3rd Fridays Free Admission Museum Night
2025-07-18 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-08-15 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-09-19 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-10-17 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-11-21 17:00 - 20:00, 2025-12-19 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-01-16 17:00 - 20:00 (America/Chicago) | Heritage Museum of Asian Art, 3500 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
Free Admission Museum Nights take place every third Friday of each month from 5 pm to 8 pm! The tour will start at 6 PM on time. All tours depart from the reception desk, and please be sure to arrive on time. The event offers wine and appetizers.
This Friday at 7-7:40 PM, our Resident Artist 2024 – Irene Hsiao will perform at the Heritage Museum of Asian Art as part of the project If The Sky Could Dream.
About the Tour –
Learn about Asian Art in the Heritage Museum of Asian Art with a guided hour-long tour around the gallery. Museum-trained interns and volunteers will give a talk on selected artworks. Each word is packed with fascinating insights, information, and stories. During this participatory experience, you’ll connect with works from across the collection and get a close look at highlighting artworks. Visitors of all ages are welcome.
Please note tours may be canceled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
About the project –
IF THE SKY COULD DREAM focuses on the Chinese dragon as a powerful being that fosters harmony. This creature is emblematic of China as well as a mythological being for many Asian and Western cultures and thus evokes a sense of mysticism, and intrigue in many communities. Representing the Chinese Dragon as a water deity, the installation series will feature images and projections of the weather and local bodies of water in Chicago.
If The Sky Could Dream is supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant
About Irene Hsiao
Irene Hsiao creates performances in conversation with visual art in museums, galleries, and public spaces, a practice that includes site-specific interaction with visual artworks and experimental engagement with artists, institutions, and the public. Find out more through our website.
Accessibility
The Heritage Museum of Asian Art’s Entrance is on West 35th Street. Take the elevator to the third floor and turn right to the Museum Reception Desk. Accessible and standard toilets are located on the same floor. Free parking space is available next to the museum via West 35th Street.
If you have any programming questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with info@heritageasianart.org or 312-842-8884.

Author Talk: "The Invisible Spy" by Thomas Maier (ONLINE)
2025-07-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual, Chicago, IL, United States
Author, television producer, and former Chicago Sun-Times journalist Thomas Maier visits the American Writers Museum to discuss his new book The Invisible Spy. It is the untold WWII story of Ernest Cuneo, a former NFL player turned White House insider who worked with Churchill’s undercover agents in New York City to conduct the biggest foreign spy operation ever within the US and how Cuneo later helped inspire Ian Fleming’s James Bond. The Invisible Spy has been praised by The Wall Street Journal and selected in April as an Amazon Editors’s Best Book in History.
As an award-winning author and journalist, Maier will also talk about how his previous books were translated into primetime television shows—Showtime’s Emmy-winning Masters of Sex and Paramount’s Mafia Spies, both praised by The New York Times.
This is the livestream of an in person program at the American Writers Museum. When you register for this event, you will receive access to the livestream link. If you would like to attend the program in person at the AWM, get your tickets here.
More about The Invisible Spy:
As a tough but smart Italian American kid, Ernest Cuneo played Ivy League football at Columbia University and was in the old Brooklyn Dodgers NFL franchise before becoming a city hall lawyer and “Brain Trust” aide to President Roosevelt. He was on the payroll of national radio columnist Walter Winchell and mingled with the famous and powerful. But his status as a spy remained a secret, hiding in plain sight.
During this time, Cuneo began a close friendship with British spy Ian Fleming and helped inspire Fleming’s James Bond novels. He also began a love affair with one of Churchill’s agents at Rockefeller Center—Margaret Watson, a beautiful Canadian woman with a photographic memory ideal for spycraft. In one nighttime attack, Watson was nearly smothered to death by a Nazi assassin inside her women’s dormitory near Rockefeller Center. Cuneo’s transformation from a gridiron athlete into a high-stakes intelligence go-between and political influencer is one of the great untold stories of American espionage. He has remained “invisible” in the public eye—until now, with this unveiled look into his life.
From the bestselling author and producer of two hit TV series, Mafia Spies and Masters of Sex, Thomas Maier delves into the little-known tales behind the Rockefeller Center spy operation and the origins of American intelligence. The Invisible Spy weaves Cuneo’s remarkable personal story with vivid insights about many top twentieth-century figures, including Churchill, FDR and later JFK. Full of action and fascinating characters, this untold history reveals how Cuneo, as America’s first WWII spy, helped the British launch a covert campaign against Nazi conspirators hidden in America, an espionage war unbeknownst to many.

