This site uses cookies for analytics and to improve your experience. By clicking Accept, you consent to our use of cookies.

"Chicago Cultural Alliance" logo
  • ABOUT US
    • ABOUT
    • COALITION STATEMENT
    • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
    • CCA Blog
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
    • OUR TEAM
    • OPPORTUNITIES
    • Privacy Policy
  • OUR MEMBERS
    • ABOUT OUR MEMBERS
    • CORE MEMBERS
    • PARTNER MEMBERS
    • JOIN THE ALLIANCE
  • HOLIDAY GUIDE
  • MEETING THE MOMENT
  • ACTIVATING HERITAGE 2026
  • PROGRAMS
    • ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS
    • ACTIVATING HERITAGE 2026
    • JOURNEY CHICAGO
    • ARCHIVES CRAWL
    • WORLD DUMPLING FEST (2024)
    • MOSAIC 2025 Gala
  • CALENDAR
  • MEMBERWIRE LOG-IN
  • DONATE
20 events found.

Events Search and Views Navigation

Event Views Navigation

  • List
  • Month
  • Week
Today
  • December 2024

  • Sat 14
    December 14, 2024 @ 10:30 am - 2:30 pm Puerto Rican Arts Alliance: Studio Arts Program

    Puerto Rican Arts Alliance: Studio Arts Program

    • Workshops and Classes

    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 […]

  • Sat 14
    December 14, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 3:00 pm FREE Guided Tours at the National Hellenic Museum

    FREE Guided Tours at the National Hellenic Museum

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    National Hellenic Museum 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us for our FREE, limited-time offer guided tours every Saturday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. These one-hour tours offer a comprehensive journey through the museum's rich exhibitions and […]

  • Sat 14
    December 14, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Weihnachtsmarkt Indoor Christmas Market

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

    Come join us for a warm indoor Weihnachtsmarkt with German-inspired Christmas shopping, Glühwein, food, music and more! Our Weihnachtsmarkt (Christmas Market) takes place on Saturday, December 14th, 2024 from 11:00am to 5:00pm. We will have German […]

    $5
  • Sat 14
    December 14, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Marche De Noel

    Marche De Noel

      Pioneer Court Equitable Building 401 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

      A Charming European Market Experience in the Heart of Chicago Immerse yourself in the magic of this European-style market on the Magnificent Mile™. Discover a delightful array of unique finds […]

      Free
    • Sat 14
      December 14, 2024 @ 1:15 pm - 2:15 pm Constructing Jathi Choreography with Harini Nilakantan

      Constructing Jathi Choreography with Harini Nilakantan

      • Dance
      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 […]

    • Sat 14
      December 14, 2024 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

      Sistah Scrooge – Red Carpet Movie Premiere – a CoquieHughes film

      • Music, Film, and Theater
      Malcolm X College 1900 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago

      🎄✨ Experience the Holiday Magic Like Never Before! ✨🎄 Join us for the highly-anticipated Chicago premiere of Sistah Scrooge, a bold and modern twist on the classic redemption tale of […]

      $30
    • Sun 15
      December 15, 2024 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Last Chance Craft and Art Fair @ C.O.D.

      Last Chance Craft and Art Fair @ C.O.D.

      • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
      College of DuPage PEC Arena College Rd and Park Blvd, Glen Ellyn

      Named as one of the Top 50 classic & contemporary craft shows in the US by Sunshine Artist Magazine! Last Chance Craft and Art Fair @ COD Saturday, December 14 10am-4pm […]

      $5 – $16
    • Sun 15
      December 15, 2024 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

      Building the Table (Pt. 4): Celebrating Culture in Policy, Advocacy, and Social Justice

      • Talks and Gatherings
      Nobody's Darling 1744 West Balmoral Avenue, Chicago, I, United States

      "Building the Table" is an in-person extension of ‘The Table On Air’ talk show, designed to culturally explore intersectional identities and highlight the dynamic lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ community members. […]

      Free
    • Sun 15
      December 15, 2024 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

      7th Annual Hibernian Hooligan Ball

      • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
      10618 S. Western, Chicago Barney Callaghan's Irish Pub, Chicago, United States

