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 so please look at venue calendars to find more events.
All times are listed in Central Standard Time unless otherwise noted. Any events highlighted in green are and events the editorial team is excited to see. 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.
Click a button below to jump to a specific week of events.
October 1-31,2023
Laurie Schirmer Carpenter and Purple Window Gallery Members Exhibition
Lubeznik: 101 W 2nd St, Michigan City, IN
Free
October 1- December 31,2023
Biennial 32
Lubeznik: 120 S Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, South Bend, IN
Free
Sun, October 1, 11am-2pm
Doikayt – Performance for When Souls Stick Closing
Comfort Station: 2579 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago
Free
Sun, October 1, 2-3pm
Craig Jun Li Artist Talk
Prairie: 2055 W Cermak Rd, Chicago
Free
Sun, October 1, 3-6pm
Terrain Biennial 2023 Block Party
James Stone Freedom Square: 3615 W Douglas Blvd, Chicago
Free
Sun, October 1, 4-5pm
Conversations: Building Support Systems
TUSK: 3205 W Armitage Ave, Chicago
Free
October 2-December 15, 2023
Action/Abstraction Redefined: Modern Native Art, 1940s-1970s
Schingoethe Center of Aurora University: 1315 Prairie St, Aurora, IL
Free
Mon, October 2, 4:30pm
Dr. Irmgard Emmelhainz: Destructive Desires and Other Destinies of Excess: Lecture
SAIC | MacLean Center: 112 S Michigan Ave, Chicago
Free
Mon, October 2, 6:30-8:30pm
Contextualizing the Mexican Milagros: Agents of Relational Anatomy
Chuquimarca: Online
Free
Tues, October 3, 6pm
How to Protect Bookstores and Why with Danny Caine
Moon Palace Books: 3032 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis MN
Free
Wed, October 4, 10am-4pm(EST)
Canal to Cuyahoga: Everlasting Plastics in Context
SPACES: 900 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH
Free
Wed, October 4, 4:30pm
Želimir Žilnik: Essential Work
IU Cinema: 505 W 4th St, Bloomington, IN
Free
Wed, October 4, 6pm
AfroFuturist Weekend Day 1: AFW8 Kickoff at Fourtune House
Fourtune House: 4410 S Cottage Grove Ave, Chicago
$15
Wed, October 4, 6:30pm
Author Talk with Owen Keehnen & Rick Karlin
Gerber Hart Library and Archives: 6500 N Clark St, 2nd Fl, Chicago
Free
Wed, October 4, 7pm
KBD, NOSSE NOOS NASE (RDunn + JSoliday), Ossemann + Leaf Miner, Galaxxu + Ishmael Ali
Tritriangle: 1550 N Milwaukee Ave, Fl 3, Chicago
$10
October 5-31, 2023
House of the Exquisite Corpse III: A Haunted Puppet Anthology
Steppenwolf’s Merle Reskin Garage Space: 1650 N Halsted St, Chicago
$15-45
Thurs, October 5, 5-8pm
Don’t ‘Drag’ Me Down: Today’s Battle for Liberation
Koehnline Museum of Art: 1600 E Golf Rd, Des Plaines, IL
Free
Thurs, October 5, 5:30-6:30pm
Susan Giles: Space Has Become This Material Thing: Artist Talk
Glass Curtain Gallery: 1104 S Wabash Ave, 1st Floor, Chicago
Free
Thurs, October 5, 6pm
Building Legacies in Public and in Practice
Hyde Park Art Center: 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago
Free
Thurs, October 5, 6-7:30pm
Dr. Esther da Costa Meyer on the Architecture of Refugee Housing
The Arts Club of Chicago: 201 E Ontario St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, October 5, 6-8pm
Želimir Žilnik: Short Films
Gene Siskel Film Center: 164 N State St, Chicago
$5-13
Thurs, October 5, 7-8:30pm
Crip Talk: JJJJJerome Ellis – Aster of Ceremonies
Poetry Foundation: 61 W Superior St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, October 5, 8-9pm
Live @ LOW END | Rafiq Bhatia
Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts: 724 S 12th St, Omaha, NE
Free
