Chicago Cultural Alliance

Guerrilla Television: The Revolutions of Early Independent Video Symposium
2024-04-21 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
When video cameras first became widely available in the late 1960s, a global network of artists, activists, and documentarians quickly had the same realization: video is not merely a new format; video will change EVERYTHING about moving image media. Over the next decade-plus, idealistic videomakers fought to overturn the top-down hierarchies of the film and TV industries to create a true “people’s television” that encouraged participation, feedback, and contributions from its audience. The proponents of Guerrilla Television threw out the rules of media, filming ordinary people in their own communities, and the revolution quickly spread. The result was a remarkably democratic movement, one in which communities that rarely appeared on network television- women, poor people, people of color, political radicals, queer people – told their own stories.
This event is co-presented by Media Burn Archive, University of Chicago, and Video Data Bank.

Closing Night: 40th Chicago Latino Film Festival "Milogna"
2024-04-22 17:30
Closing Night is a night of celebration in which we commemorate the films shown at the festival and come together to officially bring the event to a close.
Come join us again for another very special evening at the DAVIS Theatre (4614 N. Lincoln. Ave) Doors Open at 5:30pm and the Program will begin at 6:15pm.
The event ticket is $75 ($65 for ILCC Members) and includes the film “Milonga”, food, drinks and live music during the special reception at DANK HAUS after the film.
Tickets will be available on March 7th, 2024 through the link below.
Parking is Free and Meter Parking on the Street and Pay Lots are also available. (4519 N. Lincoln, 2357 W. Leland Ave & 4650 N. Western)
Six months after her husband’s death, Rosa lives alone in the family home and with her memories of a violent relationship. Rosa doesn’t even dare enter her husband’s private office. Her son is in jail and makes it quite clear that the less he hears from her the better. A friend tells her of a new milonga but Rosa hesitates. She hires Juan, a local handyman and fellow tango lover, to do some work around the house. She is clearly attracted to him. But is Juan her knight in shining armor? Shot entirely from Rosa’s point of view, “Milonga” is a quietly observant film about the psychological mark and almost paralyzing fear left behind by an abusive relationship. Paulina García delivers a stunning and moving performance in Laura González’s quietly powerful feature debut.

Noche de jazz
2024-04-25 19:30 | Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60604, United States
7:30 CSO X Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
9:30 Noche de jazz
Prepare for an electrifying fusion of jazz and classical as two mighty orchestras present a riveting concert. Experience the magic of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, with alternating renditions by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and innovative jazz arrangements by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Both ensembles join forces for a captivating selection from Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony, hailed by The Telegraph as “a journey through jazz history and the sounds of America itself.”
Following the concert, join the African American Network and Latino Alliance in Grainger Ballroom for a Q&A with Wynton Marsalis and conductor Giancarlo Guerrero, moderated by Symphony Center Presents Senior Director of Programming James Fahey.
Ticket availability to the postconcert event is limited! Tickets start at $40 and provide access to both the concert and event. There are two ways to secure your spot to this high-demand evening:
1. Recommended option: select seats are being held exclusively for CSO Latino Alliance and African American Network members and can be ordered by calling Patron Services at 312-294-3000. These specially held seats will not appear as available to purchase online.
2. Order online by clicking here to use promo code AANEVENTS or LAEVENTS. Current availability is limited in certain sections. Please note that the pricing will be adjusted after you have added your seats to the order.
Your concert ticket is your RSVP to the concert and postconcert event and is required for admittance.

CSO x Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
2024-04-25 19:30 - 2024-04-27 00:00 | Chicago Symphony Orchestra, 220 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, 60604, United States
Two mighty orchestras present a rousing, jazz-meets-classical event. Discover selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, alternating between the original orchestral version performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and imaginative new jazz arrangements presented by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Both ensembles join forces for a selection from Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony, which The Telegraph calls “a journey through jazz history and the sounds of America itself.”

