Chicago Cultural Alliance

Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday
2026-05-15 19:30 - 2026-05-16 00:00, 2026-04-17 19:30 - 2026-04-18 00:00 (America/Chicago) | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Feiern Sie mit uns! Our monthly Open Haus Stammtisch is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy a little Gemütlichkeit over some delicious German food and drink!
Theme TBD
Food and drink will be available for purchase.
Free parking at 5/3 Bank after 6:00 PM located at Western and Gunnison

3rd Fridays Free Admission Museum Night
2026-05-15 17:00 - 20:00, 2026-04-17 17:00 - 20:00 | 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.

Neighborhood Nights
2026-05-14 19:00 - 23:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
Date:
Start
Thursday, January 11, 2024
Time:
Location:
Location
DANK Haus, 6th Floor Skyline Lounge

enjoy a beverage with a spectacular EXPERIENCE in our haus
A perfect place to meet your neighbors and socialize! All proceeds support the DANK Haus Museum
WHEN
Each 2nd & 4th Thursday of the month from 7-11 PM.
Location
Winter months – Brauhaus Room (2nd floor)
Summer/Fall months – Skyline Lounge/Terrace (6th floor)
Subject to change. Be sure to check elevator signs when arriving!

Get Lit: Art of the Cocktail
2026-05-12 17:30 - 19:30 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Raise a glass and grab your sketchbook for Get Lit: The Art of Cocktails.
Author and illustrator Sarah Becan (Let’s Make Bread!, Let’s Make Dumplings!) visits Get Lit to share a live demonstration of her favorite cocktail recipes from her newest book, Let’s Make Cocktails!, followed by a hands-on drawing session learning to illustrate the same cocktail in her unique, playful style. Throughout the night, enjoy interactive stations, sketch challenges, and fun games that let you sip, sketch, and mingle with fellow cocktail and art lovers. Books will be available for purchase at the event.
This is 21+ event. Attendees must show a valid photo ID at the door to enter.

Constructing Jathi Choreography with Harini Nilakantan
2026-05-09 13:15 - 14:15, 2026-05-02 13:15 - 14:15, 2026-04-25 13:15 - 14:15, 2026-04-18 13:15 - 14:15 | Kalapriya Studio, 2101 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, United States
Weekly Saturdays
1:15 – 2:15 PM
Harini Nilakantan is a student of Aacharya Choodamani Guru Smt. Roja
Kannan, and has over two decades of experience in this art form. In this 90-minute class, dancers will learn new choreography – both how to piece together combinations and increase retention with her for advanced
rhythmic patterns or Jathis.
Class focus: execution, technique, creativity, retention

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance: Studio Arts Program
2026-05-09 10:30 - 14:30, 2026-05-02 10:30 - 14:30, 2026-04-25 10:30 - 14:30, 2026-04-18 10:30 - 14:30 | IL
El Rinconcito is a free open art space for creative expression for people ages 12-25. You can meet people like you who are interested in arts, painting, drawing, printmaking, and others. El Riconcito provides a safe and welcoming studio for art making. An artist and a counselor in the studio can guide you in creative experiences, but you can opt to do your own artwork.
Join us! We provide the art supplies, and you bring your creativity.

Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen
2026-05-09 10:30, 2026-05-02 10:30, 2026-04-25 10:30, 2026-04-18 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

Architect Talk: Michael Murphy
2026-04-29 18:00 - 19:15 | Chicago Architecture Center, 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Join us for a discussion with Michael Murphy, founder of AMMA and MASS Design Group, as he celebrates the release of his book, “Our World in Ten Buildings” and reflects on milestone projects from his career. “Our World in Ten Buildings” explores how the choices we make in our built environment shape the way we think, connect, and live — from homes, schools and offices to prisons, memorials, waiting rooms and hospital spaces. Following the presentation, Murphy will be joined in conversation by Reed Kroloff, Dean and Rowe Family College of Architecture Endowed Chair at IIT College of Architecture.

