Our Art Picks are created in collaboration with The Visualist, Chicago’s leading visual arts calendar, and cross-promoted through Windy City Times, one of the longest locally-published LGBTQ weeklies with a national reach. Click here to get our Art Picks and latest articles delivered to your inbox monthly.
This is a growing list, so check back often for new additions.
Featured
Fri, September 1, 6-9pm
Word to the Wise
Carris Adams, Laura Bernstein, Elisabeth Blair and Catron Booker. Curated by Ann Meisinger.
ACRE Projects (1345 W 19th St)
Free
Thurs, September 7, 6-8pm
DPAM Opening Reception for Fall Exhibitions
Ângela Ferreira: Zip Zap and Zumbi + Senga Nengudi: Improvisational Gestures
DePaul Art Museum (935 W. Fullerton Ave)
Free
Sat, September 9, 7-10pm
Quiet Storm
Featuring Ayanah Moor + Krista Franklin
Produce Model Gallery (1007 W 19th St, Ste 1)
Free
Sat, September 9, 5-8pm
Jennifer Packer: Tenderheaded
The Renaissance Society (5811 S Ellis Ave)
Free
Wed, September 13, 5-9pm
Here Hear Chicago: Jeanne Gang + Nick Cave
Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave)
Free
Fri, September 15, 5-8pm
¡Sí, Se Puede!
Featuring Victor Alemán, William Estrada, Ian Kerstetter, Victoria Martinez, Nicole Marroquin, and Gloria “Gloe” Talamantes, with murals by Hector Duarte and Sam Kirk.
Glass Curtain Gallery (1104 S Wabash Ave)
Free
Sat, September 16, 10am-8pm
64th American Indian Center Powwow
American Indian Center – Chicago (3401 W. Ainslie St)
$5-$10
Wed, September 27, 6-7:30pm
Janet Dees and Grace Deveney on Carrie Mae Weems
Block Museum (40 Arts Circle Dr, Evanston)
Free
Fri, September 29, 3-4pm
Conversation: Cauleen Smith and Lisa Lowe
Art Institute of Chicago, Price Auditorium (111 S Michigan Ave)
Free with museum admission
September Art Picks
September 1-4
28th Annual African Festival of the Arts
African Festival of the Arts (5100 S Cottage Grove Ave)
$5-40
September 2017
The Floating Museum @ Expo Chicago
Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave)
Free
August 30- September 10
Chicago Fringe Festival 2017
Jefferson Park (4822 N. Long Ave)
$10
Fri, September 1, 11am-2pm
Mural Unveiling: Oscar López Rivera
La Bruquena (2726 W Division St)
Free
Fri, September 1, 6-10pm
New School / Old City
Pilsen Outpost (1958 W 21st St)
Free
Fri, September 1, 5-9pm
Stomping Grounds Open Stage: Featuring Freddie Old Soul
Chicago Art Department (1932 S Halsted St)
Free
Fri, September 1, 10pm
13th Annual Hereafterfest 2017
Hunter International Gallery (3800 S Michigan Ave)
$20
Sat, September 2, 7pm-12am
AfroBang Presents: Carnival
Que4 radio (2643 W Chicago Ave)
$10-40
Sat, September 2, 8:30-9:30pm
Chicago Jazz Fest – Ellabration: 100 Years of Ella Fitzgerald
Jay Pritzker Pavilion: Millennium Park (201 E Randolph St)
Free
Sat, September 2, 6-10pm
Alex Senna “Anamnesis”
Vertical Gallery (1016 N Western Ave)
Free
Wed, September 5, 5-7pm
Portraits of Nikki Giovanni
DuSable Museum of African American History (740 E 56th Pl)
Free
Wed, September 5, 6-8pm
Eve Ewing’s Electric Arches Launch Party
Marwen (833 N Orleans St)
$10
Thurs, September 7, 5-7pm
Body Work
Ralph Arnold Gallery (1131 W Sheridan Rd)
Free
Thurs, September 7, 6-7pm
Kellie Jones with Romi Crawford
The Art Institute of Chicago (111 S Michigan Ave)
Free
Thurs, September 7, 7pm
Surprise! Death Is Not the End
Links Hall (3111 N Western Ave)
$15
Thurs, September 7, 7-9pm
LatinXchicago
Presented by Young Chicago Authors, hosted by Luis Carranza
Rootwork Gallery (645 W 18th St)
Free
September 8-9
Ragamala: A Celebration of Indian Classical Music and Dance
Chicago Cultural Center (78 E Washington St)
Free
Fri, September 8 – 10th
Meeting of Styles 2017
Various locations, see the schedule here.