Finally Fridays: SAI Socials
2024-04-26 17:30 - 19:30 | South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
The South Asia Institute is excited to announce “Finally Fridays”, a social monthly event designed to help our patrons make new connections. We believe that art makes connections, with a touch of music, DJ performances, food and drinks have the power to build communities. So come join us for our first SAI Social event and immerse yourself in the beauty of art, storytelling, music, food, and good company.
Featuring:
Eyekhanic Eats
DJ Spincycle (Ammarras Records/Delhi/Madison)
DJ Warp (SAI Executive Director/Chicago)
Rupee Beer (the country’s leading South Asian beer that is reclaiming the Indian pale ale)

Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen
2024-04-27 10:30, 2024-05-04 10:30, 2024-05-11 10:30, 2024-05-18 10:30, 2024-05-25 10:30 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Date:
Start
Saturday, January 06, 2024
Time:
Location:
Location
DANK Haus Room 206, 2nd Floor

KINO, KAFFEE UND KUCHEN
Saturdays at the DANK Haus in Room 206
10:30 – 11:00 AM | Kaffee und Kuchen
11:00 – 12:00 PM | Vorfilm
12:00 PM | Feature Film Begins

Join us each Saturday at the DANK Haus in Fall, Winter, and Spring for Kaffee, Kuchen, und Kino. Each week guests will choose the film they want to watch
DANK Members: $5 | Non-Members: $7

A Vocal Concert by Tomal Hossain accompanied by Mir Naqibul Islam
2024-04-27 15:00 - 18:00 | South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
This Vocal Concert by Tomal Hossain accompanied by Mir Naqibul Islam on tabla is an exploration of songs written and composed by Kazi Nazrul Islam that demonstrates his foothold in the genres of ragpradhaan/ragasrita gaan. Tomal Hossain is a PhD candidate in ethnomusicology at the University of Chicago. His ongoing dissertation research examines tarana song among Rohingya Muslims. Mir Naqibul Islam is a New York based tabla player from “Farukhabad” gharana. He has been trained in the traditional guru-shisya style of Indian Classical music.

Premiera albumu Polskie Chicago
2024-04-28 13:00 - 16:00 | Polish Museum of America, 984 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, 60642, United States
https://youtu.be/9X_FnuCcpYI

Zapraszamy na nostalgiczną podróż polskimi śladami w Chicago.
Dwujęzyczny album “Polskie Chicago” jest pierwszą tego typu publikacją na naszym rynku. Jego autorami są fotograficy Klara Świderska i Robert Świderski, autorkami opowieści o kultowych miejscach chicagowskiej Polonii są dziennikarki Małgorzata Błaszczuk, Ewa Uszpolewicz-Figurski. Na promocyjnym spotkaniu opowiemy o kilkuletniej pracy nad projektem, o miejscach i o nas — emigrantach w tym najbardziej polskim miejscu poza granicami kraju.

Premierowy pokaz, spotkanie autorskie i promocja albumu Polskie Chicago. Kultowe miejsca chicagowskiej Polonii.
Proszę przyjąć nasze serdeczne zaproszenie na to wydarzenie!
Cieszymy się, że po ponad dwóch latach pracy nad tym potężnym projektem, jego realizacja dobiegła końca.
Album Polskie Chicago. Kultowe miejsca chicagowskiej Polonii jest pierwszą tego typu publikacją na naszym rynku!
Czekamy na Państwa w Muzeum Polskim w Ameryce (godz. 13.00), gdzie będzie okazja do spotkania z autorami tej unikatowej pozycji.

K-experience: Celebrate Korean Children’s Day 2024 ‘Byeol-ju Bu-jeon (The Rabbit’s Liver)’
2024-05-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, 9925 Capitol Dr, Wheeling, IL, United States
The Children’s Day event will focus on introducing a well-known folk tale as the main theme. For our celebration on May 4th, we have chosen ‘Byeol-ju Bu-jeon (The Rabbit’s Liver)’ which children and their parents can enjoy together and learn Korean language through Korean cultural experiences and games, and to inspire interest in Hangeul, Korean language, beyond K-Drama and K-Pop.

