cat mahari’s blk ark: the impossible manifestation is an interactive performance and installation, with live, semi-improvisational sound, hip-hop and house dance, and film. By exploring improvisational and Black cultural strategies of play, learned from joanin’ and the soul clap, mahari presents modes of survival and liberation, revealing questions about what it will take to find freedom and map the road ahead for our collective futures.
While the audience is encouraged to interact with the installation before or after attending the performance, the installation and performances may be experienced individually, offering two modes of engaging the ideas central to the project.
Accessibility: English CART captioning is available for the performance on Sunday, September 29, and wheelchair accessible.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/cat-mahari-blk-ark-the-impossible-manifestation/
Lykanthea is a multidisciplinary collective led by artist Lakshmi Ramgopal, whose performances and installations use pop idioms to experiment with traditional South Asian art forms. Her latest work, Some Viscera, is a collection of song and movement accompanied by immersive stage design that explores childhood, kinship, and memory in the contemporary Indian-American diaspora. The project features a multidisciplinary core ensemble starring Asha Rowland, Erica Miller, Johanna Brock, and Ben Zucker. Together, they integrate elements of Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam dance, Sanskrit and Tamil poetry, Baroque chamber music, and free improvisation to perform rich, intimate dance theater.
The premiere of Some Viscera occurs within the frame of the arangetram, a Tamil word meaning “ascending the stage.” It describes the arduous, long-form, solo performance through which students of classical Indian dance and music debut as mature artists—a celebrated but fraught rite of passage. The arangetram of Some Viscera consists of four principal movements. Each invokes avian and floral motifs from sources that include ancient classical dance and music, medieval Sanskrit poetry, the literary culture of India’s independence movement, and Indian films of the late 1990s. By creating this fanciful world, the movements reflect on cultural knowledge and breakdown.
Lykanthea presented an early iteration of Some Viscera in 2019 as a part of the MCA’s In Progress series.
Masks must be worn during the performance per the artist’s request.
English CART captioning is available for the performance on Friday, September 27.
Live plants, including roses and marigolds, are present during the performance. If you are concerned about allergies, please call the MCA Box Office for more information.
Accessibility includes CART captioning (Sept 27th performance only), wheelchair accessibility.
Millennium Park Summer Music Series features a wide variety of music from established and emerging artists at the iconic Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Corinne Bailey Rae
English singer/songwriter/musician Corinne Bailey Rae shot to stardom with her self- titled #1 U.K. debut album in 2006, featuring the global hits “Put Your Records On” and “Like A Star.” Over the course of her career she has released four critically acclaimed studio albums—Corinne Bailey Rae, The Sea, The Heart Speaks in Whispers, and Black Rainbows—and earned two Grammy Awards, two MOBOS, and has been nominated for multiple awards including the BRIT Awards, Mercury Music Prize and BET Awards. Her work for film and television includes the theme to Stan Lee’s Lucky Man (SKY1), “The Scientist” for Universal Pictures’ Fifty Shades Darker opening title and soundtrack which charted globally, and in 2020 her song “New to Me” was performed in the film The High Note by Tracee Ellis Ross. Bailey Rae has collaborated with a wide range of artists including Mary J. Blige, Al Green, Herbie Hancock, KING, Paul McCartney, Kele Okereke, Eric Benet, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Questlove, Salaam Rami, RZA, Tyler The Creator, Paul Weller, Richard Hawley, Stevie Wonder, Tracey Thorn, Pharrell, Logic, Mick Jenkins and many more.
Terrace Martin
A five-time GRAMMY-nominated artist, producer and multi-instrumentalist from LA’s Crenshaw District, Terrace Martin is renowned as one of the world’s leading jazz musicians AND hip-hop producers. This singular standing is captured on his countless influential collaborations including Kendrick Lamar (good kid, M.A.A.D. city & To Pimp a Butterfly), Stevie Wonder, Travis Scott, Rihanna, Snoop Dogg, Herbie Hancock, and Leon Bridges’ “Sweeter” (performed at the DNC). From his own acclaimed releases like the protest anthem “PIG FEET”, and his GRAMMY-nominated, star studded album, DRONES (featuring Kendrick, YG, Leon Bridges, Cordae, and more) to the GRAMMY-nominated Dinner Party (The musical supergroup of Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, Kamasi Washington and 9th Wonder), and his most recent single “Chucks (feat. Channel Tres)”. Among the most versatile creatives in a generation, Terrace’s path is leading him in parallel with the greats like Quincy Jones or Dr. Dre, while also launching his vibrant, progressive, genre-crossing record label record label Sounds of Crenshaw.
This event includes ASL interpretation, wheelchair accessibility, assistive listening devices, audio description, digital programs, and large print programs.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park9.html
Millennium Park Summer Music Series features a wide variety of music from established and emerging artists at the iconic Jay Pritzker Pavilion.
Béla Fleck
Few musicians in any category seem as uncategorizable as Béla Fleck. After initially making his mark with the progressive bluegrass group New Grass Revival, Fleck proceeded to take his instrument, as New York Times critic Jon Pareles noted, “to some very unlikely places.” He formed the Flecktones, a groundbreaking group whose repertoire ranged from fusion to Bach; the group celebrates its 46th anniversary this year. In addition, he has played jazz with Chick Corea, American roots with his partner, banjoist Abigail Washburn, written concertos for banjo and orchestra, and created a documentary film and album, Throw Down Your Heart, that examined the banjo’s African roots. Along the way, he has won 18 Grammys across 10 categories.
Zakir Hussain
The pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Zakir Hussain is appreciated as one of the world’s most esteemed and influential musicians, one whose mastery of his percussion instrument has taken it to a new level, transcending cultures and national borders. A child prodigy, accompanying India’s greatest musicians and dancers from his early years, and touring internationally while still in his teens, Zakir has been at the helm of many genre-defying collaborations including Shakti, Remember Shakti, Masters of Percussion, Diga, Tabla Beat Science, CrossCurrents, Sangam and Grammy-award winners Planet Drum and Global Drum Project. A revered composer and educator, Zakir is the recipient of countless honors, most recently the 2022 Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy, the 2022 Aga Khan Music Award for Lifetime Achievement, and in January, 2023, the title of Padma Vibhushan, India’s second highest civilian award.
Edgar Meyer
Aptly described by The New Yorker as “the most remarkable virtuoso in the relatively un-chronicled history of his instrument,” double bassist and composer Edgar Meyer is at home in a broad spectrum of musical styles. A MacArthur Fellow and Avery Fisher Prize winner, he is eminently at home within classical music, both performing traditional works and also his significant catalog of original solo, chamber, and orchestral pieces. His 30-year relationship with Yo-Yo Ma has yielded seven recordings together, and his upcoming projects include a duo recording with jazz bassist Christian McBride and a recording of all four of his concertos with the Knights and the Scottish Ensemble, produced by Chis Thile.
Rakesh Chaurasia
Like Zakir Hussain, Rakesh Chaurasia comes from Indian classical music royalty. His uncle, Pandit Hariprasad Chaursia, is widely considered the greatest bansuri player in India, and Rakesh — who started playing at age five — is deemed his most brilliant student. Not only has he mastered the techniques of Indian classical music, he has developed additional techniques allowing him to venture into other styles of playing, particularly with his crossover band Rakesh and Friends. A composer as well as flautist, he has written and performed on numerous Indian movie soundtracks, and in 2007 was awarded the Indian Music Academy Award.
This event includes ASL interpretation, wheelchair accessibility, assistive listening devices, captioning, open captioning, digital programs, and large print programs.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park9.html
This summer, DCASE is pleased to present the Millennium Park Summer Film Series, presented by Pluto TV, on Tuesdays from July 16 through August 20. Films start at 6:30pm (with the exception of the double feature starting at 6pm). All films are open caption. Gates open at 5pm.
Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or lounge on the Great Lawn as crowd-pleasing movies are presented on the state-of- the-art, 40-foot LED screen. Address for Paratransit is 201 E. Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601. For more information about accessibility at Millennium Park visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park1.html.
In partnership with the Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals (CAFF), each screening will also showcase one of the many independent film festivals that are a part of Chicago’s vibrant film community.
August 13 – Wonka
(116 minutes, PG)
Highlighting the 40th anniversary of Chicago International Children’s Film Festival
Starring Timothée Chalamet, this 2023 musical fantasy film tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, a character in the 1964 novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” by Roald Dahl, depicting his early days as an innovative chocolatier.
This event includes wheelchair accessibility, assistive listening devices, accessible seating, open captioning, and large print programs.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park7.html
This summer, DCASE is pleased to present the Millennium Park Summer Film Series, presented by Pluto TV, on Tuesdays from July 16 through August 20. Films start at 6:30pm (with the exception of the double feature starting at 6pm). All films are open caption. Gates open at 5pm.
Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or lounge on the Great Lawn as crowd-pleasing movies are presented on the state-of- the-art, 40-foot LED screen. Address for Paratransit is 201 E. Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601. For more information about accessibility at Millennium Park visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park1.html.
In partnership with the Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals (CAFF), each screening will also showcase one of the many independent film festivals that are a part of Chicago’s vibrant film community.
July 30 – Barbie
(114 minutes, PG-13)
Highlighting the one-year anniversary the launch of Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals
Nominated for eight Academy Awards, Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.
This event includes wheelchair accessibility, assistive listening devices, accessible seating, open captioning, and large print programs.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park7.html
This summer, DCASE is pleased to present the Millennium Park Summer Film Series, presented by Pluto TV, on Tuesdays from July 16 through August 20. Films start at 6:30pm (with the exception of the double feature starting at 6pm). All films are open caption. Gates open at 5pm.
Guests may take a seat at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion or lounge on the Great Lawn as crowd-pleasing movies are presented on the state-of- the-art, 40-foot LED screen. Address for Paratransit is 201 E. Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60601. For more information about accessibility at Millennium Park visit https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park1.html.
In partnership with the Chicago Alliance of Film Festivals (CAFF), each screening will also showcase one of the many independent film festivals that are a part of Chicago’s vibrant film community.
July 23 – Coco
(105 minutes, PG) (Played in English audio with Spanish subtitles)
Highlighting the 40th anniversary of Chicago Latino Film Festival
From Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.
This event includes wheelchair accessibility, assistive listening devices, accessible seating, open captioning, Spanish captioning, and large print programs.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/millennium_park7.html
The Chicago Air and Water Show presented by the City of Chicago is the largest FREE show of its kind in the United States. The show can be viewed along the lakefront from Fullerton to Oak Street, with North Avenue Beach as the focal point.