Free
Fri, September 8, 5-7:30pm
Exhibition Opening: Nathaniel Mary Quinn and James Wines
Rhona Hoffman Gallery (118 N Peoria St)
Free
September 8-24
World Music Festival Chicago
Various Locations
Free
Fri, September 8, 5-8pm
Let Me Be an Object that Screams
Gallery 400 (400 S Peoria St)
Free
Fri, September 8, 5-8pm
Cassie Marie Edwards: Figurine II/ Paintings
Aron Packer Projects at Chicago Gallery News (213 W Institute Pl, Suite 309)
Free
Fri, September 8, 6-9pm
Project Tool – Instigation Festival Edition
Dorchester Art + Housing Collaborative (1456 E 70th St)
Free
Fri, September 8, 6-9pm
Afrobeat: Underground System and Kimosha P. Murphy
Spirit Of Music Garden, Grant Park (601 S Michigan Ave)
Free
Fri, September 8, 6-9pm
Maya Mackrandilal: ANTI/body
boundary (2334 W 111th Pl)
Free
Fri, September 8, 7-9pm
The ANNUAL: The Shortest Distance Between Two Points
Chicago Artists Coalition (217 N Carpenter St)
Free
Fri, Sept 8, 5-8pm
It Never Really Lands
Roots & Culture (1034 N Milwaukee Ave)
Free
Fri, September 8, 7-10pm
Yollocalli Fundraiser!
National Museum of Mexican Art (1852 W 19th St)
$30-40
Sat, September 9, 7-10pm
In These Times’ 41st Anniversary Party!
Union League Club of Chicago (65 W Jackson Blvd)
$50-100
Sat, September 9, 6-9pm
Marina Miliou-Theocharaki and Sanaz Sohrabi: States of Prose
Roman Susan (1224 West Loyola Avenue)
Free
September 9-10
Renegade Craft Fair Chicago
Renegade Craft (Division St between Damen and Ashland)
Free
Sat, September 9, 4-7pm
Opening reception: Nate Young / Karen Reimer / Amanda Williams
Monique Meloche Gallery (2154 W Division St.)
Free
Sat, September 9, 2-4pm
Senga Nengudi: Gallery Talk and R.S.V.P. Activation
DePaul Art Museum (935 W Fullerton Ave)
Free
Sat, September 9, 6-9pm
Roberto Salas: Old World/New World
LALUZ Gallery (1545 W 18th St)
Free
Sat, September 9, 3-9pm
70th Anniversary of India’s Independence
Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park (201 E Randolph St)
Free
Sat, September 9, 5-7pm
Norman W. Long / Doug DeWitt solo exhibition openings
Ignition Project Space (3839 W Grand Ave)
Free
Sat, September 9, 5pm-12am
Revolutionary Art Party
The Dojo
Free
Sat, September 9, 6-9pm
Coming of Age
Featuring Rebecca Beachy, Rhonda Holberton, Essi Kausalainen, Takahiro Iwasaki, Aki Inomata, Ebony G. Patterson, + Tsherin Sherpa.
Sector 2337 (2337 N Milwaukee Ave)
Free
Sat, September 9, 8:30-10pm
The Instigation Orchestra with The Djasporas
Constellation Chicago (3111 N Western Ave)
$15
Sat, September 9, 9pm-12am
African Caribbean Boat Party 2017
DuSable Harbor (111 N Lake Shore Dr)
$50-65
Sat, September 9, 9pm-3am
Party Noire Presents: We’re Turning Two, Y’a’ll!
The Promontory (5311 S Lake Park Ave)
$10-15
Sat, September 9, 4-8pm
Opening Reception: Chris Silva / Women’s Group Show
Linda Warren Projects (327 N Aberdeen St Ste 151)
Free
Sun, September 10, 2-5pm
James Jankowiak: Altered Translation
Corner (2912 N Milwaukee Ave)
Free
Sun, September 10, 1-4pm
Water Music on the Beach
Thorndale Avenue Beach (5915 N Sheridan Rd)
Free
Sun, September 10, 1-5pm
LockerRoomTalk
South of the Tracks (4223 W Lake St)
Free
Mon, September 11, 7-9pm
A Conversation with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Auditorium Theatre (50 E Congress Pkwy)
$25-68
Tues, September 12 – December 10, 2017
Carrie Mae Weems: Ritual and Revolution
The Block Museum (40 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston)
Free
Tues, September 12, 4-7pm
Tony Lewis: Howling
Shane Campbell Gallery (2021 S Wabash Ave)
Free
Tues, September 12, 5:30-8pm
Tuesdays on the Terrace: Ari Brown Quintet
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E Chicago Ave)
Free
Tues, September 12, 6-7pm
Segunda Semana
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E Chicago Ave)
Free
Tues, September 12, 6:30-9pm
University of Chicago Writer’s Studio Class: Resistance Writing
American Writers Museum (180 N. Michigan Ave)
Free
Tues, September 12, 8-11pm
Singing Stones | Palais de Tokyo for EXPO Chicago
Featuring Wilfrid Almendra, Daniel G. Baird, Floating Museum, Dorian Gaudin, Lola Gonzàlez, Bouchra Khalili, Guillaume Leblon, Florian Pugnaire & David Raffini, Cauleen Smith, Thomas Neurali, Raphaël Zarka, and Andrew Schachman
DuSable Museum of African American History (740 E 56th Pl)
Free
September 13-17
EXPO CHICAGO 2017
Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave)
$20-40
Wed, September 13, 5-9pm
Vernissage at Expo Chicago
Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave)