      Hibernian Media presents the 7th Annual Hibernian Hooligan Ball! It's the only fundraiser of the year! Sunday, December 15, 2024, 4 pm - 8 pm Barney Callaghan's Irish Pub • […]

    • Mon 16
      December 16, 2024 @ 10:00 am - December 31, 2024 @ 8:00 pm

      Support Valley Youth House this Holiday Season at the Museum of Illusions Chicago

        Museum of Illusions Chicago 25 E Washington St, Chicago, IL

        Now through December 31, 2024, visit the Museum of Illusions Chicago and make a difference this holiday season by rounding up your purchase to support Valley Youth House's Holiday Gift […]

        $20
      • Tue 17
        December 17, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Marche De Noel

        Marche De Noel

          Pioneer Court Equitable Building 401 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

          A Charming European Market Experience in the Heart of Chicago Immerse yourself in the magic of this European-style market on the Magnificent Mile™. Discover a delightful array of unique finds […]

          Free
        • Wed 18
          December 18, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Marche De Noel

          Marche De Noel

            Pioneer Court Equitable Building 401 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

            A Charming European Market Experience in the Heart of Chicago Immerse yourself in the magic of this European-style market on the Magnificent Mile™. Discover a delightful array of unique finds […]

            Free
          • Thu 19
            December 19, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Marche De Noel

            Marche De Noel

              Pioneer Court Equitable Building 401 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

              A Charming European Market Experience in the Heart of Chicago Immerse yourself in the magic of this European-style market on the Magnificent Mile™. Discover a delightful array of unique finds […]

              Free
            • Thu 19
              December 19, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Haitian Heritage Month Konpa Sware

              Haitian Heritage Month Konpa Sware

              • Dance

              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 […]

            • Fri 20
              December 20, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Marche De Noel

              Marche De Noel

                Pioneer Court Equitable Building 401 N Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

                A Charming European Market Experience in the Heart of Chicago Immerse yourself in the magic of this European-style market on the Magnificent Mile™. Discover a delightful array of unique finds […]

                Free
              • Fri 20
                December 20, 2024 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm 3rd Fridays Free Admission Museum Night

                3rd Fridays Free Admission Museum Night

                • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
                • Tour
                Heritage Museum of Asian Art 3500 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL, 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 […]

                Free
              • Fri 20
                December 20, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - 11:30 pm

                Weihnachtsfeier | Christmas Stammtisch Open Haus

                • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
                • Food and Drink
                DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, United States

                  2nd Floor Brauhaus Room Friday | December 20th | 7:30 PM   Come and join us as we celebrate an early Weihnachten at the Haus! This is our annual […]

              • Fri 20
                December 20, 2024 @ 7:30 pm - December 21, 2024 @ 12:00 am Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

                Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday

                • Food and Drink
                • Talks and Gatherings
                DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 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 […]

              • Fri 20
                December 20, 2024 @ 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm

                A Judy Christmas

                • Music, Film, and Theater
                The Den Theatre 1331 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago

                It’s December of 1963 and Judy Garland has a Christmas show to produce. Join Judy and her family in her live studio audience and enjoy the madness as she spirals […]

                $21 – $26
              • Sat 21
                December 21, 2024 @ 10:30 am Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen

                Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen

                • Music, Film, and Theater
                DANK Haus German American Cultural Center 4740 N. Western Ave., Chicago, IL, 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 […]

              • Previous Events
              • Today
              • Next Events
              • Google Calendar
              • iCalendar
              • Outlook 365
              • Outlook Live
              • Export .ics file
              • Export Outlook .ics file
              • Follow
              • Follow
              • Follow
              • Follow
              • Follow

              600 W. Jackson Blvd, Suite 100 | Chicago, IL 60661 | 312-846-6814
              501(c)3 | © 2025 Chicago Cultural Alliance | Website by David Carling – FutureNotion