This event includes audio description and wheelchair accessibility.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_air_and_watershow.html
Summer Tuesdays come alive on the MCA terrace with free concerts highlighting artists from Chicago’s internationally renowned music community. Enjoy live music while relaxing on the lawn with your own picnic, or savor snacks and drinks available for purchase. Then head inside to catch the MCA’s summer exhibitions—we’re open late on Tuesdays and free for Illinois residents.
This Tuesday enjoy the soulful sounds of Rudy de Anda, whose romantic bilingual songs are the perfect company for a summer night.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/tuesdays-on-the-terrace-rudy-de-anda/
This event is wheelchair accessible.
Summer Tuesdays come alive on the MCA terrace with free concerts highlighting artists from Chicago’s internationally renowned music community. Enjoy live music while relaxing on the lawn with your own picnic, or savor snacks and drinks available for purchase. Then head inside to catch the MCA’s summer exhibitions—we’re open late on Tuesdays and free for Illinois residents.
In conjunction with the Guatemalan Consulate, this Tuesday we will be joined by Jorge Morataya-Marimba, whose band will grace the MCA stage to serenade us with the sounds of the Guatemalan national instrument: marimba.
Lineup:
Jorge Morataya
Zuleika Díaz
Carlos Ortiz
Ángel de Leon
Please note that this event will be taking place inside the Edlis Neeson Theater and seating will be limited.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/tuesdays-on-the-terrace-jorge-morataya-marimba/
Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, the renowned composer/librettist team, tell the story of Claire, who is driven nearly mad by an unending, low-frequency hum that she hears. In desperation, she joins a community organization, “The Listeners,” formed to discover the origin of the noise and destroy it. The group becomes frighteningly cult-like, ultimately leading to catastrophic consequences.
Audio Description and Sound Shirts will be available.
Touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the performance at 2:00pm.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/the-listeners/
In the setting of Count Almaviva’s castle, his servants, Figaro and Susanna, conspire to get the better of their willful employer, joined by his long-suffering wife, the Countess. Also on hand is opera’s most lovable pageboy, Cherubino.
Audio Description will be available at this performance and a touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the performance at 2:00pm.
Sound shirt will also be available at this performance.
For more information go to lyricopera.org.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/the-marriage-of-figaro/
Rigoletto, tragically obsessed with avenging his daughter Gilda’s dishonor. The score’s highlights are unforgettable, from Rigoletto’s hair-raising denunciation of the Duke of Mantua’s courtiers, “Cortigiani,” to the immoral, philandering Duke’s “La donna è mobile,” to Gilda’s ecstatic “Caro nome.”
Audio Description & Sound Shirts are available at the performance – more information at lyricopera.org.
Touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the event at 2:00pm.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/rigoletto/
Co-produced by Lyric, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Washington National Opera, the opera presents the moving story of a Black middle-class family in Harlem whose hopes and dreams for their teenage son are shattered when he is shot by a white police officer.
Audio Description will be available and a touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the event at 2:00pm.
Sound Shirt will also be offered on this date.
Please visit lyricopera.org for further information.
Co-produced by Lyric, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Washington National Opera, the opera presents the moving story of a Black middle-class family in Harlem whose hopes and dreams for their teenage son are shattered when he is shot by a white police officer.
Lyric Opera will be offering American Sign Language interpretation as well as the use of Sound Shirts. Please visit lyricopera.org for further information.
Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, the renowned composer/librettist team, tell the story of Claire, who is driven nearly mad by an unending, low-frequency hum that she hears. In desperation, she joins a community organization, “The Listeners,” formed to discover the origin of the noise and destroy it. The group becomes frighteningly cult-like, ultimately leading to catastrophic consequences.
This performance will have both ASL and Sound Shirts, please visit lyricopera.org for more information.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/the-listeners/
Leonore, who disguises herself as a young man in order to work in the prison, hoping to rescue her husband.
Accessibility: SoundShirt, audio description, and touch tour.
Touch tour starting at 12:00pm before the performance at 2:00pm
On Sunday, June 23 from 10am to 3pm, Lincoln Park Zoo will host Sensory-Friendly Day at Farm-in-the-Zoo. Modifications include limited capacity. This is a free event, but it does require advanced registration. Please register HERE.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sensory-friendly-day-at-farm-in-the-zoo-tickets-910936173617
Sensory-Friendly Day at Farm-in-the-Zoo is a free program for all people who benefit from visiting the zoo without crowds and other sensitive environmental elements. This includes guests with sensory sensitivities, disabilities, autism, PTSD, and dementia to name a few. All guests are welcome at Sensory-Friendly Day.
During Sensory-Friendly Day at Farm-in-the-Zoo animal buildings may be open, but some animals may not be in their public viewing spaces. There will also be low sensory activities.
Timed Entry Window: While registered guests will be let in before or after their one-hour timed entry window, guests are strongly encouraged to come during their timed entry window to help limit crowd sizes. Limited crowd sizes is one of the most important ways to make this day sensory-friendly. Thank you.
View the zoo’s accessibility map HERE and accessibility page HERE to help plan your visit.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Please download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo social story. iOS Android
Upon arrival guests need to present their registration email to zoo ushers. This event is only happening at Farm-in-the-Zoo. The rest of Lincoln Park Zoo will have typical operations for the day.
Paid parking is available at the zoo’s parking lot located at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2400 N. Cannon Drive). The zoo is also accessible by train via the Armitage and Fullerton stations and by bus via the 22, 36, 151, and 156 routes.
All Lincoln Park Zoo events take place rain or shine.
There is no smoking at Lincoln Park Zoo for the health of the animals in our care.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
For any questions, please email access@lpzoo.org.
Accessible Juneteenth 2024
Tuesday, June 18th, 2024
4pm to 7:30pm
Welcome and Announcements at 4:30pm
Open Mic & Showcase at 5:30pm
Place: the UIC Quad (behind UIC Student Center East); 750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL. See the map at https://go.uic.edu/2024_AccessibleJuneteenth_Map for more details on where the Quad is located, which public transportation stops and garages are nearby, and where paratransit and rideshare can pick/drop you off.
Date and Time: Tuesday, June 18th, 2024 from 4pm to 7:30pm
Come and celebrate our fourth Juneteenth, when we celebrate the black disability community and the victories we accomplished! We want to make Juneteenth a fun and essential accessible experience for all, including disabled people in the African Diaspora. The theme for the 4th Annual Accessible Juneteenth celebration is Black National Anthems.
This year, we will have a DJ who will bless us with music fit for our Accessible Juneteenth celebration. We will kick the evening of performances off with Domo Moons’ rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” We will host an open mic where you can share your talents in singing, spoken word, playing instruments, and more! Sign up for the open mic at go.uic.edu/OpenMicJuneteenth or at the event in-person. But hurry, because spots are limited! Don’t miss feature performances from RISE, DomoMoon, Victoria Boateng, Cherlnell Lane, Complex Theory and MORE Special Guests.
There will be food, giveaways, and resources given out by vendors, including those from Black-owned and disability-owned/friendly organizations and businesses.
ASL and captioning will be provided for the open mic and showcase portion. In care of immunocompromised people in our community, masking is required for our indoor spaces. We’ll have extras on hand!
If you cannot attend the celebration in person, that is okay! Watch the live stream on Chicagoland DPOCC’s Facebook page (@ChiDPOCC) on June 18th.
This event is brought to you by:
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition
The Institute on Disability and Human Development
UIC Disability Cultural Center
UIC Black Studies
UIC Black Cultural Center
Access Living
NIDILRR : National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research
DCAL : The Disability Culture Activism Lab
Shirley Ryan Ability Lab
UIC Black Cultural Center
Raising Cane’s
IPlayGames
Cook It Mama
MORE Sponsors and Vendors to be announced, stay tuned!
In these short films from the queer underground, unruly rebels trespass, shoplift, scheme, skate, surf, fuck, and joyfully plot their revenge on a society which seeks to punish deviance. Featuring a live DJ set by easygoingtech at 9pm.
America loves outlaws. Curious paradox: a police state which valorizes those who don’t fall in line, provided they have the right combination of individualism and normative appeal. Our ideal outlaws can transgress for themselves, for family, maybe for a love interest—but never for a group. Never for a community. Above all, our mythic outlaw, whatever his motivations, works alone. The valorized American outlaw-hero could either be a criminal living in bold defiance of the law or an upright citizen forced to tragically buck the rules of society due to unusual circumstances. But what about those who can neither disregard the law nor take temporary hiatus from its approval? Those for whom adhering to the rules of society means destruction?
Stealing testosterone to redistribute to trans men, trespassing to dance, shoplifting to feed your friends, defiling a colonizer’s grave, assassinating a billionaire: these short films find in criminality the potential for new social forms, beautiful acts of love, and collective liberation. The rules are fucked up. Why not break them?
7:30pm show will be followed by a Q&A with “The Beach Boys” writer/director Milo Talwani, moderated by program curator Henry Hanson with Live CART captioning.
THE FILMS
Hormonal (Maz Murray, 2023) 12:22, UK
Young trans guy Gary catches eyes with brooding trans geezer Ian across the square of their Essex hometown, and unwittingly walks into a testosterone heist plot… (Instagram: @maz_murray @chazzamnazza_makesstuf)
Cicada (FRANK/ie CONSENT, 2021) 6:30, USA
A single-take dance video shot in an abandoned industrial lot, set to a radio broadcast switching between music and Trump-era punditry. Used tires, hula hoops, cereal, chalk circles, and a burning mattress. (Instagram: @soysage)
Skate Bitches (Samuel Shanahoy, 2012) 17:10, Australia
A DIY film about an all-girl skate gang who steal each other candy, terrorize the streets and are BFF’s. Will the gang survive the drama of a new girl on the block? (Instagram: @teeveedinner)
FUCK THE FASCISM – The Crossroad of Two Worlds (MariaBasura, 2020) 9:35, Chile
A group of queer activists take revenge on colonizers past and present through guerilla pornography. (Instagram: @basurapandemicx_2.0)
Play Structure (FRANK/ie CONSENT, 2020) 2:28, USA
In this mixed-media music video combining live action and various animation styles, mischief-makers dance in the burning streets of Atlanta. (Instagram: @soysage)
The Beach Boys (Milo Talwani, 2024) 20:32, USA
Two trans surfer bros are on a mission to suicide bomb Jeff Bezos…but not before spending one last, perfect day riding epic waves and smoking dank kush. (Instagram: @autobimbophilia)
https://facets.org/programs/disorderly-conduct/
This salon-style gathering invites attendees to share and discuss artwork, short performances/readings, clips, scenes, and anything else they might be working on. Sharing a project is optional. For those who wish to share, projects in any medium are welcome: time-based work (video, dance, song, spoken word, etc) should be limited to five minutes and any fine art should not require installation.
The event will begin with a short welcome and introduction to the Art/Access Lab series presented by HCL and UDF. The rest of the event will consist of short showings interspersed with time to mingle with fellow artists with disabilities.