Enchantment: A bioplay of the life and music of Ravi Shankar
2026-04-26 14:00 - 16:30 | The International House/University of Chicago, 1414 E 59th St, Chicago, IL, 60637
Enchantment is an intimate theatrical journey into the inner life of music giant Ravi Shankar.
This is not a standard retelling of Shankar’s legendary career. Instead, this bioplay steps into the inner world of the sitar maestro — his doubts, regrets, struggles, and the fierce resolve that carried him from a boy dancer in Paris to one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century. Through moments of vulnerability and brilliance, the play reveals how Ravi Shankar transformed adversity into artistic triumph.
Written by Gowri Ramnarayan and shaped by the maestro’s own witty and poignant words, Enchantment weaves theatre, live dance, and music into a richly immersive experience. The production features Ravi Shankar’s original sitar recordings and exclusive compositions rendered by Bombay Jayashri, with Aditya Prakash, Vignesh Ishwar, and Chaitra Sairam.

Enchantment: A bioplay of the life and music of Ravi Shankar
2026-04-25 19:00 - 20:30 | IL

Neighborhood Nights
2026-04-23 19:00 - 23:00 | IL

Author Talk: “Parks and Rec” by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (IN PERSON)
2026-04-22 18:00 - 19:00 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Pop culture historian and bestselling author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (Seinfeldia, When Women Invented Television) visits the AWM to discuss her new book about the making of a beloved television show. Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America tells the definitive story of the creation and legacy of Parks and Recreation, with exclusive interview content from its cast, crew, and creators, as well as an introduction by Nick Offerman.
Books will be available for purchase and Keishin Armstrong 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.
More about Parks and Rec:
More than fifteen years after Parks and Recreation premiered, it has become a streaming and pop culture staple. It’s beloved for its jokes, characters, and expressions—the show even created a now widely observed holiday, Galentine’s Day. How did it all happen and how did the show transform from a ratings disappointment into a cult classic? Pop culture historian Jennifer Keishin Armstrong reveals all this and more in the definitive history of the show, which is as full of humor, optimism, and heart as Parks and Recreation itself.
Through new and exclusive interviews, as well as deep insight and smart and entertaining pop culture analysis, Armstrong tells the story of how Parks and Recreation came to be: how it grew from The Office’s success and Obama-inspired optimism, how producers assembled one of TV’s most lovable casts but barely survived a mediocre first season, how the show found its voice by getting more political and more romantic, and how it became a cultural force despite middling ratings during its network run, going on to become a television savior of the Trump era and a modern classic.
For fans of the show, readers who enjoy behind-the-scenes stories, and everyone who loves a nostalgic deep-dive, Parks and Rec is an exploration of its legacy as an enduringly lovable modern comedy classic full of optimism and heart. Lovingly told and deeply researched, Parks and Rec is the ultimate history of the show that taught us what’s important in life: friends, waffles, and work.
Praise for Parks and Rec:
“A magnificent job of chronicling the unlikely beginnings of the show—the way that Greg Daniels and Mike Schur conceived of the premise and the world, and then the rag-tag way they put the cast together…You’ll be treated within to all manner of winning anecdotes about the adorable and talented team of champions that made up our cast.”
—Nick Offerman, excerpted from the foreword to Parks and Rec
“Making Parks and Rec was fun, pure fun, achieved through joyous collaboration with an incredible collection of writers and actors and creative people. I miss it every day, and Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s book is as close as I (or anyone) can get to actually being there, working and laughing and making something we all loved so much.”
—Michael Schur, co-creator of Parks and Recreation
“Sweet as a plate of JJ’s waffles, Parks and Rec is a thoughtful celebration of the underdog sitcom that, for seven seasons, put an optimistic lens on liberal democracy and small-town life. Full of behind-the-scenes stories from the show’s writers, cast and crew, Parks traces the NBC sitcom’s transformation from mid-season misfire to witty, romantic television classic. A perfect gift for members of the Leslie Knope-o-verse—or anyone searching for a little sunlight in a dark time.”
—Emily Nussbaum, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Cue the Sun!
New York Times bestselling author JENNIFER KEISHIN ARMSTRONG has written nine books, including Seinfeldia, Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted, Sex and the City and Us, and When Women Invented Television. She is the cofounder of the “Ministry of Pop Culture” Substack and a former local newspaper reporter. She lives in New Paltz, New York. She is also the co-host of the American Writers Museum podcast Dead Writer Drama.