Matyáš Novák
2024-05-08 19:00 - 21:00 | Chopin Theatre, 1543 West Division Street, Chicago, IL, 60642, United States
We’re excited to announce a rare opportunity to meet the incredibly talented young Czech pianist, Matyáš Novák. He will be performing at the Chopin Theatre on Wednesday, May 8, at 7 p.m. in an intimate setting with only 50 seats available. In celebration of the Year of Czech Music, Matyáš will perform pieces by Janáček, Smetana and other celebrated composers. Tickets for this event are expected to sell out quickly, so be sure to secure yours soon. For more information about this event, visit: https://www.chopintheatre.com/event.php?id=2934

The Sa of Equality
2024-05-09 19:00 - 21:30 | South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
Coming to South Asia Institute! Anand, a student of legendary Indian classical Dhrupad vocalist Ustad F. Wasifuddin Dagar, will present a unique program of Buddhist suttas in a bouquet of ragas, and demonstrate how they speak to Kabir and Babasaheb Ambedkar in establishing the norm, or Sa, of equality. The concert will be followed by a short Q&A with the artist, Anand and Pranathi Diwakar.
Anand is a student of Dhrupad with Ustad F. Wasifuddin Dagar who was trained in his youth in Carnatic music. He is better known as the publisher at Navayana.
Presented by South Asia Institute with the support of the Northwestern Buffett Institute for Global Affairs’ Race, Caste, and Colorism Project.

Larry & Joe in Concert at the Instituto Cervantes
2024-05-10 19:00 - 21:30 | Instituto Cervantes, 31 West Ohio Street, Chicago, IL, 60654, United States
Larry & Joe is the duo of Joropo maestro Larry Bellorín (Monagas, Venezuela) and GRAMMY-nominated bluegrass and oldtime star Joe Troop (Winston-Salem, North Carolina). These two virtuosic multi-instrumentalists fuse their respective Venezuelan and Appalachian folk traditions on the harp, banjo, cuatro, fiddle, upright bass, guitar, and maracas to prove that music has no borders. Their engaging bilingual program includes storytelling, humor, singalongs, and dancing.
This presentation is collaboration of The International Latino Cultural Center and the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago.
$10 Validated Parking is available at the 33 W. Ontario Garage, enter garage on Ohio Street directly across from the Instituto Cervantes located at 31 W. Ohio Street, Chicago. Request Validation at the Front Desk of Instituto Cervantes.
Instituto Cervantes is a wheelchair accessible venue.
Members of the ILCC receive discounts on tickets and merchandise throughout the year. Explore the membership tab on this website and become a member of the International Latino Film Festival!

Kiran Ahluwalia The Sound of Contemporary India
2024-05-10 19:30 | South Asia Institute 1925 South Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60616
Join us on Friday, May 10 (7:30 p.m.) when we will showcase Kiran Ahluwalia and her band in their debut performance, live at SAI. Their unique music that transcends genres and cultures, infuses South Asian music with African desert blues and Western styles.
Event Details:
TICKET PRICES: $25 Advance / $35 At Door
WHEN: Friday, May 10 | 7:30 p.m. / 7:00 p.m. Doors
WHERE: 1925 South Michigan Ave, Chicago, Il, 60616

If the Sky Could Dream: Interactive Installation, Performance, & Workshop Series
2024-05-11 14:00 - 16:00 | Heritage Museum of Asian Art, 3500 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
Heritage Museum of Asian Art is collaborating with 2024 Resident Artist Irene Hsiao to create a new interactive installation, performance, and workshop series called If the Sky Could Dream. Coinciding with the Lunar Year of the Dragon, the museum will showcase dragon artworks from throughout Asia, as well as include an original, contemporary vision of the dragon from an Asian American perspective by Hsiao.
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If the Sky Could Dream combines drawing, painting, dance, found materials and found spaces at the museum to reveal and celebrate the dragons among us—structural, ancestral, architectural, internal, and environmental. Because the dragon is a water deity in Chinese culture, this work also features projections of the waters of Chicago: Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and the lakes, ponds, and lagoons of Chicago Parks.
Dates:
Friday, Feb 9, 6:00 – 8:30 PM: Preview of the Dragon Exhibition
Saturday, Feb 10, 11:00AM-12:00PM: Dragon Exhibition Opening Ceremony
Friday, Feb 16, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Friday with Irene Hsiao
Friday, Mar 15, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Friday with Irene Hsiao
Saturday, Mar 16, 1:00 – 3:00PM: If the Sky Could Dream Workshop – Series One
Friday, Apr 19, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Friday with Irene Hsiao
Saturday, May 11, 1:00 – 3:00PM: If the Sky Could Dream Workshop – Series Two
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If the Sky Could Dream is supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant.
Join the HMAA’s Artist in Residence Irene Hsiao for a performance with guest musician Menghua Guan, following with an insightful artist conversation about the process behind her project, IF THE SKY COULD DREAM. Attendees will explore the details of Hsiao’s project through the lens of the artist herself, learning about installation and performance art and how it relates to the HMAA’s current exhibition Year of the Dragon: Early China to LEGO.
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.
Please note that events may be canceled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
“AAPI Heritage Month Cultural Festival 2024” is sponsored by Chicago Community Trust.
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.
P1-P2, Photo by Ricardo E. Adame. P3, Photo by William Frederking
About Menghua Guan
Menghua Guan, Master’s degree in music from Nanjing Normal University in China, founder of Menghua Guan Guzheng Studio, is a Guzheng performer and tutor with more than 30 years of Guzheng playing experience and more than 20 years of Guzheng teaching experience. She has been invited to offer numerous lectures and performances in universities and libraries such as Roosevelt University, University of Wisconsin, Chicago Public Library etc. Menghua Guan was also invited to perform in Jay Pritzker Pavilion in the Millennium Park for Guzheng Concerto by the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic in 2018. For more information, please visit http://www.menghuaguan.com/
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