Na'wa'hIs' Our Relations
2025-08-01, 2025-08-08, 2025-08-15, 2025-08-22, 2025-08-29, 2025-09-05, 2025-09-12, 2025-09-19 and 1 more date | Trickster Cultural Center, 190 S Roselle Rd, Schaumburg, IL, 60193, United States
An Art Exhibit by the Levi Family. Step into a visual journey of family, heritage, and the sacred bond between Native people and animals, told through the eyes of three Native artists. Visit this collection of ledger art, paintings, textile and photography.

Constructing Ecological Landscapes: Ukraine [Webinar]
2025-08-06 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom
Join us for a virtual discussion for the closing of the exhibition Constructing Hope: Ukraine. This program is hosted in collaboration with the exhibition Constructing Hope: Ukraine which is currently on view at the CAC through September 1, 2025.
Free with Advanced Registration
This panel, the closing event of the public programming for the Constructing Hope: Ukraine exhibition, will feature speakers Asia Bazdyrieva and Darya Tsymbalyuk, whose research and creative practices engage with the environmental, cultural and political dimensions of war and recovery in Ukraine.
In dialogue with the exhibition, the conversation will explore how both natural and built landscapes are shaped by imperial histories, extractive infrastructures, and ongoing ecological violence. It will also reflect on the role of cultural knowledge, grassroots recovery and interdisciplinary research in shaping resistance and imagining more just and resilient futures.
The event will include presentations by the speakers, followed by a conversation with exhibition curators Betty Roytburd, Ashley Bigham, and Sasha Topolnytska, and conclude with an audience Q&A.

Get Lit: Drawn to Life
2025-08-12 17:30 - 19:30 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Join us for a night of creativity, color, and animated magic at Get Lit: Drawn to Life. We’re diving into the vibrant world of animated movies and TV shows, spotlighting the storytellers who bring these beloved characters and worlds to life. This is your chance to geek out over your favorites, learn something new, and connect with fellow animation lovers.
GET TICKETS

Flex your cartoon cred in a animated trivia competition, with fun prizes for the top team.
Unleash your inner animator with hands-on art activities, from flipbook stations to sketching opportunities.
Enjoy beer, wine, and the night’s specialty cocktail, the Storyboard—an animated twist on a ranch water cocktail! Non-alcoholic options are also available.

Get ready to laugh, color, and cartoon your heart out—because at the American Writers Museum, we’re all about stories that move.
This is 21+ event. Attendees must show a valid photo ID at the door to enter.

New Architecture in a New World
2025-09-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Join us for a conversation with international architects as they reflect on the amazing breadth of contemporary architecture in the Americas and the pronounced impact of the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize (MCHAP) on diverse stakeholders and communities of practice.
Inspired by the exhibition, The Prize is the Beginning, on view at the Chicago Architecture Center through late October, this discussion will reveal what sets MCHAP apart from other established awards programs.
The program will survey prize-winning and finalist projects as they relate to several broad themes:

Doing More With Less
Working with What We Have
Generosity
Agents of Change
Learning from Each Other

Our panelists bring strong ties to the awards, as past honorees or jurors. Hear unique insights from Stanley Allen, FAIA, Founder of Stan Allen Architect, Professor Emeritus and former Dean of the School of Architecture, Princeton University; Sol Camacho, Founder and Director of Sao Paolo- and Mexico City- based RADDAR; Juan Carlos Bamba Vicente, Founder of Madrid-based BAMBA Studio, Partner with Natura Futura, and Professor at FAD-UCSG, Ecuador; and Michael Maltzan, FAIA, Founder of Los Angeles-based Michael Maltzan Architecture. MCHAP Director Dirk Denison, FAIA, Professor, IIT College of Architecture and Founder of Dirk Denison Architects, will moderate the conversation.
Ticket holders are invited to enjoy a pre-program reception in CAC’s Usher Lambe Gallery with light bites and refreshments from 5 to 5:45 p.m. The program begins promptly at 6 p.m. in the Lecture Hall. This program is presented in partnership with the Chicago Architecture Biennial.

Author Talk: Nicholas Meyer (ONLINE)
2025-09-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual, Chicago, IL, United States
Join us for an evening with acclaimed screenwriter and director Nicholas Meyer, who is also the author of several novels in the Sherlock Holmes universe. In his latest book, Sherlock Holmes and the Real Thing, Holmes and Dr. Watson delve into the world of art forgery. Books will be available for purchase and Meyer will sign them following the program.
This is the livestream of an in person program at the American Writers Museum. When you register for this event, you will receive access to the livestream link. If you would like to attend the program in person at the AWM, get your tickets here.