Author Talk: “Parks and Rec” by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (ONLINE)
2026-04-22 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual, Chicago, IL, United States
Pop culture historian and bestselling author Jennifer Keishin Armstrong (Seinfeldia, When Women Invented Television) visits the AWM to discuss her new book about the making of a beloved television show. Parks and Rec: The Underdog TV Show That Lit’rally Inspired a Vision for a Better America tells the definitive story of the creation and legacy of Parks and Recreation, with exclusive interview content from its cast, crew, and creators, as well as an introduction by Nick Offerman.
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 Parks and Rec:
More than fifteen years after Parks and Recreation premiered, it has become a streaming and pop culture staple. It’s beloved for its jokes, characters, and expressions—the show even created a now widely observed holiday, Galentine’s Day. How did it all happen and how did the show transform from a ratings disappointment into a cult classic? Pop culture historian Jennifer Keishin Armstrong reveals all this and more in the definitive history of the show, which is as full of humor, optimism, and heart as Parks and Recreation itself.
Through new and exclusive interviews, as well as deep insight and smart and entertaining pop culture analysis, Armstrong tells the story of how Parks and Recreation came to be: how it grew from The Office’s success and Obama-inspired optimism, how producers assembled one of TV’s most lovable casts but barely survived a mediocre first season, how the show found its voice by getting more political and more romantic, and how it became a cultural force despite middling ratings during its network run, going on to become a television savior of the Trump era and a modern classic.
For fans of the show, readers who enjoy behind-the-scenes stories, and everyone who loves a nostalgic deep-dive, Parks and Rec is an exploration of its legacy as an enduringly lovable modern comedy classic full of optimism and heart. Lovingly told and deeply researched, Parks and Rec is the ultimate history of the show that taught us what’s important in life: friends, waffles, and work.
Praise for Parks and Rec:
“A magnificent job of chronicling the unlikely beginnings of the show—the way that Greg Daniels and Mike Schur conceived of the premise and the world, and then the rag-tag way they put the cast together…You’ll be treated within to all manner of winning anecdotes about the adorable and talented team of champions that made up our cast.”
—Nick Offerman, excerpted from the foreword to Parks and Rec
“Making Parks and Rec was fun, pure fun, achieved through joyous collaboration with an incredible collection of writers and actors and creative people. I miss it every day, and Jennifer Keishin Armstrong’s book is as close as I (or anyone) can get to actually being there, working and laughing and making something we all loved so much.”
—Michael Schur, co-creator of Parks and Recreation
“Sweet as a plate of JJ’s waffles, Parks and Rec is a thoughtful celebration of the underdog sitcom that, for seven seasons, put an optimistic lens on liberal democracy and small-town life. Full of behind-the-scenes stories from the show’s writers, cast and crew, Parks traces the NBC sitcom’s transformation from mid-season misfire to witty, romantic television classic. A perfect gift for members of the Leslie Knope-o-verse—or anyone searching for a little sunlight in a dark time.”
—Emily Nussbaum, staff writer at The New Yorker and author of Cue the Sun!
New York Times bestselling author JENNIFER KEISHIN ARMSTRONG has written nine books, including Seinfeldia, Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted, Sex and the City and Us, and When Women Invented Television. She is the cofounder of the “Ministry of Pop Culture” Substack and a former local newspaper reporter. She lives in New Paltz, New York. She is also the co-host of the American Writers Museum podcast Dead Writer Drama.