              J. Gibran Villalobos

              Board Member

              J. Gibran Villalobos is an arts administrator, educator, and cultural worker. He has served as Senior Program Officer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as the Interim Executive Director of the Chicago Artists Coalition, and faculty lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Previously, he has held posts as Assistant Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Partnerships and Community Engagement Manager for the Chicago Architecture Biennial, Cultural Liaison for the Chicago Park District, and Curator-in-Residence for the Chicago Cultural Center. In 2016 he attended the Advocacy Leadership Institute and was invited to the White House Office of Public Engagement, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to speak to issues affecting Latinos in Chicago. In 2017 he launched an inaugural summit of Latinx artists and administrators across the U.S; for this project he was awarded the Act Up Award by the Chicago Community Trust. His work has been presented at the Fabrica de Arte Cubano during the 2017 Havana Biennial. In 2019 he was an inaugural recipient of the Field Foundation’s Leaders for a New Chicago Award as well as the Americans for the Arts 2019 Leaders of Color Fellowship. In 2020, he joined the Civic Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy where he worked with government and nonprofit sector participants to think about effective policy for Chicago’s cultural industries. He helped establish the Auxiliary Board at the National Museum of Mexican Art. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Department of Arts Administration & Policy.

              Gibran holds a BA in Art History and a BS in Public Relations from Northern Arizona University and an MA in Arts Administration & Policy and MA in Modern Art History & Theory from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

              He has contributed to exhibitions such as Direct Message, presenting the artwork of Chicago artistic collectives and their relation to language and civic engagement. As part of an international project, he has convened the MCA Chicago with the Tate Modern, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Queens Museum and other institutions to create dialogue on civic engagement within contemporary art institutions. He has written catalog entries for Iñigo Manglano-Ovalle, Rodrigo Lara Zendejas, and Jeremiah Hulsebos-Spofford. In 2021, he is contributing to the upcoming retrospective on the work by artist Andrea Bowers focusing on the activism and archives of Emma Lozano. He is curator of the symposium Fractures: Creating Around Devastation focusing on water ecology, civic engagement, activism, and architecture.

              Loreal Robertson

              Board Member

              Loreal Robertson is a native Chicagoan who recently returned home in 2021 where she began working at the University of Chicago. In her role she oversees and monitors a range of programs, services, and resources to support the retention, wellness, belonging, and success of graduate students. Additionally, her role includes informing strategic priorities, diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, professional development, student advancement and the support of students who may be experiencing financial academic, or personal challenges, including students with disabilities and international students.

              Loreal has over 10 years of experience in higher education and student affairs. In 2021 she received the Inclusion and Diversity Champion Award from Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK), where she was previously employed. Loreal’s personal and professional philosophy is creating and promoting spaces and opportunities where everyone can see themselves as part of an experience and feels represented.

              Loreal holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Arts in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from TAMUK.

              Loreal is a financial and active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc, an avid reader, and enjoys traveling with family and friends.

              Warren Frank

              Treasurer

              Warren Frank is a retired CPA and CFO, and current Adjunct Professor at Columbia College.

              Warren worked at such CPA firms as KPMG, PwC, and Deloitte, and Not For Profit organizations as National Association of Realtors, Chicago Associations of Realtors, Anixter Center, and Chinese American Service League.

              Warren is a Chicago resident in the Lakeview neighborhood. He attended Loyola University of Chicago for his bachelor degree and Northwestern University for his master degree.

              Colleen McGaughey

              Board Member

              Colleen McGaughey (she/her) is the director of development at the National Public Housing Museum, where she leads the strategic direction of the museum’s fundraising efforts with a focus on creative and community-centric approaches.

              Mario Longoni

              Board Member

              Mario Longoni is a cultural anthropologist (“Lead Environmental Social Scientist”) in the Keller Science Action Center at the Field Museum. For over 20 years, he has worked with individuals and organizations to surface and activate cultural and natural assets (specific strengths and characteristics) to help communities meet the challenges they face.

              Rob Fojtik

              Board Member
              Rob Fojtik is Vice President for Neighborhood Strategy at Choose Chicago, the city’s official tourism and convention promotion bureau. In this capacity, Rob oversees efforts to promote and support Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods to visitors from near and far. Programs include the award-winning Neighborhood Content Creator program that leverages resident-made digital content, and Chicago Alfresco, a $2.5 million placemaking initiative created in partnership with the Chicago Department of Transportation to transform public spaces into community plazas for outdoor enjoyment.