Virtual attendees will have the option of attending the showings and discussions in the main zoom space or breaking off into smaller groups through break out rooms.
The event is intended to be relaxed, with attendees invited to come, go, and participate in whatever way feels best for them. The event will wrap with a short announcement of upcoming Arts/Access Labs and information about how to participate in future gatherings, including paid opportunities to show works-in-progress.
We encourage those who would like to share to sign up through the registration form. When possible, we will also accommodate day-of sign ups.
A few more logistics about sharing projects:
Digital files can be submitted in advance to info@highconceptlabs.org or brought to the event on a USB drive.
A projector, mixing board, microphone, and speakers will be available for use.
Small items (visual art, crafts, etc.) may be passed around among attendees.
Other visual art may be free standing or leaned against a wall.
Text-based work may be read aloud by the artist, or another attendee.
HCL and UDF staff are happy to provide additional support as needed.
Who Should Attend
Art/Access Labs are centered around artists with a lived experience of disability including Deaf, disabled, sick, neurodivergent, and Mad artists, and those working through their relationship to these categories, working in all mediums, with anyone who is invested in fostering a vibrant creative ecosystem inclusive of artists with disabilities.
RSVP
Advanced registration is appreciated but not required.
https://highconceptlabs.org/events/art-access-lab-welcome-salon
A showcase of The Second City’s Victor Wong Fellows. The Victor Wong Fellowship is an intensive program at The Second City that mentors & trains talented Asian / Asian American identifying artists.
Accessibility: ASL Interpreted, assistive listening devices, and wheelchair accessbile.
https://secondcityus.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0FTP000000Gh932AC
This Mother’s Day weekend, celebrate the art of composers with disabilities from around the world! This program, presented in collaboration with the UIC Disability Cultural Center, is free and open to everyone. It includes the world premiere of “Consolation of Persephone,” created in collaboration with Momenta Dance Company, with choreography commissioned of Connor Cornelius, music commissioned of Karen Brown, and danced by Laddona Freidheim and her daughter Hana Javed! Hear also the world premiere of “In B-Flat” by Brazilian composer Andersen Viana, plus music by composers from Haiti, the UK, South Africa, and the US, including music from the amazing talents of Thomas “Blind Tom” Wiggins, arranged for Crossing Borders Music by AJ Isaacson-Zvidzwa!
Momenta Dance Company cultivates and presents repertory and contemporary dance works that strive to educate, innovate and amplify the artistry of students and professionals, inclusive of artists with disabilities. Momenta was founded by Stephanie Clemens, Larry Ippel and James Tenuta in 1983, and in 2003 expanded its repertory to include physically integrated works for dancers with and without disabilities. Learn more at momentadances.org
Ladonna Freidheim, founder of ReinventAbility, is passionate about inclusion, dance, science, and joy! An award winning leader in the arts, disability inclusion specialist, and formally trained dancer; Ladonna grew up a bun-headed baby ballerina dancing around Chicago. After a degenerative disability ended her ballerina life, she recovered from surgeries with future paralympic athletes who introduced her to disability culture. With the aid of braces and a cane or crutches she is able to navigate the world much of the time, but it is Ladonna’s wheelchair that has restored her dancers soul. She currently performs with the MOMENTA Dance Company. Ladonna is honored to have received a 2023 Leadership in Dance Award and the Rhythm Within Award and has been nominated for 3Arts Awards in dance and education. Ladonna has served on a number of Boards of Directors, currently for See Chicago Dance, and is on the Chicago ArtsEd Leadership Committee.
Hana Angelina Freidheim Javed is a formally trained singer, dancer, and writer who attends the University of Chicago Lab High School. At only 17 years of age, she has performed extensively at the Civic Opera House, Symphony Center, Harris Theater, Navy Pier, Ravinia and Millennium Park music festivals with the Lyric Opera, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, MOMENTA Dance Company, and the Chicago Opera Theater. Hana is the much beloved only child of Ladonna Freidheim, an Irish-Catholic Chicago born arts professional (bio above), and Adil Javed, a Pakistani-Muslim born into abject poverty who immigrated to the US at ten years old, going on to earn both an MD and PhD. Hana’s background and status as a person with a disability (a degenerative condition) inform and enrich her arts practice.
Covid safety: Masking is encouraged, and we will have extra masks available. More masking means more safety for immunocompromised members of our community.
Access information:
This season of Crossing Borders Music performances is made possible through the support of the Paul M Angell Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Music USA Organizational Development Fund, the John R Halligan Fund, and CliffDwellers Foundation. Crossing Borders Music acknowledges the support of the Illinois Arts Council. Generous support provided by the UIC Disability Cultural Center through Cripping the Arts, a University of Illinois Presidential Initiative for Expanding the Impact of the Arts and the Humanities.
Pictured: Momenta Dance Company’s Facebook profile picture of two women wearing flowing white dresses, both in wheelchairs, facing one another with arms gracefully lifted.
Diana, Dan, Natalie, and Gabe all seem like one big happy bi-racial Hindu-Punjabi South Asian family living in the Chicago Suburbs. Dan works an office job. Diana is a stay at home mother. Gabe is the star athlete at his school. Natalie is a straight-A student and has a wonderful boyfriend, Henry. However, their world is anything but normal. Diana has been battling bipolar disorder for the past 16 years. Dan has spent these 16 years trying to take care of his wife, along with the help of–while simultaneously neglecting–their kids, Natalie and Gabe. Through faith, religion, medication, trips to the doctor, and family support, NEXT TO NORMAL explores how one family struggles with finding light in the darkness.
South Asia Institute (SAI) was established in 2015 with the mission to cultivate the art and culture of South Asian Americans through curated exhibitions, innovative programs and creative educational initiatives. We aim to amplify South Asian American voices and explore their complexities while staying connected to our larger human family.
Both performances on Saturday, May 19th will feature Open Captions for all dialogue and songs. Matinee begins at 2 PM, evening performance begins at 7 PM.
A work-in-progress sharing, this event will consist of both the movement- and the textual-based research explored over the course of the residency.
ASL is provided for this event.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/dance_residency.html
Love is a universal language; it transcends identity and culture. Love is more than a feeling; it is a tough invitation that encourages sacrifice and commitment. Love is a never-ending journey that is always beginning. But what is love in the absence of compassion and wonder?
#OTVTonight, your favorite intersectional Late Show, returns to MCA Chicago for an intimate evening filled with care and admiration for the stories that help us to cultivate a bond that is strong enough to heal, prepare, and transform unstable foundations.
Join us in the Edlis Neeson Theater for the premiere of handpicked titles inviting us to open a window into love, interspersed with artist interviews, live DJ sets, pop-up performances and more — all hosted by OTV’s Co-Founder and Executive Diva, Elijah McKinnon. Remember, the future of television is intersectional. If you don’t believe it, let OTV show you.
For live updates on #OTVTonight: A Window Into Love, visit bit.ly/otvtonight.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/otvtonight-a-window-into-love/
Join us to celebrate the last Family Day of the season!
Sueños Music Festival will be raffling two pairs of tickets for the Sueños Music Festival event.
Join us as we bring together incredible local artists for a day of workshops and interactive experiences.
Salvador Andrade will be leading a collaborative workshop using found objects that draw inspiration from Mexican textiles.
Mr. Pintamuro, known for his captivating artwork that merges Aztec and Mayan storytelling with Japanese anime, will share his expertise and creativity with families.
Printmaker Atlan Arceo will guide participants of all ages through a workshop on various print techniques for all ages.
The Mexican Consulate of Chicago is collaborating with us to share two stories from Home is Somewhere Else, directed by Carlos Hagerman and Jorge Villalobos, which is a unique and timely animated documentary that tells stories of immigrant youth, exploring each character’s inner world alongside their colorful hopes, and dreams for a better future.
Don’t miss our family workshop, Tell Me About Your Wings, to learn more about the traditional techniques of indigenous cultures in Mexico, such as the Wixárika, in commemoration of Jorge Marín’s sculpture Wings of Mexico.
Last but not least, Borderless Magazine will be conducting family interviews for all ages to highlight stories that will be published in the near future!
Designed and led by Chicago artists, Family Day is a monthly program that allows families and youth to connect and engage with contemporary art through activities and performances for all-ages. Enjoy FREE admission while taking part in workshops, open studio sessions, gallery tours, performances, and more.
Activities are facilitated in English and Spanish with ASL interpretation provided.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/family-day-migration-stories/
In celebration of the opening of Virginia Jaramillo: Principle of Equivalence, join us for a roundtable conversation on Jaramillo’s profound commitment to abstraction with the exhibition’s originating curator, Erin Dziedzic, Catherine Morris, Sackler Senior Curator for the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum, and Iris Colburn, MCA Curatorial Associate.
Please note that Courtney Martin is no longer able to participate.
English and Spanish CART captioning and American Sign Language (ASL) will be provided.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/talk-roundtable-virginia-jaramillo/
Days after the February 1848 revolution, Fryderyk Chopin is teaching a piano lesson in Paris. Set in the Polish pianist-composer’s intimate salon, Chopin shares with his students secrets about the piano and secrets about himself—as well as playing some of his most beautiful and enduring compositions. In a tour de force performance, virtuoso actor/pianist Hershey Felder brings to life the romantic story and music of the man once called the “Poet of the Piano.”
https://www.writerstheatre.org/hershey-felder-s-chopin-in-paris
Watch the city breathe life into the stories of ten local young filmmakers. From documentaries to music videos, this program represents the city’s long-term love affair with art and culture.
Please note: Films in this program contain themes, images, and language that may not be suitable for all ages.
Virtual Screening
Available to stream globally April 22 @ 12:00pm CT through April 28 @ 11:59pm CT for a 48-hour watch window with Closed Captions.
https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/cineyouth2024-chicagolens/
In partnership with former Technical Director Glenn B. Rust’s Graduate Thesis Project, Keep it Going presents an afternoon of new works that you can watch in the theatre or from the comfort of your own home!
Beginning the afternoon we will have Interrobang by Resident Playwright Arlene Malinowski followed by the final performance of Access Fellow Deb Stein’s HAND, Foot, HAND. Following the performances there will be a thirty-minute talkback and an afterparty!
Keep it Going is designed to highlight technologies and practices that allow for more accessible theatre.
-You can join us at the Russ Tutterow Theatre to see the performances in person or virtually at https://www.youtube.com/@chicagodramatists6747
-Live captions will be provided for both in-person and virtual audiences.
-Additional seating will be available both in the house and on the stage including wheelchair accessible seating.