Water to Water: Gaza Renga – Marilyn Hacker & Deema Shehabi (IN PERSON)
2026-04-20 18:00 - 19:00 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Award-winning poets Marilyn Hacker and Deema K. Shehabi visit the American Writers Museum to read from their powerful new book Water to Water: Gaza Renga, a poetry collaboration in the call-and-response form of Renga during the conflict in Gaza. The pair will have a conversation on their writing journey and share how the collaboration came to be. Books will be available for purchase and the poets 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.
This program is presented in conjunction with the AWM’s special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, a powerful new exhibit that takes you on the ultimate exploration through spirituality and storytelling. American Prophets is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative.
More about Water to Water:
From the publisher: “In 2009, prompted by the Israeli siege of Gaza, poets Marilyn Hacker and Deema Shehabi started a correspondence. It took the form of responding to each other’s poems. They resumed their poetic dialogue by email after Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
Their project involved an alternate call and response between them in the tradition of the Japanese renga form, each poet picking up a word, phrase, or image from the poem preceding. The result is a fascinating poetic conversation. The two poetic voices are beautifully meshed together, so that it actually reads as one long poem.
The poetry is very rich in imagery, and these images stay with you, as do feelings the poems generate, for example, of unrest, of being in exile. Television and social media show you the pictures in the streets, this poetry takes you into the homes and minds of people. You can read it very much between the lines, and therefore it seems to speak to people about their own experiences.
Water to Water: Gaza Renga is a dignified celebration of humanity in and among atrocities. Although triggered by events in Gaza, it weaves in other conflicts past and present.”
Praise for Water to Water:
“[A] stunning sequence of renga… We celebrate these two voices, bleeding in and out of each other, quicksilver, mercurial, eloquent in song and silence, even as they celebrate the human spirit in a ruptured world.”
—Mimi Khalvati
“This book’s revolutionary form is most revolutionary of all in making serious political engagement and sophisticated poetic pleasure inseparable.”
—Fiona Sampson, Professor of Poetry, University of Roehampton

MARILYN HACKER (left) is the author of twenty-one books of poems, including three collaborative books, and twenty-two collections of translations from the French. Over the course of her career, she has received numerous honors, including the National Book Award, the PEN Award for Poetry in Translation, the PEN/Voelcker Award, the Argana International Poetry Prize, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, editor of the Kenyon Review, and editor of the French literary journal Siècle 21. She lives between Paris and New York.
DEEMA K. SHEHABI (right) is a Palestinian American poet and editor. She is the author of Thirteen Departures from the Moon and the co-editor (with Beau Beausoleil) of Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here, for which she received NCBR’s recognition award. She is also the winner of the Nazim Hikmet Poetry Prize in 2018 and a recipient of Best of the Net nomination in 2021 as well as several Pushcart Prize nominations. Her poems have been widely published in literary journals and her work has been translated into Arabic, French, and Farsi.

Water to Water: Gaza Renga – Marilyn Hacker & Deema Shehabi (ONLINE)
2026-04-20 18:00 - 19:00 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Award-winning poets Marilyn Hacker and Deema K. Shehabi visit the American Writers Museum to read from their powerful new book Water to Water: Gaza Renga, a poetry collaboration in the call-and-response form of Renga during the conflict in Gaza. The pair will have a conversation on their writing journey and share how the collaboration came to be.
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.
This program is presented in conjunction with the AWM’s special exhibit American Prophets: Writers, Religion, and Culture, a powerful new exhibit that takes you on the ultimate exploration through spirituality and storytelling. American Prophets is supported by a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Religion and Cultural Institutions Initiative.
More about Water to Water:
From the publisher: “In 2009, prompted by the Israeli siege of Gaza, poets Marilyn Hacker and Deema Shehabi started a correspondence. It took the form of responding to each other’s poems. They resumed their poetic dialogue by email after Israel launched its genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.
Their project involved an alternate call and response between them in the tradition of the Japanese renga form, each poet picking up a word, phrase, or image from the poem preceding. The result is a fascinating poetic conversation. The two poetic voices are beautifully meshed together, so that it actually reads as one long poem.
The poetry is very rich in imagery, and these images stay with you, as do feelings the poems generate, for example, of unrest, of being in exile. Television and social media show you the pictures in the streets, this poetry takes you into the homes and minds of people. You can read it very much between the lines, and therefore it seems to speak to people about their own experiences.
Water to Water: Gaza Renga is a dignified celebration of humanity in and among atrocities. Although triggered by events in Gaza, it weaves in other conflicts past and present.”
Praise for Water to Water:
“[A] stunning sequence of renga… We celebrate these two voices, bleeding in and out of each other, quicksilver, mercurial, eloquent in song and silence, even as they celebrate the human spirit in a ruptured world.”
—Mimi Khalvati
“This book’s revolutionary form is most revolutionary of all in making serious political engagement and sophisticated poetic pleasure inseparable.”
—Fiona Sampson, Professor of Poetry, University of Roehampton