              Before coming to Choose Chicago, Rob was a Senior Advisor to Mayor Lightfoot on economic development and international relations at City Hall, as well as LGTBQ+ affairs and the expanded outdoor dining program. In this role, he also worked to recommend and place over 150 civic leaders and residents onto City boards and commissions. Prior to government service in the Lightfoot administration, Rob ran her winning campaign in the crowded 2019 Chicago mayoral race as Chief of Staff. In past lives, Rob has worked as a public affairs manager for a Fortune 500 company downtown; had misadventures in management consulting, art sales, and personal cheffing; and spent time in Washington DC working for former Secretary of Defense William Cohen. Rob also served a one-year appointment at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence as a policy advisor on Central and Eastern Europe. In this role, he was part of the NSC’s interagency process to develop a comprehensive sanctions regime on Russia as a consequence of its 2014 invasion of Crimea and Eastern Ukraine.

              After receiving his BA in Slavic Languages and Literature at Northwestern University, Rob lived and worked in the Czech Republic teaching English and tending bar before moving to Washington, D.C. to pursue a MA from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Center for Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies (CERES). He enjoys cooking, learning foreign languages, hiking with his partner and their dog, and visiting Chicago’s many neighborhoods.

              Paul Durica

              Board Member

              Dr. Paul Durica is the Director of Exhibitions at the Chicago History Museums and worked in a similar capacity at The Newberry Library. From 2015-2020, he served as the Director of Programs and Exhibitions with Illinois Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

              Prior to that he drew upon his work as a writer, researcher, and teacher to produce a series of free and interactive talks, walks, and reenactments focused on narratives from Chicago’s past that resonate with its present.

              These public history programs led to collaborations with cultural institutions in the city such as the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, Chicago History Museum, Newberry Library, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Chicago Cultural Center among others.

              Each program made use of both his original research and the skills of the arts organizations, community groups, local businesses, and publications that acted as my partners. Some of these programs, such as the full-scale reenactment of the Haymarket Affair in 2011, involved recruiting and directing over 300 volunteers and 1,000 participants.

              To produce these programs successfully, he wrote grants; managed budgets; generated web content; worked closely with program partners of varying sizes and resources; and identified, engaged, and sustained a diverse multi-generational audience.

              Lynessa Rico

              Board Member

              Dr. Lynessa M. Rico is the Associate Chair of the Business Psychology Department at the The Chicago School of Professional Psychology Chicago campus. She is also a business mentor at 1871.

              Lynessa is a results-driven Strategic Consultant with over 25 years of experience enabling leaders to meet strategic business objectives by identifying and aligning business growth opportunities with strategic direction of culturally diverse organizations. By leveraging her strategic experience in identifying and impacting business growth opportunities and maximizing profits in retail firms and higher education institutions, Lynessa leads workshops focused on the creative mindset, women’s entrepreneurship, emotional intelligence, and the value and application of design thinking within entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Her services also include consulting with and educating leadership on emotional intelligence, the power of design thinking and the creative mindset, and leadership styles to support inclusive, creative workplaces. She has presented to leadership and innovation teams in small, mid-size, and Fortune 500 companies.

              Lynessa received her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Management from Wichita State University. She then went on to earn a master’s degree in Business Administration from Wichita State University with a focus in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. After earning her master’s degree, Lynessa received her doctorate in Business Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology where she successfully completed her dissertation titled, “The Relationship Between Personality Types and Color Preference for Color Combinations.” Her current research interests include women’s entrepreneurship, design thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and entrepreneurship self-efficacy.

              Outside of work and research, Lynessa enjoys mentoring start-ups and judging pitch competitions. Lynessa currently resides in Chicago, Illinois with her four cats. She is an avid long-distance runner, having completed 5 full marathons (and counting), and enjoys watching musical theater.

              Briana Thomas

              Board Member

              Briana Thomas is the Museum Associate at the Abrahamic Center for Cultural Education (a core member of the Chicago Cultural Alliance). She wears many hats including developing exhibition content, facilitating community programs (children and adults), liaising with visitor artists, and other responsibilities. Her previous experience in the nonprofit space includes her tenure as the Financial Empowerment Coordinator at AMERICORPS Sharing Life Center as well as engaging with the public at the Dallas Arboretum. Her past professional experience has remained rooted in marginalized communities. It is their needs, discourse and histories that she has routinely been tasked with protecting and showcasing in the face of poor infrastructure, and willing ignorance. Creating safe spaces is an ancestral practice she has inherited.