-The event will be a relaxed performance. House lights will remain at half. Audience members are welcome to exit and reenter the space at any point for any reason. We will asked phones be silenced, but texting is allowed. Audience reaction is also encouraged. If something stirs a response out of you, or if you need to ask a question of the folks you’ve come with, feel free!
-Scent & Allergen Free Space
-Masking Recommended
The in-person performance is Pay What You Will with all payments made going to support the Access Fellowship. The Chicago Dramatists Access Fellowship for Deaf & Disabled Artists is in honor of Charles and Dorothy Malinowski, who were revered storytellers in the Deaf Community. Fellows receive two free classes, one free Script Lab, and more!
The virtual performance is completely free!
Whether you’ll be joining us at the Russ Tutterow Theatre or logging in on our YouTube channel to join the talkback in the chat, we cannot wait to see you there!
Accessibility: All-Gender Restrooms, Captioning, Sensory Friendly, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://chicagodramatists.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/chicagodramatists/event.jsp?event=2064&
Soak is a dance-based performance project that emerges from a study of public bathing. This work considers how both dance and bathing practices carve out space to imagine new ways of relating to our bodies and each other. This piece explores the movements of pleasure and leisure, collectively created social space, and the relationship between body, sound, and environment.
Amalia Raye Wiatr Lewis (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist working with living beings, experiences, and objects. Rooted in ecological wonder and an exploration of the sacred, she works with dancers, non-dancers and sound artists to create site-specific performances and public interventions. She holds a BA from Bennington College in Vermont, where she studied choreography, visual art and anthropology, and an MFA from the Trondheim Academy of Fine Art in Trondheim, Norway. She has performed with national and international artists at galleries and museums and has shown her own work in the U.S., Mexico, Norway, France, Germany and Pakistan.
This performance will include ASL Interpretation.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/dance_residency.html
Set sail for an adventure like no other, full of twists and turns. Together we’ll meet indulgent Lotus Eaters and seductive Sirens who test our focus, and face terrifying monsters who test our wit and our courage. As we follow Odysseus on his Journey, the ensemble reflects on choice and agency and the hero in all of us…
A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), is thrilled to return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater this spring with a re-imagining of the epic classic The Odyssey.
A.B.L.E’s production weaves music, movement, shadow puppetry, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful and joyful celebration of the choices we make, and the challenges we face along our journey. The vibrant adaptation features a neurodiverse cast of 44 performers, including 24 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The performance in the Courtyard Theater on May 11, 2024 at 2pm will mark the two companies’ 7th collaboration, most recently having co-produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream last spring.
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly, ASL, captions
A journey of self-discovery leads to salvation in this major revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winner’s masterwork.
On the heels of Gem of the Ocean (2022), expert August Wilson interpreter Chuck Smith revives the second work in the famed American Century Cycle—one of Wilson’s best-loved, most compelling plays. Herald Loomis searches the country with his young daughter to find his estranged wife. But first, he must regain a sense of his own heritage and identity in this story of spiritual and emotional resurrection.
Joe Turner’s Come and Gone is recommended for ages 14+
Accessibility: ASL, OC
https://www.goodmantheatre.org/show/joe-turners-come-and-gone/
Gardening, not Architecture
Throughout the year, the MCA hosts high-quality professional development programming, open to teachers of all subjects, grade levels, and disciplines. These events are educator-specific, skills-based, training on contemporary art integration. Programs are designed in connection with the cultural assets of the MCA and the needs of the Chicago area educators. In keeping with addressing issues of relevance, the 2023-24 Learning Series is a four-part series exploring on “The Impact of Food Apartheid in Education”.
The term “apartheid” is used as it acknowledges the existence of economic and racial segregation systems. And as history has shown us, apartheid systems can be dismantled through collective action.
For Session Three, Eric “Manny” Von Haynes and Ramon “Radius” Norwood, core organizers of Love Fridge Chicago, conduct a workshop titled “Gardening, not Architecture,” which delves into the impactful work of Love Fridge. Love Fridge Chicago is a mutual aid network that aims to combat food apartheid and provide essential resources to the Chicago community.
The workshop covers the strategies and practices this mutual aid network uses to address systemic challenges and addresses initiatives to create sustainable systems that empower individuals and communities. This interactive session include group discussions, hands-on activities, and a creative writing exercise to promote collaboration and understanding.
ASL is available upon request, email BoxOffice@mcachicago.org
Renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Laura Ortman performs two evenings of live, solo, multimedia concerts. Informed by her practice as a sculptor and installation artist, Ortman bridges the gap between music and fine art in her performances, describing her musical approach as “sculpting sound.” An accomplished violinist, her work encompasses a variety of textures and atmospheres created with the Apache violin, effects pedals, piano, guitar, and voice. In the MCA’s Edlis Neeson Theater, Ortman’s original music is presented alongside her video work.
This performance is part of On Stage: Resonance, organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former Curator in Performance, with Laura Paige Kyber, Curatorial Associate.
Runtime: approx. 45–60 min
Content Warning:
This performance includes the use of theatrical haze, moving images, and loud, sometimes abrupt, sounds.
Assess Information:
Ear plugs are available upon request for all performances. If you need wheelchair seating or have limited mobility, staff members are available to assist you.
The performance on Saturday, April 27, features ASL interpretation and Audio Description.
Days after the February 1848 revolution, Fryderyk Chopin is teaching a piano lesson in Paris. Set in the Polish pianist-composer’s intimate salon, Chopin shares with his students secrets about the piano and secrets about himself—as well as playing some of his most beautiful and enduring compositions. In a tour de force performance, virtuoso actor/pianist Hershey Felder brings to life the romantic story and music of the man once called the “Poet of the Piano.”
Accessibility
Opened Captioning available on Thursday, April 25th, 2024. Assistive listening devices, wheelchair accessible, and ASL interpretation available upon request. For information about scheduling an ASL Interpreter for your performance, contact boxoffice@writerstheatre.org or 847-242-6000. We ask for at least 2 weeks prior to scheduled performances in order to prepare ASL interpreters.
https://www.writerstheatre.org/hershey-felder-s-chopin-in-paris
About the Event
Join us for a reading with poet CAConrad in celebration of the new series Politics of Poetics.
ASL and CART captioning are provided.
About the Series
Politics of Poetics is a new quarterly program series held in the MCA’s Edlis Neeson Theater that highlights today’s leading poets whose practices traverse the political through writing, teaching, and activism. The series invites poets from across the globe to give readings and be in conversation with artists and other thinkers about the themes in their work. Historically, poets and visual artists have benefitted from close collaboration and artistic exchange, sharing in technical approaches and critical ideas of the day. Like many of the artists exhibited at the MCA, these poets take up critical issues in their work while propelling voices, stories, and thoughts under-seen and under-regarded in traditional canons.
About the Speaker
CAConrad has worked with the ancient technologies of poetry and ritual since 1975. Their latest book is Listen to the Golden Boomerang Return (Wave Books / UK Penguin 2024). They received the Ruth Lily Poetry Prize, a PEN Josephine Miles Award, a Creative Capital grant, a Pew Fellowship, and a Lambda Award. They exhibit poems as art objects with recent solo shows in Spain and Portugal, and their play The Obituary Show was made into a film in 2022 by the artist Augusto Cascales. Visit them at https://linktr.ee/CAConrad88.
Michael Ondaatje is one of the most influential writers of his generation. He won the Booker Prize for his successful 1992 novel The English Patient, which was made into the nine-time Academy Award-winning film, including for Best Picture. Critically respected for testing the limits of the genre of poetry with playful experimentation, Ondaatje makes a long-awaited return to the medium with his latest A Year of Last Things, an exploration of memory, history, and the act of looking back. At Chicago Humanities, Ondaatje presents a reading and then sits down with Srikanth Reddy, Professor of English at the University of Chicago, for a conversation about his sometimes witty, or moving, but always brilliant poetry.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/michael-ondaantje/
What guardrails do artists need in a new age of artificial intelligence? As artists voice concerns about AI replacing their work or using their creative intellectual property to train AI models without proper consent or compensation, lawmakers are beginning to take notice. The essence of this debate — what artists seek and how regulations should adapt — often remains overshadowed by broader discussions on copyright law and regulation. Join The Verge AI reporter Emilia David as she leads Chicago Humanities through a crucial and timely conversation with one of the plaintiffs in the ongoing Andersen v. Stability AI case, Kelly McKernan, on the current legal challenges working through the courts and the impact of generative AI systems on the art world.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/verge-ai-art/
The proliferation of artificial intelligence tools has created a flood of AI-generated content online, much of it spammy, inaccurate, or even abusive. In her coverage, The Verge reporter Mia Sato documents how generative AI is being used to accelerate the production of junk online and entrench existing disparities around art and labor. She’ll offer primers on how to spot this kind of AI-generated content — but is there another way forward to harness AI?
