan Center Exhibitions: 915 E 60th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 7, 6-8pm
Ariella Granados: Disabling Utopia
Central West Center: 2102 W Ogden Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 7, 6-10pm
Marianne Glick: What Lies Beneath
Art House 310: 310 S Laura St, Wichita, KS
Free
Fri, July 7, 7-9:30pm (EST)
Summer/Fall 2023 Opening Night Celebration
moCa Cleveland: 11400 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH
Free
Fri, July 7, 7-10pm
Seeding Ceremony
Chicago Art Department: 1926 S Halsted St, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 7, 8:30pm
Noche De Cumbia | All VINYL All NIGHT
Cactus Club: 2496 S. Wentworth Ave, Milwaukee, WI
$10-15
July 8-July 29, 2023
2CHOEY: Sorry I can’t talk right now
Vertical Gallery: 2006 W Chicago Ave, #1R, Chicago
Free
July 8, 2023
Wordplay
Various Locations: Minneapolis, MN
$25-300
Sat, July 8, 12-5pm
Alex Garcia: Enduring Ties: Resilience & Longing in Cuba
Chicago Center for Photojournalism: 1226 W Wilson Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 8, 12:30-1:30pm
Artist Talk Back: “The Heart’s Knowledge: Science and Empathy in the Art of Dario Robleto”
Block Museum of Art: 40 Arts Circle Dr, Evanston, IL
Free
Sat, July 8, 2-4pm
Indrani Nayar-Gall and Madelyn Turner: A Two-Women Show: Artist Walkthrough
Woman Made Gallery: 2150 S Canalport Ave #4A-3, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 8, 6-9pm (EST)
Rami George: Spheres of Influence
Camp Washington: 2940 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH
Free
Sat, July 8, 6-9pm (EST)
Encompassing
Camp Washington: 2940 Colerain Ave, Cincinnati, OH
Free
Sat, July 8, 7-9pm
Side Yard Sounds: Kouri/Hall + NadNavillus
Compound Yellow: 244 Lake St, Oak Park, IL
$15
Sun, July 9, 10am-6pm
Sabina Oehninger: Soft Skills
Comfort Station: 2579 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
Sun, July 9, 12pm
Make Your Own Grotto Phone Case • DJ LISTLESS
Cactus Club: 2496 S. Wentworth Ave, Milwaukee, WI
$15-30
Sun, July 9, 1-6pm
Sundays on the Boulevard: Sports! on the Boulevard
Lawndale Pop-Up Spot: Douglas Blvd. & Central Park Ave, Chicago
Free
July 11-21, 2023
Catch-22
Gallery 924: 924 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
July 12-August 13, 2023
Collective Impact: Building Beautiful Community
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis: 3750 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, MO
Free
Thurs, July 13, 5:30-7:30pm
Valeriia Tarasenko: Anxious Pink
John David Mooney Foundation: 114 W Kinzie St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, July 13, 6pm
Green Roof Poetry: Curated by Tish Jones
Walker Art Center: 725 Vineland Pl, Minneapolis, MN
Free
Thurs, July 13, 6:30-8:30pm
Erase the Database Coalition Event
Women & Children First Bookstore: 5233 N Clark St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, July 13, 7-8:30pm
Public Assembly: The Body and LB547
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: 724 S 12th St, Omaha, NE
Free
July 14-16, 2023
40th Annual African World Festival
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History: 315 E Warren Ave, Detroit, MI
Free
July 14-August 4, 2023
Maggie Cappelletti | Lydia Smith | Chantal Wnuk | Eva Antebi-Lerman
ROY G BIV Gallery: 435 W Rich St, Columbus, OH
Free
July 14-August 12, 2023
Elements of Style
The Neo-Futurist Theater: 5153 N Ashland Ave, Chicago
$4.99-24.99
July 14-August 18, 2023
Body Defiance
Generator Space 1804 Vinton St, Omaha, NE
Free
July 14-August 25, 2023
Larry Torno
Houska Gallery: 4728 McPherson Ave, St. Louis, MO
Free
Fri, July 14, 6-9pm
Darin Latimer: Death on Wheels (Exit 00)
Elephant Room Gallery at Grace Jane Studios: 3203 S Halsted St, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 14, 7-8:30pm
Megan Kudla and Carly Liegel present: RAMBLE
Links Hall: 3111 N Western Ave, Chicago
$1-20
Fri, July 14, 7-9pm
LUYAPALOOZA: Luya’s 5th Anniversary
Chicago Athletic Association: 12 S Michigan Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 15, 4-7pm
Thank God I’m Damned EP Release
Build Coffee: 6100 S Blackstone Ave, Chicago
Free
July 20-22, 2023
The (W)rites of Summer
Steppenwolf: 1650 N Halsted St, Chicago
$10
Thurs, July 20, 5-6pm
Gozié Ojini: Currents
Gallery 400: 400 S Peoria St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, July 20, 6-8pm
Place + Making: July 2023
Walker Art Center: 725 Vineland Pl, Minneapolis, MN
Free
Thurs, July 20, 8-9pm