Author Talk: Nicholas Meyer (IN PERSON)
2025-09-18 18:00 - 19:00 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Join us for an evening with acclaimed screenwriter and director Nicholas Meyer, who is also the author of several novels in the Sherlock Holmes universe. In his latest book, Sherlock Holmes and the Real Thing, Holmes and Dr. Watson delve into the world of art forgery. Books will be available for purchase and Meyer will sign them following the program.
This is an in person program at the American Writers Museum. This program will also be livestreamed, and you can register for the link to the online broadcast here.

All About Oktoberfest! | Oktoberfest History Presentation
2025-09-25 19:00 - 20:30 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Did you know the world’s largest folk festival started as a royal wedding celebration? Every year, Munich’s Oktoberfest draws million of visitors from across the globe, and its traditions have crossed the Atlantic, becoming a beloved part of American culture.
Join us for an insightful and entertaining presentation as we explore the rich history, unique traditions, and the global impact of Oktoberfest–from its roots in Munich to the vibrant celebrations here in Chicago. Whether you’re a longtime festgoer or just curious to learn more, this interactive talk will leave you with a new appreciation for one of the world’s most iconic festivals!

Get Lit: Blood Suckers
2025-10-07 17:30 - 19:30 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Get Lit: Blood Suckers

Sink your teeth into a night of spooky fun at Get Lit: Blood Suckers. This vampire-themed event will celebrate the fanged and fearless from your favorite works of American writing.

Test your knowledge of vampires in film, tv, books, and more in our Bloody Bloody Trivia Challenge.
Put on your best vampire-inspired fit for the Vampire Costume Contest.
Visit our friends from the Horror & SciFi Prop Preservation Association (HSPPA), a traveling museum of screen-used and production-made props, costumes, and film relics.
Flex your artistic side with vampire inspired crafts.
Get your Halloween reads from our friend from Bucket O’ Blood Books and Records, a Chicago store highlighting sci-fi, fantasy, & horror, plus indie rock, punk & metal records.
Enjoy beer, wine, and the night’s specialty cocktail, The Blood Bag, a blood red drink served in a unique container. Non-alcoholic options available as well.

Whether you’re a Dracula devotee, a Buffy buff, or a Twilgiht fanatic, this is sure to be a BLOODY good time.

This is 21+ event. Attendees must show a valid photo ID at the door to enter.

Daughters of Anacaona: A Groundbreaking Art Exhibition Celebrating Feminine Strength, Resilience, and Integrity
2025-10-09 - 2025-12-12 | Alliance Française de Chicago, 54 West Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60654, United States
The Alliance Française de Chicago, in partnership with Partners In Health, proudly announces the opening of Daughters of Anacaona. This groundbreaking art exhibition in celebration of feminine strength and integrity will be on display in the Alliance’s Eleanor Wood Prince Salon.
This compelling exhibition invites audiences to reflect on the legacy of Anacaona, the legendary Taíno cacica (chief), poet, and composer whose resistance and sacrifice symbolize the strength and dignity of Caribbean women across history. Curated by three dynamic exhibiting women artists from the Haitian diaspora—Chantal Bethel, Véronique De Mesmaeker, and Persida Louison—this exhibition is a convergence of ancestral memory, historical truth, and contemporary creative expression. Their work spans mixed media, acrylic, fiber, ceramics, and poetry. A special grand opening will be held at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 9 at AF-Chicago in River North. The program will feature a moderated conversation with the artists led by Chantal Bethel and a presentation by Partners In Health, as well as light refreshments, drinks, and cultural exchange.
$10 Suggested Donation

Paul Marushka's book presentation
2025-10-24 19:00 - 21:00 | 2249 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60612, 2249 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
Paul Marushka, a proud Ukrainian American and accomplished business leader as founder, CEO and president of Chicago-based Sphera, a sustainability and operational risk software company, will present insights from his book, Sustainable Success: How Businesses Win as a Force for Good, during a special 30-minute session at the Ukrainian National Museum on October 24.
This presentation offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from Marushka as he explores how organizations can leverage sustainability to drive meaningful change, foster resilience, and create long-term value. Drawing from his extensive experience in leadership and data-driven transformation, he will share strategic frameworks and real-world examples that have shaped his approach.
Attendees will also gain insight into Marushka’s personal journey as the son of Ukrainian immigrants and the cultural influences that inform his work, making this session especially relevant for professionals, students and community members interested in leadership, innovation and the role of heritage in shaping impactful business practices.
Join Paul at the Ukrainian National Museum to engage in an inspiring conversation that bridges tradition and transformation.