October 6-27, 2023
Margo & Rein Vanderhill: Nature’s Medley
Anderson O’Brien Fine Art: 3220 Farnam St, Ste 2101, Omaha, NE
Free
October 6-28, 2023
October National
Anne Lloyd Gallery of the Madden Arts Center: 25 N Water St, Decatur, IL
Free
Fri, October 6, 1pm
American Graffiti – 50th Anniversary
The Historic Midwest Theater: 1707 Broadway, Scottsbluff, NE
$4-7
Fri, October 6, 5:30-6:30pm
InTRANSIT
Grand Center Arts Plaza: Downtown St Louis
Free
Fri, October 6, 6pm
Mikey Mosher: Container Continuum
The Martin: 2500 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, October 6, 6-9pm
J. Kent: mille tendresse-mille fleurs
Roman Susan: 1224 W Loyola Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, October 6, 7:30pm
Tower of Power
Holland Performing Arts Center: 1200 Douglas St, Omaha, NE
$30-60
Fri, October 6, 7-8pm
Spooky and Gay: a queer horror variety show
Dorothy: 2500 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
October 7, 2023-January 14, 2024
Underneath Everything: Humility and Grandeur in Contemporary Ceramics
Grand Rapids Art Museum: 101 Monroe Center St NW, Grand Rapids, MI
Free
Sat, October 7, 12-5pm
New In Town
Vertical Gallery: 2006 W Chicago Ave, #1R, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 7, 2-3pm
The Noah Ginex Puppet Company Presents: SNORF! A 10th Anniversary Show
Links Hall: 3111 N Western Ave, Chicago
$20
Sat, October 7, 3-5:30pm
Pilsen Latina Legacies Teach-in #1: Chicanas and Latinas Champions of Change
Pilsen Arts & Community House: 1637 W 18th St, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 7, 4-8pm
Urbana Fall Fashion Festival
Urbana Arts and Culture Program: Downtown Urbana
Free
Sun, October 8, 2-5pm
Larry Lee
Cultivator at Bray Grove Farm: 202 E Washington, Morris, IL
Free
Sun, October 8, 2-5pm
Jason Dunda
Cultivator at Bray Grove Farm: 202 E Washington, Morris, IL
Free
October 9-November 4, 2023
Intersection of Parallel
Octagon Center for the Arts: Octagon Center for the Arts
Free
Mon, October 9, 7pm
Neuter (NYC), Annihil (NYC), Hedra Rowan, MAIR & Jesie
Tritriangle: 1550 N Milwaukee Ave, Fl 3, Chicago
$10
Mon, October 9, 7-8pm
Indigenous Language Politics in the Classroom: Mneesha Gellman and Bill Ayers
Pilsen Community Books: 1102 W 18th St, Chicago
Free
Wed, October 11, 12-1pm
Visiting Artist: Delano Dunn
University Galleries of Illinois State University: 11 Uptown Circle, Suite 103, Normal, IL
Free
Wed, October 11, 8pm
Juliann Wang ‘Notes in the Wind’ 16-Channel Listening Experience
Elastic Arts: 3429 W Diversey Ave, #208, Chicago
$15
Oct 11-14
Global Africa Community Forum: Reckoning, Restitution, and Repair
Virtual and various physical locations
Free
Thurs, October 12, 5-11:59pm
CU Folk and Roots Festival 2023
Urbana Arts and Culture Program: Downtown Urbana
$40
Thurs, October 12, 6pm
A PART OF THE HEART CAN’T BE EATEN: An Evening with TRISTAN TAORMINO
A Room of One’s Own: 2717 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI
Free
Thurs, October 12, 6-7pm
(De)Tour: Game Changers
MSU Broad Art Museum: 547 E Circle Dr, East Lansing, MI
Free
Thurs, October 12, 7-8:30pm
Open Door: Chris Aldana + Czaerra Galicinao Ucol, Dior J. Stephens + jason b. crawford
Poetry Foundation: 61 W Superior St, Chicago
Free
Fri, Oct 13, 4:15pm
Data, Archives and Information in Society (DAIS) Seminar: Gracen Brilmyer
Virtual
Free
Fri, Oct 13, 7-8:30pm
Guerilla Television Network: The Politics of Intimacy with Julie Gustafson
Logan Center for the Arts: 915 E 60th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, October 13, 2023
Communication’s 5th Anniversary Fundraiser!