Artists and technologists are exploring fascinating ways to use AI that probe creative limitations and cut at the very question of what “human-made” can look like. Join The Verge journalist Mia Sato and pioneering artists and thinkers in the field to examine where AI-powered content appears today, and how automated tools could be used in the future.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/verge-ai-human/
Cultural historian and video gaming specialist, Dr. Carly Kocurek from Illinois Tech Lewis College of Science and Letters moderates a discussion with game and interactive experience designer Caro Murphy. Caro is leading the vanguard in the emerging field and art form of interactive, experiential, and live-action game design. Caro has produced award-winning work as the Immersive Experience Director for Disney’s Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser exhibit. Serving as a game adjudicator for the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Caro is also the Founder and CEO of the Boston Festival of Indie Games. They are a Visiting Associate Professor at Northeastern University in Boston and create immersive theater experiences as Chief Creative Officer of Incantrix Productions.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/caro-murphy/
Renowned multi-hyphenated artist and Chicago Humanities favorite, Miranda July has gained a cult following throughout her award-winning career as a filmmaker (Me and You and Everyone We Know, Kajillionaire), author (No One Belongs Here More Than You), and visual artist. Her perfect comic timing, unabashed curiosity about human intimacy, and palpable delight in pushing boundaries shine in her latest novel, All Fours: A Novel. Part absurd entertainment, part tender reinvention of the sexual, romantic, and domestic life, the story follows one woman’s quest for a new kind of freedom in her drive cross-country from LA to NY. One of the most inspiring creative artists of our time, July and author Jessamine Chan comes to Chicago Humanities for an afternoon on storytelling, creativity and finding a new life.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
Over a century ago, MSNBC host Ali Velshi’s great-grandfather sent his son to live at Gandhi’s ashram in South Africa. That tough decision forever changed his family story. Velshi’s grandfather became focused on public service, social justice and the equality of all people. These beliefs evolved through generations as his family escaped apartheid, emigrated to Kenya and ultimately settled in Canada and the United States. In Velshi’s most recent book, Small Acts of Courage: A Legacy of Endurance and the Fight for Democracy, he explores his family legacy and takes notes from social justice warriors Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. as a guide to how small actions of those who fought for democracy and freedom have profound political impacts. Chicago Humanities welcomes the famed author as he explores 125 years of family history and how social justice is a living, breathing experience―a way of life more than an ideology.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
A Professor of African American studies at Princeton University, Ruha Benjamin brings a unique and interdisciplinary perspective to social justice and technology. In her latest work, Imagination: A Manifesto, Benjamin argues that imagination gives us the power to challenge systems of oppression, such as hierarchies created by racism, sexism, and classism. She highlights educators, artists, and activists reflecting new ideas to challenge these worldly problems. Join the famed thinker for a conversation on how imagination can create a world where everyone can thrive.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/ruha-benjamin/
Award-winning graphic novelist James Spooner comes to Chicago Humanities for a chat on punk, comics and Black Identity. Spooner is a leader in the Black punk community. His works include the seminal documentary Afro-Punk (2003), creation of the Afro Punk Festival, and a graphic memoir, The High Desert. In this book, Spooner shares his experience being Black in small-town California and finding salvation in punk music, winning the American Library Association Alex Award and the Cartoonist Studio Prize. The artist and activist returns as an editor for his latest book, Black Punk Now. This anthology shares the voices and stories from the Black punk community. It is filled with contemporary nonfiction, fiction, illustrations and comics that collectively describe punk today and give punks—especially the Black ones—a wider frame of reference.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
WHO: Beverly Arts Center in partnership with the Beverly Area Arts Alliance – https://www.thebeverlyartscenter.com | https://beverlyarts.org/
WHAT: “This Living Earth – Our Shared Gaia” Exhibition
WHEN: April 5 – 27, 2024
WHERE: Beverly Arts Center, Simmerling 2nd Floor Gallery, 2407 W. 111th St, Chicago, IL 60655
ARTISTS’ RECEPTION
“This Living Earth — Our Shared Gaia” opening reception will be held on Friday, April 5, 2024, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Admission to the family-friendly exhibition and reception is free to the public.
Facebook Event Invitation: https://www.facebook.com/events/1090169548901618
Beverly Arts Center is pleased to present the art exhibition titled “This Living Earth – Our Shared Gaia” in its second floor gallery, which is a cross section of visual observations from nature by 12 northern Illinois / Indiana artists in a variety of media. Both naturalism and abstraction are investigated by this group of artists: Sharon Bladholm, Gabriella Boros, Victoria Fuller, Kathryn Gauthier, Fletcher Hayes, Mike Barret Kolasinski, Basia Krol, Deborah Maris Lader, Kim Laurel, Dorothy Mason, Gregory Mejia, Renee McGinnis.
The Gaia theory as a world concept focuses on observing how the biosphere and the evolution of life forms contribute to the stability of our planet. Hortus Botanicus (the botanical garden) is the underlying common influence that permeates each of these artists’ work, whether of landscape, plant, water and animal study or as allegorical metaphors for our natural world in flux. Works exhibited are a figurative treatment of our nature subjects sometimes alluding to other symbolic meanings.
Those symbols of our natural world are expanded on as pattern, texture, color, form and light. We invite you to observe this diverse group of visual expressions compiled by the curator/artist team of Kim Laurel and Fletcher Hayes.
“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.” — Henry David Thoreau
Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible.
Former South Carolina State Representative and CNN Political Analyst Bakari Sellers passionately asked live on-air the question that many Black Americans had in the wake of George Floyd’s murder in 2020: “We have black children. I have a 15-year-old daughter. I mean, what do I tell her?” Four years later, Sellers has an answer to the question he raised on CNN. Discover his answers as Chicago Humanities grapples with this difficult question and learns about Barkari’s journey for personal and public policy solutions that impact Black families across the country. Sellers examines the inequalities in healthcare and education, and policing gaps, drawing from discussions with key thinkers like Rev. William Barber and attorney Ben Crump. Using these legends as jumping off points, Sellers deftly expands on his powerfully persuasive New York Times bestseller My Vanishing Country and latest book, The Moment: Thoughts on the Race Reckoning That Wasn’t and How We All Can Move Forward Now.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bakari-sellers/
The legendary “Swans of Harlem” ballerinas take the stage with Brandis Friedman (co-anchor, WTTW Chicago Tonight / host, Black Voices) and author Karen Valby to reclaim and lift up the trailblazing contributions to the dance world by these Black artists whose stories have been marginalized, devalued and forgotten by history. Stay after the chat for a live dance performance tribute to the Swans by the Chicago-based dance company Move Me Soul.
At the height of the Civil Rights Era, Lydia Abarca was a star prima ballerina leading international performances for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the first Black ballerina with a ballet company to grace the cover of Dance Magazine. Abarca formed an unbreakable bond with fellow pioneering dancers, including Sheila Rohan, Karlya Shelton and Marcia Sells. At a time of intense racial and gender inequality, these remarkable women performed for the Queen of England, at the White House and beyond. Decades later, however, their story was still missing from history. This groundbreaking group of friends reunite at Chicago Humanities to discuss Valby’s new book, The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History. Their enthralling saga celebrates resilient Black women, the enduring power of female friendship, and reveals the hidden history of Black ballet, kept secret for far too long.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/swans-harlem/
Renowned Princeton University professor and New York Times best-selling author Eddie Glaude Jr. is one of the world’s most prominent scholars of African American Studies. Through the iconic interpretations of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Ella Baker, Glaude Jr. urges fellow Black Americans to focus on personal growth and individual empowerment to reshape our democracy. At Chicago Humanities, Glaude Jr. combines his reflections from We Are the Leaders We Have Been Looking For with insights from legendary writers Ralph Waldo Emerson, John Dewey, Toni Morrison, James Baldwin and Ralph Ellison. Led in conversation by Chicago natives and co-hosts of the Pushkin podcast Some of My Best Friends Are, Khalil Gibran Muhammad and Ben Austen, Glaude makes a passionate call for a stronger democracy through grassroots movements, not a hopeful reliance on political figures.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/eddie-glaude-jr/
Frank Bruni, renowned New York Times columnist, guides Chicago Humanities on an incisive exploration of our cultural obsession with grievance that has permeated both political spectrums. Grievance dominates our unpredictable political landscape as all sides label disappointment or dissent as personal injury, fueling blame and rage. In his latest work, The Age of Grievance, Bruni acknowledges the historical importance of grievance, yet questions the contemporary fusion of authentic and fabricated grievances. Through vivid political, cultural and personal examples, Bruni and Interfaith America Founder and President Eboo Patel confront the roots and consequences of our polarized society, offering crucial insights and a roadmap toward restoring civic unity.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/frank-bruni/
MacArthur Fellow and Professor of Photography at Columbia College in Chicago, Dawoud Bey, is one of the most celebrated photographers in American history. Fellow photography colleague Kelli Connell is an artist who investigates sexuality, gender, identity, and the relationship between photographer and subject. Natasha Egan, Executive Director at the Museum of Contemporary Photography, moderates a discussion for Chicago Humanities on re-engaging with and reimagining history through photography. Both Bey (Elegy) and Connell (Pictures for Charis) draw on references from their latest books that span their recent work and present how photos help us reconsider our perceptions of history.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/history-photography/
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jon Meacham is a New York Times bestselling author of a long list of acclaimed presidential biographies. He presents Chicago Humanities with his latest work, The Call of Serve: The Life of An American President, George Herbert Walker Bush: A Visual Biography. In this recounting, gleaned from a lifetime of Bush family scrapbooks, Meacham curates a balanced personal view into an American president and man who was more than politics. With over 450 never-before-published photos and intimate memories to reference from his visually stunning book, Meacham frames the forty-first president’s vision of leadership as a service to his country.
Judith Butler’s groundbreaking work, and their theory of gender performativity, has had a vast influence on contemporary scholarship in feminism and gender studies. In Butler’s latest work, Who’s Afraid of Gender?, they tackle the global rise of right-wing movements that seek to nullify reproductive justice, undermine protections against sexual and gender violence and strip trans and queer people of their rights. Butler draws upon an array of approaches to gender to expose how authoritarian and fascist politics rely on a frightening phantasm of gender. Chicago Humanities welcomes this iconic thought leader for a timely discussion that offers rigorous analysis, hope, freedom and solidarity in confronting the reactionary politics that seek to intensify marginalization and inequality.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/judith-butler/
Honorably serving for twenty-eight years as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer challenges the textualist philosophy of the court’s supermajority with insightful analysis and arguments for a more nuanced view of Constitutional interpretation. Emphasizing the consequential impacts of major legal decisions, Breyer upends the prevailing textualism approach as outlined in his book Reading the Constitution: Why I Chose Pragmatism, Not Textualism. Former Justice Breyer and CNN senior Supreme Court analyst Joan Biskupic connect with Chicago Humanities to expand on his views for a flexible, evolving Constitution. Breyer asserts that pivotal cases like Dobbs and Bruen were incorrectly decided. They underscore the importance of considering the intent and repercussions of legal statutes and offer a compelling case for a more balanced interpretation of law.
Accessibility: ASL Interpreted, Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair accessible.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/breyer-biskupic/
Chicago Children’s Museum’s Play for All initiative creates a community where play and learning connect for visitors of all abilities. Play for All invites children and families with disabilities to come and experience CCM’s inclusive, multisensory exhibits and programs.
The museum will open at 10 a.m. for pre-registered children and families with disabilities and CCM members before opening to the public at 11 a.m. The first 250 children and families with disabilities who register will receive FREE admission! Pre-registration is required for free admission.
Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible, Accessible & All-Gender Restrooms, Sound-reducing Headphones, Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, Quiet Spaces.
Children’s author and illustrator Arnold Lobel’s beloved characters hop from the page to the stage in the Tony-nominated musical A Year With Frog And Toad, based on his popular children’s book that follows two best friends – the cheerful, popular Frog and grumpy, but lovable Toad – through four fun-filled seasons.
A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD was originally presented on Broadway by Bob Boyett, Adrianne Lobel, Michael Gardner, Lawrence Horowitz and Roy Furman. The play had its world Premiere at The Children’s Theatre Company Minneapolis, Minnesota.
ACCESS Weekend |Sat, April 27th (9:30am: Sensory Friendly, 11:30am: ASL & Open Captions) and Sun, April 28th (9:30am: Sensory Friendly, 11:30am: Audio Description & Touch Tour – must confirm attendance two weeks prior to performance)
A trailblazing feminist icon, Kathleen Hanna changed the punk scene in the 90’s with her bands, Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. This rebel girl is back with her electric, searing memoir that takes us into her tumultuous childhood, her early years on the scene, and her connections with other music icons like Kurt Cobain, Joan Jett, and the Beastie Boys. Join Chicago Humanities with Women & Children First, Chicago’s feminist bookstore since 1979, for an evening with the music legend who shares how both the hard and the joyful times fuel her revolutionary art and music.