$100-125
September 13-17
3Arts + 6018North present VIP: Very Important Platforms
with Aram Han Sifuentes and Onyx Ozuzu
Free with Expo Chicago Admission
Wed, September 13, 12pm
Express Talk: Cauleen Smith: Human_3.0 Reading List
Art Institute of Chicago, Goldman Galleries (111 S Michigan Ave)
Free with Museum Admission
Wed, September 13, 7:30pm
MCA Talk: Solange Knowles
in conversation with Britt Julious
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E Chicago Ave)
$10-20
Wed, September 13, 8pm-12am
Black Family Reunion
Reunion Chicago (2557 W North Ave)
Free
Thurs, September 14, 12-6pm
Dialogues | Thursday, September 14
Navy Pier (600 E Grand Ave)
$20-40
Thurs, September 14, 6-7pm
Conversation: The Gathering—Collective Knowing
The Art Institute of Chicago (111 S Michigan Ave)
Free
Thurs, September 14, 6-8pm
David Hartt: in the forest
Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts (4 W Burton Pl)
Free
Fri, September 15, 5-9pm
Take Care
Weinberg/Newton Gallery (300 W Superior St)
Free
Fri, September 15, 6:30-9pm
Apichatpong Weerasethakul: The Serenity of Madness
Sullivan Galleries at SAIC (33 S State St., 7th fl)
Free
Fri, September 15, 7pm
Spectrum
Links Hall (3111 N Western Ave)
$15
Fri, September 15, 6pm-12am
Jackets Required
Co-Prosperity Sphere (3219 S Morgan St)
Free
September 16, 2017- March 4, 2018
Michael Rakowitz: Backstroke Of The West
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E Chicago Ave)
$8-15 (Free on Tuesday for Illinois Residents)
Sat, September 16, 2-3:30pm
Wabash Arts Corridor Street Level: Tour
The Hokin Project (623 S Wabash Ave)
Free
Sat, September 16, 6-8pm
E’mon Lauren: Commando, Book Release Party
Young Chicago Authors (1180 N Milwaukee Ave)
Free
September 16 – January 7, 2018
Chicago Architecture Biennial: Make New History
Various Locations
Click here for more details
Sat, September 16, 1:30-3:30pm
Black Girls Gather: Chicago
GoLucky Studios (1100 W Cermak Rd)
$19
Mon, September 18, 5:30-8:30pm
Literature & Libations
American Writers Museum (180 N Michigan Ave)
$30-45
Tues, September 19, 4:30-6pm
Claiming Space: Creative Grounds and Freedom Summer School
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (800 S Halsted St)
Free
Tues, September 19, 2017, 6-7:30pm
Apichatpong Weerasethakul
The Art Institute of Chicago, Rubloff Auditorium (230 S Columbus Dr)
Free
Tues, September 19, 6-7:30pm
Between States
Chicago Architecture Foundation (224 S Michigan Ave)
Free
Tues, September 19, 6-9pm
Who Fights for Our Schools?
Jane Addams Hull-House Museum (800 S Halsted St)
Free
September 22 – November 17
Rare Earth
A speakeasy of sound and images organized by Theaster Gates
Schedule: Opening Reception: Kiara Lanier Friday, September 22 • 6–8pm; Duane Powell Thursday, September 28 • 6:30–7:30pm; DJ Selah Say Thursday, October 5 • 6:30–7:30pm; Josh Abrams Thursday, October 12 • 6:30–7:30pm; Growing Concerns Poetry Collective Thursday, October 19 • 6:30–7:30pm
Arts Incubator (301 East Garfield Blvd)
Free
Sat + Sun, September 23-24
2017 Hyde Park Jazz Festival
Various Locations
$5-125 suggested donation
Sat, September 23, 2-4pm
Art Smart Conversation between Patric McCoy and Stephen Jones
Hyde Park Art Center (5020 S Cornell Ave)
Free
Sat, September 23, 6-9pm
The Chapuisat Brothers: In Wood We Trust
6018NORTH (6018 N Kenmore Ave)
Free
Sat, September 23, 4-5pm
Listening to the Wall
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts (915 E 60th St)
Free
Sat, September 23, 7-11pm
MCA Prime Time: Off Rack
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E Chicago Ave)
$20
Mon, September 25, 7-10pm
Option: Rafael Toral
Experimental Sound Studio (5925 N Ravenswood Ave)
$8-10
Tue, September 26, 5:30-8pm
Tuesdays on the Terrace: Mikel Patrick Avery PLAY
Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (220 E Chicago Ave)
Free
Wed, September 27, 6-7pm
The Annual: Curator Talk and Tour
Chicago Artists Coalition (217 N Carpenter St)
Free
Fri, September 29, 6-7:30pm
Elise Archias & Blake Stimson: The Concrete Body
The Seminary Co-op Bookstores (5751 S Woodlawn Ave)
Free
Sat, September 30, 4-10pm
Black Eutopia Festival
Union Park (1501 W Randolph St)
Free, RSVP here
Sat, September 30, 11pm
Avery R Young & De Deacon Board
California Clipper (1002 N California Ave)
$5
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Featured Image: From the 63rd American Indian Center Powwow in 2016. Join them for the next one on Saturday, September 16th. Image courtesy of the American Indian Center.