Communications: 2645 Milwaukee St, Madison, WI
Free
October 13-November 4, 2023
Innerconnectivity I | Kenzi Rayelle
Public Space One: 229 N Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA
Free
October 13-December 1, 2023
On beauty and displacement | Francisco Souto
Kiechel Fine Art: 1208 ‘O’ St, Lincoln, NE
Free
October 13-December 15, 2023
Tadao Ando: Spontaneous Sketches
Wrightwood 659: 659 W Wrightwood Ave, Chicago
Free
October 13-December 16, 2023
Difference Machines: Technology and Identity in Contemporary Art
Wrightwood 659: 659 W Wrightwood Ave, Chicago
Free
Fri, October 13, 6-8pm
Sapphire & Crystals: Freedom’s Muse
Logan Center Exhibition: 915 E 60th St, Chicago
Free
Fri, October 13, 6-10pm
CAD OPEN STUDIOS
Chicago Art Department: 1926 S Halsted St, Chicago
Free
Fri, October 13, 7-8:30pm
Samson Y Hiss presents: One-Handed Witch
Links Hall: 3111 N Western Ave, Chicago
$25-50
Fri, October 13, 7-9pm(EST)
Broad Underground: Machines in Flames
MSU Wells Hall: 619 Red Cedar Rd, East Lansing, MI
Free
Sat, Oct 14, 7pm
Spinning Home Movies: Rhythm and Love with Reginald R. Robinson
Logan Center for the Arts: 915 E 60th Street Chicago
Free with RSVP
Sat, October 14, 1-4pm
Bryana Bibbs: Places (Edition I)
Tiger Strikes Asteroid Chicago: 2233 S Throop St., Unit 419, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 14, 2-4pm
Michelle Wasson: Aurea Nova: Artist Talk
Riverside Arts Center Freeark Gallery: 32 E Quincy St, Riverside, IL
Free
Sat, October 14, 5-8pm
AT FIRST GLANCE
Blanc Gallery: 4445 S. MLK Dr, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 14, 5-8:30pm
Jay Afrisando: is sound is tactile is visual is sound is
Curb Appeal Gallery: Email info@curbappeal.gallery for address
Free
Wed, October 14, 7-9pm(EST)
No Exit: Surreal Games
SPACES: 900 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH
Free
Sat, October 14, 7-10:30pm
Freedom From Freedom To: A Group Performance
ALMA Art and Interiors:3636 South Iron St, Chicago
Free
Sun, October 15, 2-4pm
No Place Like Home
Devonshire Cultural Center: 4400 Greenwood St, Skokie, IL
Free
Sun, October 15, 2-4pm
Illinois Archaeology Lecture Series
Dickson Mounds Museum: 10956 N Dickson Mounds Rd, Lewistown, IL
Free
Sun, October 15, 7:30-10pm
SoFar Sounds!