This event will have Assistive Listening Devices and Open Captions.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/kathleen-hanna/
Joy-Ann Reid, host of MSNBC’s The ReidOut and best-selling author, chronicles the lives of civil rights icons Medgar and Myrlie Evers. Myrlie Louise Beasley met Medgar Evers in college, forging an instant connection that culminated in marriage a year later, prompting her to leave school to prioritize their growing family. Medgar, an NAACP field secretary, alongside Myrlie, focused their energy on fighting against segregation and discrimination. Despite relentless threats and Medgar’s assassination in 1963, Myrlie carried on their work, writing about Medgar’s activism and assuming a leadership role in the NAACP. Join Reid in conversation with veteran reporter April Ryan (MSNBC, The Grio) at Chicago Humanities as they discuss these towering figures in the civil rights movement, their relationship, and the crucial groundwork they laid for Black Americans, which still reverberates to this day.
This event will have Assistive Listening Devices and Open Captions.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/joy-ann-reid/
Award-winning journalist Kara Swisher has been sharing her witty, scathing take on the tech industry’s disruptive force for decades. Chicago Humanities hosts Kara as she intertwines tales of innovation and the complex power transformation of Silicon Valley, while highlighting its perilous position as a global power hub, and urging thoughtful action. Covering the 1990s digital explosion, Swisher’s relentless reporting exposed Silicon Valley truths, prompting CEOs to joke about her eavesdropping skills. In her latest work, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, her continued coverage of tech history and influential interviews with industry titans reveal the ambition and downfall of giants and her views on new powerful AI tools changing the world. Despite chronicling the damage, Swisher remains optimistic about tech’s potential to help solve problems and not just create them.
This event will have Assistive Listening Devices and Open Captions.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/kara-swisher/
Sensory-Friendly Morning is a free program for all people who benefit from visiting the MCA without large crowds and other sensitive environmental elements. This includes visitors with sensory sensitivities, disabilities, autism, PTSD, dementia, and more. On these mornings, lighting at the museum is dimmed, sounds from artworks and environmental noise is kept at a minimum, a quiet space is available to visitors for breaks, and a Chicago-based artist facilitates a sensory-friendly art-making experience.
Sensory-Friendly Morning aims to be a welcoming space to experience contemporary art in a judgment-free environment.
Accessibility: sensory-friendly
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/sensory-friendly-morning-8/
It’s Chicago Humanities movie night at the historic Davis Theater with a special preview screening of the Netflix drama film Shirley, followed by a conversation with the film’s rising star Christina Jackson.
Oscar-winning actor Regina King stars as political icon Shirley Chisholm in the film Shirley, written and directed by fellow Oscar winner, John Ridley (12 Years a Slave). The film celebrates the story of the first Black congresswoman and political icon, Shirley Chisholm, and her 1972 trailblazing run for president of the U.S. King’s transformative portrayal of Chisholm is complemented by a star-studded ensemble including Lance Reddick, Lucas Hedges, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Terrence Howard. The film releases globally on Netflix Friday, March 22nd.
Movie Screening: 6:30-8:30 pm
Conversation with Christina Jackson 8:30-9:30 pm
A family fun film with story & games
A crayon who is mistakenly labeled “r-e-d” could never draw anything right until a friend changed everything and helped him be true to himself!
Accessibility: The film includes the story, an interactive quiz and ASL lesson, all presented with ASL performance, enhanced text, voice over, animation & original music.
Details
March 10, 2024 @ 2-4 p.m.
Chicago History Museum
1601 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
Free with RSVP at bit.ly/Red-ASL-Film
Parking
Public parking is conveniently located one block north of the Museum near Clark and LaSalle streets at 1730 N. Stockton Drive. $10 with Museum validation.
Presented by Sally Is Sarah Productions, CHS, Chicago History Museum
https://www.sallyissarahproductions.com/events/red-chicago-history-museum
Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s Hands Up! Body delves into the impact of body demands and perceptions in our daily lives. Body dissatisfaction, changes in physical ability, and aging are just some of the topics explored. Each story examines the vulnerability, challenges, and wisdom built from the writer’s experience. Our bodies look and work exactly as they are supposed to, each with its own unique beauty. Video clips from Momenta, a dance company inclusive of artists with disabilities will be included in the performance. This performance is co-sponsored by Northeastern Illinois University and the Disability Cultural Center. Learn more and order tickets at: https://tellintales.org/
Accessibility: ASL interpretation
In a small Israeli desert town where every day feels the same, a lost bus arrives carrying an Egyptian Police Band. With no hotel and no buses until morning, the musicians are taken in for the night by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, these misplaced musicians bring everyone together in the way that only music can. Winner of 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, The Band’s Visit is a beautifully intimate show, perfectly suited for the Nichols Theatre, about the unifying power of music.
Accessibility: open captions, assistive listening devices
Lincoln Park Zoo is excited to share our first ever Beeping Egg Hunt with you!
Saturday, March 30
$25 (Best for ages 1-12)
50% OFF ($12.50) ticket with promo code BEEPINGEGGS
For Beeping Egg Hunt tickets, select 8am or 9am in the Green Zone. Follow the link below.
https://tickets.lpzoo.org/events/f7c3a3ea-2aaf-3f29-7f05-39cdbdd0a91d?utm_source=EventsEmail.2.6.24&utm_medium=Email%20&utm_campaign=Spring%20Egg-Stravaganza&utm_id=Spring%20Egg-Stravaganza
Get ready to hop into springtime fun at the zoo with our family favorite event, Spring Egg-Stravaganza!
Create lasting memories with your little ones as they embark on an “egg”-citing exploration throughout the zoo. Choose from one of six egg-hunting zones with varied levels of difficulty, accessibility, and terrain types. Each zone features age and ability recommendations along with different potential animal sightings to ensure fun for all ages.
Your ticket includes:
Egg hunts with up to 12 candy- and/or toy-stuffed eggs per child
Photo opportunities with spring characters and a costumed bunny character
Free rides on the Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure
A kid-friendly DJ on the South Lawn to keep kids dancing
A giant bubble activity
Animal chats, fun springtime learnings, and craft areas
Outdoor activities and games
Parents and non-egg-hunters must also purchase a ticket to enjoy all the other “egg”-cellent festivities throughout the morning.
https://tickets.lpzoo.org/events/f7c3a3ea-2aaf-3f29-7f05-39cdbdd0a91d?utm_source=EventsEmail.2.6.24&utm_medium=Email%20&utm_campaign=Spring%20Egg-Stravaganza&utm_id=Spring%20Egg-Stravaganza
Please email access@lpzoo.org with questions.
The Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s Improv Team
“What’s Yours Like” is inspired by a theme developed by the audience at the start of each show. Then, improvisers with and without disabilities leap into action and develop humorous and unpredictable narratives in real time. This time stand-up comics with and without disabilities open for us! Sponsored by Bodies of Work.
Accessibility: ASL interpretation
“What’s Yours Like” is inspired by a theme developed by the audience at the start of each show. Then, improvisers with and without disabilities leap into action and develop humorous and unpredictable narratives in real time. This time stand-up comics with and without disabilities open for us! Sponsored by Bodies of Work.
Accessibility: audio description
About the Event
In MOBY DICK; or, The Whale, award-winning filmmaker and visual artist Wu Tsang embarks upon a feature-length, silent-film telling of Herman Melville’s great American novel. The film features original orchestral music composed by Caroline Shaw and Andrew Yee with Asma Maroof, which is performed live by the Chicago Sinfonietta.
This adaptation, written by Sophia Al Maria and directed by Tsang, follows the white whale above and below the surface of the water, developing a visual cosmology that resists the exploration and exploitation of the earth under imperial colonialism. Tsang’s approach pairs the classic story of the whaler’s ”floating factory” with the beginnings of the film industry. MOBY DICK; or, The Whale was shot entirely on a soundstage combining silent-era filmmaking techniques with Virtual Production, a virtual reality game engine projecting surreal ocean environments.
The narrative is interwoven with extracts by the Sub-Sub-Librarian, a character played by acclaimed poet Fred Moten, and tackles the novel’s subterranean currents, encountering the resistance of the ship’s hydrarchy, or organizational structure, and collectives of “mariners, renegades, and castaways,” as described by historian C.L.R. James. Exploring overlapping histories of industrialism, extractivism, colonialism, ecological and spiritual crisis, the film creates a multilayered surreal filmic adaptation of the 1851 novel.
The MCA’s presentation of MOBY DICK; or, The Whale is organized by Nolan Jimbo, Assistant Curator.
Accessibility: audio description, CART captioning
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/live-arts-moby-dick-or-the-whale/
In 1976, Faith Ringgold and a group of Black feminist artists co-organized the first-ever Black women’s film festival: the Sojourner Truth Festival of the Arts. In celebration of the festival’s 2023 edition and Ringgold’s major retrospective, Faith Ringgold: American People, join us for an all-day screening of rarely shown films by and about Black women.
CART captioning is provided for all screenings.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/screening-the-sojourner-truth-film-festival/
Calling ALL champions to Chicago Children’s Museum! Participate in event activities, including roller sled hockey, handcycling, wheelchair racing, bocce, Judo, group exercises, and See & Touch Prosthetics display. All of our inclusive, multisensory museum exhibits and programs will also be available during Play For All.
The first 500 children and families with disabilities who register will receive free admission.
The museum opens at 10 am for Play For All guests and members exclusively and at 11 am to the general public.
Accessibility: assistive listening devices, quiet spaces, wheelchair accessible
In January, artists A. Martinez and Gaby Martinez take over the MCA with their collaborative quilt making inspired by Faith Ringgold. Additionally, musician Ben LaMar Gay performs for families to interact with his music, and KIDO Chicago, the award-winning kids boutique in the South Loop, has a pop-up at the museum.
Designed and led by Chicago artists, Family Day is a monthly program that allows families and youth to connect and engage with contemporary art through activities and performances for all-ages. Enjoy FREE admission while taking part in workshops, open studio sessions, gallery tours, performances, and more.
Activities are facilitated in English and Spanish with ASL interpretation provided.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/family-day-quilts-and-stories/
Join us for a conversation on how Faith Ringgold’s aesthetic and political practices continue to reverberate across generations of artists with artists Jamal Cyrus and Amanda Williams, and the MCA presentation Curator of Faith Ringgold: American People, MCA Manilow Senior Curator Jamillah James.