MARILYN HACKER (left) is the author of twenty-one books of poems, including three collaborative books, and twenty-two collections of translations from the French. Over the course of her career, she has received numerous honors, including the National Book Award, the PEN Award for Poetry in Translation, the PEN/Voelcker Award, the Argana International Poetry Prize, and fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts. She served as a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, editor of the Kenyon Review, and editor of the French literary journal Siècle 21. She lives between Paris and New York.
DEEMA K. SHEHABI (right) is a Palestinian American poet and editor. She is the author of Thirteen Departures from the Moon and the co-editor (with Beau Beausoleil) of Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here, for which she received NCBR’s recognition award. She is also the winner of the Nazim Hikmet Poetry Prize in 2018 and a recipient of Best of the Net nomination in 2021 as well as several Pushcart Prize nominations. Her poems have been widely published in literary journals and her work has been translated into Arabic, French, and Farsi.

Assyrian Cultural Renaissance
2026-04-17 19:00 - 2026-04-19 17:00 | Hyatt Regency O’Hare, 9300 W. Bryan Mawr, Chicago, IL, 60618, United States
The Renaissance Continues.
Mark your calendars as the Assyrian Renaissance returns to Chicago on April 2026.
Through music, art, literature, and more, we’ll gather once more to celebrate who we are and where we come from.
Join us for three unforgettable days of culture, community, and pride.
April 17–19, 2026 | Chicago, IL

Austrian Wine Tasting Stammtisch
2026-04-17 19:00 - 23:00 | DANK Haus German American Cultural Center, 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 60625, United States
We’re bringing together the best of Austrian wine and tradition for a relaxed and lively night. Enjoy a guided tasting experience featuring a variety of Austrian wines while connecting with friends, community members, and fellow enthusiasts around the table.
To complete the experience, Chef Martin will be grilling up Bratwurst and Käsekrainer, available for purchase and perfect to pair with your glass.

Haitian Heritage Month Konpa Sware
2026-04-16 19:00 - 23:00 | IL
Join the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) at its monthly Konpa Sware! The museum is excited to continue this immersive event which includes an evening of Haitian dance and music. Join us at Room43. Food will be available for free and the FIRST 50 GUESTS will recieve 1 FREE DRINK!
FEATURING MUSIC BY: DJ Frantz!
This is a recurring event on the Third Thursday of each month. Keep an eye out for future event registration!
* TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR*

Get Lit: Speakeasy Rhymes
2026-04-14 17:30 - 19:30 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Step back into the glittering, shadowy world of the Roaring Twenties at Get Lit: Speakeasy Rhymes, an evening of clandestine charm, jazz-age flair, and unfiltered artistic expression.

Share an original piece of poetry or song during our open mic. Don’t have anything to share? We’ll have pieces from notable American poets and songwriters that you can select.
Stop by the Blackout Poetry Bar to create a unique blackout poetry inspired by works of the 1920s.
Uncover the Secret Password hidden in clues around the museum to earn a special prize.
Enjoy beer, wine, and the night’s specialty cocktail, the Giggle Water. Non-alcoholic options are available as well.

Slip through our secret door, raise a glass, and lose yourself in a night where every whispered word keeps the spirit of the speakeasy alive.

This is 21+ event. Attendees must show a valid photo ID at the door to enter.
Get Lit is your way to enjoy evenings in the Loop. Meet friends and fellow book nerds for an early evening treat. Each month, the AWM serves drinks, games, special experiences, and fun activities to get you lit! Funds raised at this event go towards the AWM’s Write In Youth Education Program, which serves middle and high school students from under-resourced schools. See our other upcoming GET LIT events here.