The Martin: 2500 W Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Wed, Oct 18, 5-6pm
Queer Cafes, Past & Present: with Dr. Alex Ketchum & Jennifer Park
Virtual
Free
October 19-20, 2023
ASH: A dance, sculpture, and music collaboration
Visit Pictura Gallery: 505 West 4th St. Bloomington, IN
Free
Thurs, October 19, 5-6:30pm
Film Screening: Common Exchanges, When Species Meet
Gallery 400: 400 S Peoria St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, October 19, 7-8:30pm
VS Presents: JOURNEY(S) – live podcast recording
The Poetry Foundation: 61 W Superior St, Chicago
Free
Thurs, October 19, 7-8:30pm
Speak Up St. Louis LIVE
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis: 3750 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, MO
Free
October 20-November 18, 2023
Brian Day: Game Theory
M CONTEMPORARY ART: 205 E 9 Mile Rd, Ferndale, MI
Free
Fri, Oct 20, 6-9pm
For We Are Kings: Timeless Transfers of Generational Joy, Happiness, & Swag
Elephant Room Gallery: 704 South Wabash Avenue, Chicago
Free
October 20-December 1, 2023
Foster Owen Atkinson
Houska Gallery: 4728 McPherson Ave, St. Louis, MO
Free
Fri, October 20, 6-9pm
Affen Segun: We are Kings: Timeless Transfers of Generational Joy, Happiness, and Swag
Elephant Room Gallery: 704 S Wabash Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 21, 11-11:30am
Learning Series | The Impact of Food Apartheid in Education
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, Oct 21, 5-6:30pm
Clear Consciousness
Dirty Laundry x Dinobi: 5230 South Harper Avenue, Chicago
$5
Sat, Oct 21, 7-10pm
The Living Room Series x Recycled Modern | Vol 3
Recycled Modern, LLC: 5231 South Harper Court, Chicago
$5
Sat, October 21, 12-5pm
Open House Celebration: Indigenous Artists Facing the Camera
The Block Museum of Art: 40 Arts Circle Dr. Evanston
Free
Sat, October 21, 6-9pm
Afrodjia Social Club at Kenwood Gardens
Kenwood Gardens: 6929 S Kenwood Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 21, 6-8pm
Show & Tell: A Soirée at Woman Made Gallery
Woman Made Gallery: 2150 S Canalport Ave #4A-3, Chicago
$85-90
Sat, October 21, 7-9pm
Live Arts | Lit & Luz Festival: Live Magazine Show
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago: 220 E Chicago Ave, Chicago
Free
Sun, October 22, 1-4pm
RE/FUTURING the Verse: Poetry Threads of Native Chicago
Center for Native Futures: 56 West Adams Street, Chicago
Free
October 23-December 1, 2023
Overshot
Heuser Gallery: 1400 W Bradley Ave, Peoria, IL
Free
Tue, October 24, 6-7pm
In the Studio: Janie Stamm
Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis: 3750 Washington Blvd, St. Louis, MO
Free
Tue, October 24, 9am-12pm
Riso Basics: Discover Risography with BEARBEAR
The Bindery: 347 E Ward St, Milwaukee, WI
$70
Tue, October 24, 6-9pm
Inspired Marbling Techniques
The Bindery: 347 E Ward St, Milwaukee, WI
$70
Wed, October 25, 12-1pm
Earthly Visions: Virtual Tour
Gallery 400: Online
Free
Wed, October 25, 4:45pm
Queer & Trans Open Mic
A Room of One’s Own: 2717 Atwood Ave, Madison, WI
Free
Wed, October 25, 10pm
HalloSEEN: A Queer Horror Showcaser
Cactus Club: 2496 S. Wentworth Ave, Milwaukee, WI
Pay what you want
October 26. 2023-February 4, 2024
Mike Kelley’s Space for Public Good
MOCAD: 4454 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI
Free
October 27-29, 2023
Thoughts of a Colored Man
Gem Theater: 1615 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO
$30
October 27-31, 2023
Rocky Horror Picture Show LIVE
Empire Arts Center: 415 DeMers Ave, Grand Forks, ND
$21
Sat, Oct 28, 11-2pm
Workshop: Branding & Cultural Tradition
MANO: 2150 S Canalport Ave Suite 1b04, Chicago
$130
October 28-November 11, 2023
Carving and Printing Patterns and Creatures (A Relief Rodeo!)
The Bindery: 347 E Ward St, Milwaukee, WI
$235
October 28, 2023-February 18, 2024
Marian Carow: Salvages
Hyde Park Art Center: 5020 S Cornell Ave, Chicago
Free
Sat, October 28, 4:20pm
Hot Mess!
Elastic Arts: 3429 W Diversey Ave, #208 Chicago
Free
Sat, October 28, 7pm-12am
ACRE Zombi Disco
Color Club: 4146 N Elston Ave, Chicago
$20-40
October 30, 2023-February 10, 2024
Abstraction + Love
Lubeznik Center for the Arts: 101 W. 2nd St, Michigan City, IN
Free
Mon, October 30, 6:30-8:30pm
Consider a Disappearance
Chuquimarca: Online
Free
About the illustrator: Diana C Pietrzyk is a multidimensional creative from Chicago with a love for things that twinkle and glow. She explores her passion through illustration, painting, photography, graphic design and animation. Her style is very colorful, fun and glows.