Soif Solstice: Photography Exhibition, Wine Tasting, and Fundraiser
2025-11-02 14:00 - 17:00 | Easy Does It, 2354 N Milwaukee AVE, Chicago, 60647
Join ART WORKS Projects (AWP) and Easy Does It for a special Soif Solstice event, in collaboration with local wine fair Third Coast Soif, featuring the debut of AWPs’ Emerging Lens Chicago exhibition, alongside a wine tasting that further connects us to people and places around the globe.
AWP is a Chicago-based visual advocacy organization that advances engagement through human rights-based storytelling, utilizing powerful documentary photography and film-based projects. Last shown at the 2024 Photoville Festival in Brooklyn, NY, “Emerging Lens: Safety, Visibility, Justice, and a Hope for the Future,” features eight global storytellers supported through AWP’s flagship fellowship program, Emerging Lens. Each of the artists (listed below) represents early-career documentary photographers who cover underrepresented stories across the globe, pushing the boundaries of traditional photojournalism and storytelling.
Easy Does It will lead a curated wine tasting of 12 wines, illuminating the enduring connection between land, identity, and resilience. The concept of terroir resonates uniquely in many of AWP’s visual stories, where natural elements like soil and climate shape and preserve cultural heritage. Photography and wine are living records, carrying layers of meaning that reflect the past and inform the present. This connection becomes the foundation of artists’ and winemakers’ narratives, as their resulting works remind us that land is more than just terrain, but a cultural identity.
This is a ticketed event, from which a portion from each ticket sold will support AWP’s Emerging Lens Fellowship, providing unrestricted grants, production support, and professional mentorship for new and early-career documentary photographers worldwide. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items that will help AWP meet critical funding gaps.
While the challenges of our current politically charged environment seem insurmountable, our stories, though personal, often traverse borders and understanding. Join us for an afternoon of building community as we share stories of the people, the places, and the wines that connect us all.
Ticket Prices:
General Tickets: $35

Photo exhibition and tasting of 12 wines

VIP Tickets: $75

Welcome glass
Photo exhibition and tasting of 12 wines
5 Raffle Tickets

*For guests who do not want to partake in the wine tasting, that’s okay! Please attend, browse raffle and silent auction items, and enjoy non-alcoholic and low ABV beverages available for purchase at the bar. Food by Motorshucker will also be available for purchase.
For event questions or sponsorship inquiries, please contact Bora Un, Managing Director, AWP: bora@artworksprojects.org