English/Spanish CART and ASL are provided.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/talk-roundtable-on-faith-ringgold/
This is an opportunity for members of the TCA to enter into conversation with Christina and Cortney, the founders of #BlkGrlsWurld, about their growth and evolution as Black womxn publishers, event organizers, and lovers of punk, hardcore, and metal.
Coinciding with the Faith Ringgold: American People exhibition, this event highlights the creativity, influence, and impact of Black Femme creatives across generations.
ASL is provided.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/youth-led-programming-tca-blkgrlswurld/
Strawdog Theatre Company in partnership with Chicago Loop Synagogue presents Hershel & The Hanukkah Goblins. In this musical adaptation of Eric Kimmel’s Caldecott Honor-winning book, a traveling troupe of actors comes to town to find no one celebrating Hanukkah. To save the holiday, they must tell the tale of Hershel of Ostropol & his quest to outwit the goblins who haunt the old synagogue!
Audio Description will be available for this performance in-person and via the live stream. Audience members must RSVP for in-person audio description by emailing accessibility@strawdog.org. There will be an in-person Touch Tour at 10:15am. Those tuning into the live stream will be able to watch a pre-show Audio Description.
Accessibility: Audio Description, Touch Tour, Sensory Friendly
https://www.strawdog.org/hershel
Run Time: 2 hours, including intermission
Child Policy: Recommended for ages 8+. To help determine whether this performance is appropriate for your child, we encourage you to seek additional information about the themes in this program. All children attending a performance must have a ticket and be seated next to an adult.
Audio Description will be available on Saturday, November 11 / 2:00PM
Choreographer and director Akram Khan’s eponymous dance company makes its long-awaited Harris Theater debut with the Chicago premiere of Khan’s Jungle Book reimagined, a deeply personal interpretation based on the original story of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale. Khan, whose background is rooted in classical Kathak training and along with contemporary dance, reinvents the journey of young Mowgli and her animal friends.
In a near future world, a family is torn apart as they escape their homeland, devastated by the impact of climate change. Arriving alone in a deserted modern city, and with wild animals claiming the streets as their own, Mowgli soon discovers unlikely allies in this strange new jungle.
Featuring an original new score and state-of-the-art animation and visuals, Jungle Book reimagined is a compelling and vital piece of storytelling about our intrinsic need to belong and bond with others while connecting with and respecting the natural world around us.
https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/jungle-book-reimagined
Sensory-Friendly Night at ZooLights Presented by ComEd and Invesco QQQ
Wednesday, December 6
4:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Admission is $7 (or free with promo code SensoryFriendly23)
All ages
Lincoln Park Zoo is offering Sensory-Friendly ZooLights, in which guests with disabilities, sensitivities, autism, dementia, or chronic illness as well as members of the Deaf community can experience the zoo grounds, animal buildings, and holiday lights in a comfortable and inclusive environment.
Sensory-Friendly ZooLights is for all people who benefit from visiting the zoo without crowds and other sensitive environmental elements. Modifications include limited capacity, static light displays, muted attractions, and music at low volume.
During Sensory-Friendly ZooLights, the Gift Shop and food and beverage locations will be open around Main Mall with all of ZooLights’ regular offerings. The AT&T Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure will operate with music and noises muted. Not all animal buildings may be open, and as always, animals have the option to go to their indoor or outdoor habitats.
CLICK HERE to purchase ZooLights tickets. Use promo code SensoryFriendly23 at checkout for your complimentary tickets while supplies last.
View the zoo’s accessibility map and accessibility page to help plan your visit. For more information on ZooLights, visit lpzoo.org/zoolights.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Please download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo’s social narrative either on iOS or Android.
FAQs
Where can I enter?
You can enter from:
East Gate, located in the zoo parking lot at Cannon Dr., and Fullerton Ave.
West Gate, located at Webster Ave., and Stockton Dr.
Fisher Bridge Gate, located between the zoo’s parking lot and Stockton Dr., on the bridge over Nature Boardwalk.
Is parking available?
Paid parking is available at the zoo’s parking lot located at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2300 N. Cannon Drive). The zoo is also accessible by train via the Armitage and Fullerton stations and by bus via the 22, 36, 151, and 156 routes.
What if it rains?
All Lincoln Park Zoo events take place rain or shine. Animal buildings will be open and the carousel is covered.
What can’t I bring to Sensory-Friendly ZooLights?
There is no smoking at Lincoln Park Zoo for the health of the animals in our care. See our Code of Conduct here.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
If you have questions, please email access@lpzoo.org.
Let’s reclaim and rewrite our stories as disabled people through writing and drawing together! Too often disabled individuals have their stories told to them by medical professionals and cultural norms. It’s time to get the power back and tell our own tales!
Rewritten Narratives is a workshop for participants who self-identify as disabled and/or chronically ill, whether the disability is apparent or non-apparent. This could mean anything from physical disabilities, learning disabilities, “invisible” disabilities, and disabilities caused by mental health concerns.
No art making skills or experiences required!
Attendees will receive transportation stipend (PACE vouchers).
Location:
Center for Mad Culture
410 South Michigan Avenue, suite 419
Chicago, IL 60605
In-person Rewritten Narratives session RSVP Link: https://tinyurl.com/rewrittennarrative
Access information:
Press Here is on the 4th floor in the Fine Arts Building. It is accessible by elevator. A wheelchair accessible restroom is available. For in-person sessions, please request ASL interpretation and identify any access needs when signing up for a session.
AI captioning will be available for virtual workshop sessions. For virtual sessions, contact B at brandolph@accessliving.org or (312) 640-2100 with access requests. Please allow 2-3 weeks’ advance notice for ASL interpretation requests, both virtual and in-person.
About the facilitator:
Brian “B” Randolph (they/them) is an art therapy graduate student from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Brian specializes in portraiture, drawing the human form, and the writing/drawing of comics. B is working with their supervisor, disabled artist and art therapist, Sandie Yi, to create disability culture and art at Access Living this year.
Sponsor Information:
This project is brought to you by the Arts and Culture Project at Access Living, an independent living center for people with disabilities, Bodies of Work: Network of Disability Art and Culture, and the Disability Culture Activism Lab (DCAL). DCAL, a teaching lab housed under the department of art therapy and counseling at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and Shirley Ryan Abilities Lab. The contents of this project were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90RTCP0005). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this project do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Let’s reclaim and rewrite our stories as disabled people through writing and drawing together! Too often disabled individuals have their stories told to them by medical professionals and cultural norms. It’s time to get the power back and tell our own tales!
Rewritten Narratives is a workshop for participants who self-identify as disabled and/or chronically ill, whether the disability is apparent or non-apparent. This could mean anything from physical disabilities, learning disabilities, “invisible” disabilities, and disabilities caused by mental health concerns.
No art making skills or experiences required!
Attendees will receive transportation stipend (PACE vouchers).
Location:
Center for Mad Culture
410 South Michigan Avenue, suite 419
Chicago, IL 60605
In-person Rewritten Narratives session RSVP Link: https://tinyurl.com/rewrittennarrative
Access information:
Press Here is on the 4th floor in the Fine Arts Building. It is accessible by elevator. A wheelchair accessible restroom is available. For in-person sessions, please request ASL interpretation and identify any access needs when signing up for a session.
AI captioning will be available for virtual workshop sessions. For virtual sessions, contact B at brandolph@accessliving.org or (312) 640-2100 with access requests. Please allow 2-3 weeks’ advance notice for ASL interpretation requests, both virtual and in-person.
About the facilitator:
Brian “B” Randolph (they/them) is an art therapy graduate student from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC). Brian specializes in portraiture, drawing the human form, and the writing/drawing of comics. B is working with their supervisor, disabled artist and art therapist, Sandie Yi, to create disability culture and art at Access Living this year.
Sponsor Information:
This project is brought to you by the Arts and Culture Project at Access Living, an independent living center for people with disabilities, Bodies of Work: Network of Disability Art and Culture, and the Disability Culture Activism Lab (DCAL). DCAL, a teaching lab housed under the department of art therapy and counseling at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and Shirley Ryan Abilities Lab. The contents of this project were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90RTCP0005). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this project do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
It’s just another (omg, wtf, lmfao) day at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. When a White House PR nightmare spins into a legit sh*tshow, seven brilliant and beleaguered women must risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble. POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is a bawdy and irreverent look at sex, politics and the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world. Who knew that global crisis is always just a four-letter word away.
Dancing with Parkinson’s is a partnership program between The Joffrey Ballet and Northwestern Medicine built for people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers, friends, and family members.
This class offers a supportive space to explore the artistry of dance, ranging across the styles of ballet, jazz, modern, tap, and improvisation. In this class, we connect the mind to movement, inviting expression and exploration in where it may not have been before: moving the body in conjunction with others and with music, evoking creativity and connection. This program was built so everyone can experience the joy and freedom of dance, no matter age, status, or ability.
Accessibility: low lighting, quiet spaces, wheelchair accessible
https://joffrey.org/education/community-engagement/dancing-with-parkinson-s/
Free Dance Day brings together people of all ages and experience levels to enjoy a day filled with dance classes, performances, and festivities, all for free!
This annual open-house style event is a chance to try out dance classes in a relaxed, communal setting. Visit Synapse’s home studio as an Arts Partner in Residence with the Chicago Park District to try out a free movement class, bring kids to try ballet and hip hop classes, and see the Synapse Performance Troupe perform.
Come for Free Dance Day, then stay for the free Boo! Bash presented by Loyola Park, which includes a DJ dance party, crafts, snacks, and a Halloween-y photo booth.
Schedule and registration details available at www.synapsearts.com.
Accessibility: ASL interpreter, large print programs, quiet spaces
Experience Red: A Crayon’s Story like you never have before! This storybook video features Deaf American Sign Language master signer Crom Saunders signing the words to the animated book, with music and sound effects bringing the story to life. Then we’ll watch and play along with fun interactive games conducted by students and teachers from the Indiana School for the Deaf.
Crom will visit in person and play theater games with the kids after the video. This event will have a live interpreter.
Best for kids in preschool and elementary school and their family and friends.
More information at https://oakpark.librarycalendar.com/event/asl-storybook-red-crayons-story
Eurydice is a play about newlywed and newly dead Eurydice arrives in the underworld without memories or language where she struggles to recover her humanity with the aid of the father she lost years ago. When Orpheus arrives to rescue her, Eurydice must choose between staying with her father or escaping with her husband—between life and death. Pulitzer & Tony nominated North Shore native Sarah Ruhl infuses the ancient myth with humor, poetry, hope & sneaky surprises as this classic heroine finds her voice.