"Ramé: The Joyful Cooperation of Many
2024-05-11 17:00 - 20:00
Saturday, May 11, 2024, 5 p.m. UIC School Theatre and Music located at 1044 W. Harrison Street, Chicago, IL 60607
$15/general ticket; $0 for children 11 years and younger
Purchase tickets today!
FROG’s Balinese Ensemble (formerly Chicago Balinese Gamelan) performs “Ramé: The Joyful Cooperation of Many”. With guest artists Dewa Ayu Eka Putri and Putu Tangkas And a premiere composition by Ross Lafleur. Musicians’ stunning synchronization and dancers’ beautiful movements paired with rich colorful costumes dominate this dramatic performance created by Artistic Director Claire Fassnacht. Three riveting gamelan styles are showcased: the robust gong kebyar, the playful angklung, and the boisterous baleganjur marching gamelan.

"Next To Normal"Featuring an All South Asian Cast!
2024-05-17 - 2024-05-19, 2024-05-23, 2024-05-24, 2024-05-25, 2024-05-26 | South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
We are pleased to announce the South Asian cast world premiere of the Pulitzer Prize & three-time Tony Award-winning musical Next to Normal!
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.
Click the “Get Tickets” button to read more about the play, cast, and the 10 upcoming show dates.

A Springtime Musical Cabaret
2024-05-18 16:00 - 17:00
Argyle Street, at the center of Chicago’s premiere Southeast Asian business and entertainment district, will play host to a one-day event on Saturday, May 18 to celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. The inaugural “Argyle AANHPI Block Party” will bring vendors, artists, cultural organizations, and people together in celebration of the Argyle corridor and the wide array of diversity that exists within Chicago’s AANHPI community.

FROG's Javanese Ensemble performs "Innovation through Tradition"
2024-05-18 20:30 - 22:30
FROG’s Javanese Ensemble performs “Innovation through Tradition”. With guest artists Heni Savitri and Darsono Hadiraharjo.
Constellation’s Links Hall
3111 N. Western Avenue, Chicago, IL 60618 $15/general ticket
Purchase tickets today!
Join an evening of gamelan music centered around the boundless influences of the late Ki Nartsabdho, one of the most influential Javanese gamelan musicians of the last half century. Featured works, selected by Artistic Director Alex Yoffe, are composed by, directly inspired by, or transformed by esteemed Javanese composer Ki Nartosabdho.
You can watch the livestream here.
If you watch the livestream, please support the artists by purchasing a livestream ticket.
Since 1980, Friends of the Gamelan has been Chicago’s premier ensemble that performs traditional Javanese gamelan music. Led by Artistic Director Alex Yoffe, the nonprofit provides quality instruction, performs world-class concerts, and presents engaging workshops with students, families, and gamelan appreciators of all ages and abilities throughout the Chicago area and beyond. In the late 1970s, a group began to meet regularly at the Field Museum to play on the same gamelan instruments from the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Eventually the instruments were archived and the ensemble acquired new instruments.
Today’s set of instruments was acquired by FROG in the 2000s. The ensemble has performed at various stages throughout Chicago, including Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion, the Field Museum, Navy Pier, and the Old Town School of Folk Music, to name a few.