Host Committee:
Ivan Arenas
Meghan Bourke
Kelly V. Carter
Alex Cuper
Erin Kohn
Mark Lindzy
Elena Seligson
Featured Artists:
Astrig Agopian (2023-24 Fellow) is a French-Armenian reporter, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker based in Paris. Her work focuses on the intersection between geopolitics, territory, marginality, and memory. Agopian was a featured journalist in UNESCO’s 2023 exhibition: Safety of women journalists: the stories behind the faces of women journalists. Astrig’s project “Like There’s No Tomorrow” is featured in this exhibition.
Mark Anthony Brown Jr.(2021-22 Fellow) is a journeyman of sorts. Mark’s art practice is research-driven and interdisciplinary, utilizing photography, sculpture, drawing and painting with an interest in vernacular aesthetic practices and sensibilities, the manifestation of African retentions in the diaspora, semiotics, and archival practices. His work has been exhibited nationally and has received various fellowships and awards including the Nexus Grant from Atlanta Contemporary (2022), and a Visiting Researcher Fellowship at Wilson Special Collection Library at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (2023). Mark’s project “Forest Cove: All of the Above” is featured in this exhibition.
Megan Farmer (2019-20 Fellow) is a visual journalist at Seattle’s NPR affiliate station, KUOW Public Radio. She previously worked at the Omaha World-Herald. Megan’s work has appeared in NPR, The Associated Press, The New York Times, Science Magazine, Bleacher Report, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Omaha World-Herald, and The Seattle Times. Megan’s project “Life After a Hate Crime” is featured in this exhibition.
Brittany Greeson (2020-21 Fellow) is a Detroit, Michigan based photographer and grew up in the mountains of North Carolina and in Western Kentucky. Her work examines the consequences of economic divestment and the daily life of the American working-class through long-form visual narratives and portraiture. Prior to working independently, she interned at The Oregonian, The Roanoke Times, The Flint Journal, The Washington Post, and the San Antonio Express-News. Brittany’s project “A City in Limbo” is featured in this exhibition.
Isadora Kosofsky (2016-2018 Fellow) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She began photographing at the age of fourteen, documenting individuals in hospice care. Isadora often takes an immersive approach to visual storytelling, spending months and years embedded in the lives of the people she shadows. She is a recipient of a 2018 Grant from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting and the Royal Photo Society named her one of one hundred “heroines” in photography worldwide. Isadora is a TED Fellow, part of a network of 450 global change makers, and gave a talk at TED 2018 in Vancouver. Isadora’s project “Vinny and David” is featured in this exhibition.
Emmanuel Guillén Lozano (2016-17 Fellow) is a Mexican photographer and photo editor currently based in New York City. His work focuses on social issues, human rights, and the effects of violence. His long-term projects in Mexico document the toll of the Drug War and the consequences it has brought to communities around the country that have suffered forced disappearances and killings, both at the hands of the cartels and the Mexican state security forces. He currently works as a photo editor on projects for Google at Blink Media, and has taught photojournalism at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Emmanuel’s project “43: The Aftermath of a Disappearance” is featured in this exhibition.
Mustafa Saeed (2022-23 Fellow) is a Somali-born artist based in Hargeisa, Somaliland. His work combines different mediums including photography, graphics, and sound to explore socio-political issues including war, conflict and the environment. He is a contributor to Everyday Africa and the founder of Fankeenna, a youth-led art platform that houses a studio, gallery and workspace for local artists. His work has been exhibited at Addis Foto Fest (Addis Ababa), Lumières d’Afriques (Paris), and UNSEEN Photo Fair (Amsterdam). Mustafa’s project “Heavy” is featured in this exhibition.
Rachel Woolf (2018-19 Fellow) is a Denver-based independent visual journalist. She specializes in documentary photography, videography, and portraiture. Her work aims to intimately show aspects of humanity intersecting with economic and social issues. She has been published in The New York Times, CNN, US News and World Report, Bloomberg, Education Week, Detroit Free Press, and The Detroit News. Rachel’s project “Deported: An American Division // A Family Divided” is featured in this exhibition.

Artecito Virtual – Koala
2025-11-07 08:00 - 17:00 | Virtual, Chicago, IL, United States
How much do Koalas sleep?
Join us online as we explore Koalas with our friends from Artecito!
🎨
¿Cuanto duermen Koalas?
¡Acompáñanos a explorar sobre los koalas con nuestros amigos de Artecito!
🎨
What is Virtual Artecito?
Artecito is a free, bilingual online workshop developed by OPEN Center for the Arts and Lincoln Park Zoo that uses the arts to connect families with nature through local culture, holidays, and wildlife. Each session includes an art activity that encourages creative thinking about our relationship with the natural world.
🎨
¿Qué es Artecito Virtual?
Artecito es un taller gratuito en español desarrollado por OPEN Center for the Arts y Lincoln Park Zoo que utiliza las artes para conectar a las familias con la naturaleza, la cultura y la vida silvestre. Cada sesión incluye una actividad artística que inspira a niños y familias a pensar creativamente sobre su relación con la naturaleza.

Elenora Bilinska: "My Tribute to the Creator"
2026-01-09 19:00 - 22:00 | Ukrainian National Museum, 2249 W. Superior St., Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
Join the UNM January 9 for the opening exhibit of Elenora Bilinska’s works.
View the vibrant art of Elenora Bilinska, a Ukrainian artist with a whimsical style. Her exhibit, titled “My Tribute to the Creator” captures vibrant colors and fantastical figures in her works.
Her work will be on display from January 9 to January 30.

The exhibition “The Dear Road”
2026-02-06 07:00 - 21:30 | Ukrainian National Museum, 2249 W. Superior St., Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
The exhibition “The Dear Road” explores the symbolic meaning of roads as metaphors for life’s journey — from childhood to adulthood, through joy, struggle, love, and discovery. Among all life’s paths, the road home stands as the most sacred, representing warmth, belonging, and love. Today, for Ukrainians, this symbolism takes on a deeper resonance as they fight for the ultimate road — the path to peace, freedom, and the preservation of their homeland. The exhibition invites viewers to reflect on their own life journeys, the roads that have shaped them, and the ones that lead them home.
The exhibition will be presented by Krystyna Berehovska, director of the ZENYK ART GALLERY ( Lviv, Ukraine ) and curator of this exhibit.

Date: February 6, Friday at 7:00 pmLocation: UNM, 2249 W Superior St, Chicago, IL 60612