Run time: 1 hour and 20 minutes, no intermission
Accessibility: Assistive Listening Devices, Open Captions, Digital Document, Wheelchair Accessible
https://www.writerstheatre.org/eurydice
Join leading intellectual Farah Jasmine Griffin (Read Until You Understand: The Profound Wisdom of Black Life and Literature and In Search of a Beautiful Freedom) to talk about why book bans so often target Black literature. Griffin discusses the censorship of Black authors like Toni Morrison and the effort to preserve and share Black stories. This renowned author and Columbia University professor is joined by WBEZ Race, Class and Communities Reporter Natalie Moore for a chat about Black literature and our complex American history.
A book signing will follow this program
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/farah-jasmine-griffin/
Over the past year, language models have entered the popular consciousness as new apps like ChatGPT attract hundreds of millions of users. Bold claims have been made about the capabilities and future impact of such products. Researchers in the field of natural language processing (the scholarly field in which language models originated) have been somewhat taken aback by these developments; language models have been around for decades. Noah Smith, an expert in natural language processing, takes to the Chicago Humanities stage for a presentation that aims to demystify generative artificial intelligence with a focus on language models. By introducing historical context and a few key concepts and foundational ideas, he aims to narrow the gap between scientific and popular understanding of language models while avoiding the hype.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/language-ai/
Prepare to be dazzled by the transformative power of design with the Emmy-nominated host of Queer Eye, Bobby Berk. Why does the color of a room change how you feel? How can you decide what to get rid of or repurpose? And how can your home boost your mood? Berk’s new book, Right at Home: How Good Design Is Good For The Mind, shows us how the power of exceptional design can ignite joy, elevate our mental wellbeing, and optimize our lives. With practical tips and inspiring anecdotes, Berk sits down with Asad Syrkett, editor in chief of Elle Decor, to share invaluable insights on how to unlock the true potential of your home to create your personal sanctuary of serenity and a happier, more fulfilling life.
To meet and get a photo with Bobby after the event, add “Signed Book + Photo Opportunity” to your cart. Limited number of tickets available.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bobby-berk/
Budmo!, meaning “cheers!” in Ukrainian, is the first cookbook presented by Ukrainian-born, California-based chef, blogger, and culinary instructor Anna Voloshyna. Celebrating classic Eastern European recipes with a modern, creative twist with bright flavors, Voloshyna presents vibrant ingredients that represent the rich culture and tradition of the people of Ukraine. Join Anna as she sits down with Chicago Humanities favorite award-winning chef Rick Bayless for a conversation on the food of her homeland and the unifying power of cuisine.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/voloshyna-bayless/
When the film debuted in July of 1980, Airplane! had a budget of only $3.5 million, and yet it went on to earn nearly $200 million, gathering a rabid fan-base, inspiring countless comedians, and providing perhaps the most quotable lines of any comedy in cinematic history. In their new book, Surely You Can’t Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! , ZAZ (filmmakers David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams) share hilarious trivia and never-before-heard anecdotes about the creation of this classic movie. At Chicago Humanities, Mark Bazar of WTTW’s The Interview Show sits down with writer/director David Zucker (and a special zoom appearance from his brother and fellow Airplane! filmmaker Jerry) for a night of laughter and nostalgia, as we dive into clips, images, and stories from behind-the-scenes of this legendary comedic gem. For a special keepsake, books pre-signed by all three filmmakers will be available for purchase.
This event will have asl interpretation, open captions, and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/airplane/
A Cicero native, Erika Sánchez grew up in a Mexican American household and is a self-described pariah, misfit, and a foul-mouthed, melancholic rabble-rouser. She returns to the literary world with her witty, raunchy, insightful, unapologetic honest memoir, Crying in the Bathroom. She covers everything from white feminism to debilitating depression, and finding a life rich with ideas and self-awareness. Join the Chicagoland native for a night of laughter, comedy, and personal self-reflection that feels like talking for hours with your best friend.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/erika-sanchez/
Throughout history, museums and other cultural institutions have too often acquired their artifacts through conquest, imperialism and colonization. Today, these institutions are re-evaluating this “colonial looting” and facing increasing calls to return these artifacts to their rightful owners, aiming to rectify historical injustices and foster cultural healing. Join Chicago Humanities for a presentation on these stolen artifacts and the importance of returning cultural items to their rightful homes with Patty Gerstenblith, Director of DePaul University’s Center for Art, Museums and Cultural Heritage Law. Following her presentation, Gerstenblith will be joined by esteemed experts Victoria Reed, Curator for Provenance at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Shannon O’Loughlin from the Association of American Indian Affairs, and Dr. Helen Robbins, Repatriation Director at the Field Museum for a conversation about the ethical, legal, and cultural challenges and opportunities museums face when restoring cultural heritage.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/colonial-looting/
What constitutes a meaningful life in a violent world? Join celebrated author and essayist Teju Cole (Open City) as he considers this question through his most recent work of fiction, Tremor. This poetic exploration continues Cole’s masterful examination of colonial atrocities, casual racism, and “history’s own brutality.” Don’t miss this Chicago Humanities experience with one of the most vibrant voices on today’s literary scene.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/conversation-teju-cole/
Academy Award-winning movie Don’t Look Up and the big-budget streamer Extrapolations tell us that humanity is incapable of addressing climate change, even in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence. But is that true? Are human beings incapable of changing our ways to help the planet? Join astronomer and physicist Marcelo Gleiser (The Dawn of a Mindful Universe), climate scientist Michael Mann (Our Fragile Moment), and award-winning Chicago journalist Monica Eng for a thought-provoking discussion about why we need a new Enlightenment to forge a sustainable future for all. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with influential voices who are shaping the discourse around climate change.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/morality-climate-change/
For this Family Day, explore the overlap between art and science with educators from the Field Museum and artist Assaf Evron.
Designed and led by Chicago artists, Family Day is a monthly program that allows families and youth to connect and engage with contemporary art through activities and performances for all ages. Enjoy FREE admission while taking part in workshops, open studio sessions, gallery tours, performances, and more.
ASL Interpretation will be provided.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/family-day-natural-history/
Visual artist and creative designer Tacarra Sutton collaborates with wellness practitioner Cherish Hicks for three mediation and creative-centered workshops. This event suite is designed to promote self-care and wellbeing among K–12 educators. Join us as we combine wellness and art for an unforgettable experience.
This is the third and final Color Alchemy: An Immersive Meditative Art Experience, a sensory experience that invites educators to consciously create art through a meditative medium in order to explore wellness in a unique form. Color Alchemy is a mindful, intuitive, and emotionally cathartic way to engage with art and self-expression. In this guided painting experience, participants physically explore, express, and release emotions and energies through the creative act itself. For this workshop:
Cherish Hicks, well-being curator and founder of Beyond Wellness, guides you through breathwork, a guided meditation, and a sound bath that provide a deep state of relaxation and mindfulness, awakening your emotions and prepare you for the creative process. Then Chicago native, artist, and creative extraordinaire Tacarra Sutton guides you on the mat through a series of paintings that allow color and emotions to collide. Afterwards, take home the piece of art you created during this meditative state, which can serve as a reminder of the experience and insights gained.
Participants are encouraged to wear shades of blue. Please wear comfortable clothing due to the light stretches and painting activities that take place. Aprons are provided.
This workshop is open to educators at all levels of mobility and age and yoga mats are provided (though participants are invited to bring their own if possible). All educators receive ISBE credit hours for attendance.
Newark, NJ. Post-9/11. Two teenagers, brought to America as children, now face an unlikely foe: unexpected, unreciprocated love. Their friendship is no longer enough (for one of them) and their adopted country doesn’t love them back. Pulitzer Prize-winner Martyna Majok brings light to the sacrifices made by DREAMers, lovers and life-long friends in the heart-stirring and hopeful Sanctuary City—a story that fractures and transcends—crossing boundaries, borders and genres in search of a place to call home.
Sanctuary City will be the first Steppenwolf production that includes both a full membership series run, as well as a full run of student matinees as a part of the Steppenwolf for Young Adults series, providing a synergistic opportunity to cultivate more intergenerational audiences.
Audio-Described and Touch Tour:
Sunday, October 8 at 3pm
(1:30pm touch tour, 3pm curtain)
Open-Captioned Public Performances:
Thursday, October 12 at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 21 at 3pm
ASL-Interpreted Public Performance:
Friday, October 13 at 7:30pm
Relaxed/Sensory Friendly Public Performance:
Saturday, October 28th at 3pm
ASL-Interpreted Student Matinee:
Friday, November 3 at 10am
Spanish Language-Captioned:
Saturday, November 4 at 3pm
https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets–events/seasons-/202324/sanctuary-city/
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow returns to Chicago Humanities to expose the shocking truth behind subversive attempts to undermine democracy and the inspiring tales of those who rose to challenge the insurrectionists. Inspired by the research for her #1 Apple podcast, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra, Maddow’s latest book PREQUEL: An American Fight Against Fascism tells the World War II story of a committed group of public servants and courageous private citizens thwarting the far-right’s attempts to align our nation with the Nazis. Join Maddow as she sits down with historian, author and Northwestern University professor Kathleen Belew to explore the rise of this wild strain of American authoritarianism, the profoundly relevant insights about America today that can be drawn from its history, and her take on our own unprecedented times.
This event will have open captions, audio description, asl interpretation and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/rachel-maddow/
Fox News Channel’s Chief Political Correspondent and New York Times bestselling author, Bret Baier comes to Chicago Humanities to talk about his groundbreaking new biography of America’s first president. In To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment, Baier explores Washington’s remarkable decision to come out of retirement to preside over the Constitutional Convention and sacrifice himself to save the country. At Chicago Humanities, Baier sits down with Chicago Tonight’s Paris Schutz for a conversation about our country’s gritty past and the extraordinary divisions of early America that shed new light on the divisions and conflicts still haunting us today.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bret-baier/
Naperville native and award-winning actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk has teamed up with his talented daughter, illustrator Erin Odenkirk, as they share original poems Bob wrote with his children when they were young, as well as dozens of new ones–beautifully brought to life by Erin’s whimsical drawings. Join Chicago Humanities for a hilarious and heartwarming night of laughter and nostalgia as this father-daughter duo sits down with the host of Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me! Peter Sagal to take us on a journey through Bob’s legendary career, how his daughter felt about her father’s comedy and life in Hollywood and the imaginative and playful pages of Zilot and other Important Rhymes.
A book signing follows this program.
This event will have assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bob-and-erin-odenkirk/
Why does the United States, one of the richest countries on earth, allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit citizens to live and die on the streets, and continue to pay poverty wages? Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond uses vivid storytelling and rigorous research to delve into the heart of wealth inequality in America and to call on all of us to become poverty abolitionists, ushering in a new age of shared prosperity. Join Chicago Humanities to learn about Desmond’s startlingly original and ambitious case for creating a more equitable society.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/matthew-desmond/