Ahimsa for Freedom
2024-05-20 15:30 - 16:30 | South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
“Non violence (AHIMSA) needs you to have more strength and more courage”.
John J. Pershing Magnet School for the Humanities & Kalapriya Center for Indian Performing Arts invite you to AHIIMSA FOR FREEDOM – performed by middle schoolers.
What happens when a ten year old child sees the monumental national struggle disrupting her home? Changing her life? Transforming her values? Ahimsa for Freedom! is a play centered around the Indian Civil Rights movement, through the perspective of a young child witnessing history unfold before her.

Written by Gowri Ramnarayan based on the Novel by Supriya Kelkar
Performed by the students of John J. Pershing Elementary School
Directed by Kasi Aysola

SCHOOL GROUPS: Please reach out to Mary@Kalapriya.org to secure your group seating for the 11:30 am performance OR the 3:30 performance. Additional information for school groups can be found under the FAQ section.

Rusalka at the Rosehill Cemetery
2024-05-24 19:00 - 21:00
Join the Ouroboros Opera at the Rosehill Cemetery for an unforgettable evening of music and drama.
Set in a wild wood full of fae sprites, Rusalka is guaranteed to delight. The story is quite familiar to us, resembling The Little Mermaid but told from Slavic origins. Rusalka, a water sprite, longs to be human and to experience love with a handsome prince she’s seen in the woods. Her father warns her only woe will come from such things but Rusalka is driven to know exactly what life is like beyond the waters edge. This is a story of longing, of wishing desperately to catch a glimpse of something more than the life we live. Join us as we peer into moonlit waters and discover what might be just under the surface.

“一家之主”：女性，母性，依属&自主 “Reclaim”: Womanhood, Motherhood, and In/Dependence – Movie Screening and Discussion with KAN-WIN
2024-05-25 13:30 - 16:30 | 3500 S Morgan Street, 3500 S Morgan St 3F, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
Please note that this event is in Mandarin 本次活动将全程使用中文进行。
This event includes a movie screening followed by a discussion about the movie. Centering on a woman in her late 50s/early 60s who has lived her life for others–husband, children, parents–the movie depicts traditional gender roles embedded commonly in Asian families. Through guided discussion, participants will have an opportunity to explore further and deeper experiences and struggles an Asian woman might undergo during her life, especially how to “reclaim” her independence as a capable wife, a caring mother, and a successful career woman.
活動包括電影放映和有關電影的討論。這部電影以一位 50 歲末/60 歲出頭的女性為中心，她為他人（丈夫、孩子、父母）而活，描繪了亞洲家庭中普遍存在的傳統性別角色。透過引導式討論​​，參與者將有機會進一步深入探討亞洲女性一生中可能經歷的經歷和掙扎，特別是如何在一個有能力的妻子、一個有愛心的母親和一個成功的職業婦女的多重角色中重申自己的自主性。
Please note that events may be canceled or postponed due to unforeseen circumstances.
“AAPI Heritage Month Cultural Festival 2024” is sponsored by Chicago Community Trust.
Event Agenda
1:00 Door Open
1:20 Introduction
1:30-3:30 Movie Screening
3:30-3:40 Stretch & Break
3:40-4:20 Discussion
4:20-4:30 Closing Remarks
4:30 End

About KAN-WIN
KAN-WIN’s mission is to eradicate gender-based violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault, especially for women and children across Asian American communities and beyond through culturally competent services, community engagement, and advocacy.
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, accessed via West 35th Street.
Email at info@heritageasianart.org
Phone at 312-842-8884
Image: Courtesy of Rong Gwan Productions.
*About the photo: https://www.cinemaescapist.com/2022/07/review-reclaim-taiwan-movie/

Performance by Guillermo Fernández
2024-05-31 19:00 - 21:00 | International Latino Cultural Center, 542 S Dearborn St Suite 610, Chicago, IL, 60605, United States
Award-winning singer, musician, and composer Guillermo Fernández is one of the most important voices in Argentine Tango and popular culture. Twice awarded the Premios Kronos as one of the top five Tango singers of the decade (2005 & 2015), Guillermo Fernández brings his solo show to Chicago armed only with his guitar and voice. El Tango y Sus Historias is an immersive production where Guillermo connects with his audiences to share the poetry and inspiring lyrics of the greatest Tangos. Fernández explores themes of love, death, loneliness and the human condition with song and commentary in an interactive show.