Live @ LOW END | Maria Chávez with Jordi Wheeler
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: 724 S 12th St, Omaha, NE
Free
Fri, July 21, 6-9pm
Viy: Disposophobia
Epiphany Center for the Arts: 201 S Ashland Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 21, 7-10pm
Sweet Home Chicago
The Bridgeport Art Center, Fourth Floor Gallery: 1200 W 35th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, July 21, 8:30pm
J e l l o Series: Drag Invasion
Elastic Arts: 3429 W Diversey Ave, #208, Chicago
$15
July 22-October 15, 2023
A Universe of Self Experience
Hyde Park Art Center: 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago
Free
July 22-October 29, 2023
William Estrada: Multiples and Multitudes
Hyde Park Art Center: 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 22, 1-2:30pm
Connect: A Program for Adults with Developmental Disabilities and their Caregivers
Cincinnati Art Museum: 953 Eden Park Dr, Cincinnati, OH
Free
Sat, July 22, 9:15am
5th Annual CRR19 Historic Bike Tour
West 35th St & South State St, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 22, 1-4pm
Center Days
Hyde Park Art Center: 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 22, 1-9pm
Dance | Reclaiming Memories of the Black Ark: A Celebration of Chicago’s Social Dance History
South Shore Cultural Center: 7059 S South Shore Dr, Chicago
Free
Sat, July 22, 5-7pm
Aesthetics of Loss
Arts + Literature Laboratory: 111 S Livingston St, Suite 100, Madison, WI
Free
Sun, July 23, 1-5pm
Sundays on the Boulevard: Reduce Reuse Recycle
Lawndale Pop-Up Spot: Douglas Blvd. & Central Park Ave, Chicago
Free
Tues, July 25, 6pm
Love, Deutschmarks and Death (Leibe, D-Marks und Tod / Aşk, Mark ve Ölüm)
Goethe-Institut Chicago: 150 N Michigan Ave, Suite 200, Chicago
Free
Wed, July 26, 5-8pm
Woven Abstractions
Awakenings Art: 4001 N Ravenswood Ave, Suite 204-C, Chicago
Free
Wed, July 26, 7pm
Smudges: Sounds and Images by Matt Blair
Arts + Literature Laboratory: 111 S Livingston St, Suite 100, Madison, WI
$5-10
Thurs, July 27, 6-8pm
Help This Garden Grow Release Party with Respair Media
Harold Washington Library Center, 9th Floor: 400 S State St, Chicago
Free, RSVP
Thurs, July 27, 5-6:30pm
Gravity Pleasure Switchback Curatorial Talk
Gallery 400: Online
Free
Thurs, July 27, 5-7pm
Melissa Ann Pinney: In Their Own Light and Dylan Yarbrough with Marcela Ossa: I Am An Eclipse
Glass Curtain Gallery: 1104 S Wabash Ave, 1st Floor, Chicago
Free
Thurs, July 27, 6-7:30pm
Talk | Politics of Poetics: Layli Long Soldier and Tanya Lukin Linklater
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
July 28-September 10, 2023
Modular Storage
LVL3: 1542 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
July 29-September 10, 2023
Delores Fortuna
Abel Contemporary Gallery: 524 E Main St, Stoughton, WI
Free
Sat, July 29, 4:20 & 8pm
Hot Mess! Two Sets 4:20pm + 8:00pm
Elastic Arts: 3429 W Diversey Ave, #208, Chicago
$15
Ending July 8
Mary Porterfield: With/In
Epiphany Center for the Arts: 201 S Ashland Ave., Chicago
Free
Ending July 14
Lisa Englander: Grammar Lessons
OS Projects: 601 6th St, Racine, WI
Free
Ending July 15
Lucas Simões: Luscofusco
PATRON: 1612 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending July 15
Dianna Frid: pre-knowing / un-knowing
PATRON: 1612 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending July 15
Cadine Navarro: Seed Songs for a New Earth (2023)
Wexner Center for the Arts: 1871 N High St Columbus, OH
Free
Ending July 15
PHILIP VON ZWECK
65GRAND: 3252 W North Ave, Chicago
Free
Ending July 23
Haykidd &Thee Black Card-Hey Black Kidd
Big Car: 1125 Cruft St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
Ending July 23
Nasreen Khan: Cic·a·trix
Big Car: 1125 Cruft St, Indianapolis, IN
Free
Ending July 29
Antonius-Tín Bui: There are many ways to hold water without being called a vase
moniquemeloche: 451 N Paulina St, Chicago
Free
Ending July 31
59 Days
Flint Institute of Arts: 1120 E Kearsley St, Flint, Michigan
Free
About the photographer: Tonal Simmons, they/them, is a Black queer non-binary artist who is a writer, photographer and painter. Their photography and painting seeks to examine the similarities between flowers, growth, and Black queerness. While their writing explores the idea of DEI within art, creating w/chronic conditions, & lack of access to art for Black and brown creatives. You can check out their personal work at www.tonalscorner.com