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  • January 2025

  • Fri 17
    January 17 @ 7:30 pm - January 18 @ 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 […]

  • Sat 18
    January 18 @ 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 […]

  • Sat 18
    January 18 @ 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 18
    January 18 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Teen Saturday Studio – Skyline Sketching with Ryan Chester

    • Workshops and Classes
    Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

    Skyline Sketching with Ryan Chester Dive into the world of urban art with our Skyline Sketching workshop! In this hands-on session, teens will explore techniques for capturing cityscapes and skylines. Guided […]

    Free
  • Sat 18
    January 18 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Teen Saturday Studio: Skyline Sketching with Ryan Chester

    • Workshops and Classes
    Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

    Dive into the world of urban art with our Skyline Sketching workshop! In this hands-on session, teens will explore techniques for capturing cityscapes and skylines. Guided by architect and artist, Ryan […]

    Free
  • Sat 18
    January 18 @ 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 […]

  • Sun 19
    January 19 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    Spotlight Series Opening Reception – Linye Jiang: Undisclosed Location

      Chinese American Museum of Chicago 238 W. 23rd St, Chicago, IL, United States

      CAMOC is pleased to present the first Spotlight Artist of 2025, Linye Jiang with Undisclosed Location. In this installation, Jiang’s work is a love letter to photography, focusing on overlooked, peripheral […]

      Free
    • Sun 19
      January 19 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

      Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra Presents “The Four Seasons”

      • Music, Film, and Theater
      Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst, IL 60126 149 W Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst

      The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra invites you to a breathtaking winter concert, featuring two timeless masterpieces that explore the seasons of the year in vivid musical detail. Under the baton of […]

      $12 – $45
    • Mon 20
      January 20 @ 12:00 am

      January Free Day

        Date: 2025-01-20 Location: 3001 Central Street Evanston, IL 60201 United States   Join us for a day of free admission at the Mitchell Museum on Monday, January 20th, 2025, from […]

      • Thu 23
        January 23 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

        Architect Talk: Carol Ross Barney

        • Talks and Gatherings
        Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

        Dive into an architectural career devoted to people, places and cities, celebrated in the new book, The People’s Architect. A widely admired urbanist, mentor and educator, Carol advocates for excellent […]

        $20
      • Thu 23
        January 23 @ 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Neighborhood Nights

        Neighborhood Nights

        • Food and Drink

        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 […]

      • Fri 24
        January 24 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

        LEGO & Libations

        • Workshops and Classes
        KOVAL Tasting Room 4241 N Ravenswood Ave, Chicago

        LEGO & Libations Friday, January 24th from 7-8:30 PM at KOVAL $20 Description: Who says LEGO are just for kids? Join the CAC team at KOVAL Distillery for a hands-on […]

      • Sat 25
        January 25 @ 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 […]

      • Sat 25
        January 25 @ 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 25
        January 25 @ 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 25
        January 25 @ 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

        Bluff City Chinese, A Documentary Film – Screening & Panel Q&A

        • Music, Film, and Theater
        Chinese American Museum of Chicago 238 W. 23rd St, Chicago, IL, United States

        Join CAMOC on Saturday, January 25, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM in the FL2 gallery space for a screening of Bluff City Chinese, A Documentary Film, followed by a panel Q&A. […]

        Free
      • Sun 26
        January 26 @ 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

        Chinese New Year Dumpling Making Dinner – Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute’s 20th Year Celebration

        • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
        Hing Kee Restaurant 2140 South Archer Avenue, Chicago

        Join us at the Annual Chinese New Year Dumpling Making Dinner on Sunday, Jan 26, 2025 at Hing Kee Restaurant, 2nd Floor. This is our 20th year anniversary. Get ready to indulge in a fun-filled […]

        $55
      • Wed 29
        January 29 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

        Architecture & Design Film Festival Opening Night

        • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
        Chicago Cultural Center's Cassidy Theater 78 E Washington St, Chicago

        Join the CAC on Wednesday, January 29, for a reception, film screening and presentation by film makers. Reception will be held at the GAR Rotunda, 2nd Floor North of the Chicago […]

        $30
      • Thu 30
        January 30 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

        ADFF Screening – E. 1027: Eileen Gray and the House by the Sea

        • Music, Film, and Theater
        Chicago Cultural Center's Cassidy Theater 78 E Washington St, Chicago

        Architecture & Design Film Festival Screening: This is a story about Eileen Gray's visionary masterpiece, E.1027, and her battle to reclaim control from Le Corbusier’s dominance over her creation. About […]

        $20
      • Fri 31
        January 31 - February 2

        Architecture & Design Film Festival

        • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
        Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago 164 N State St, Chicago, IL, United States

        The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) and Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), in collaboration with the Gene Siskel Film Center, present ADFF:CHICAGO—an international festival highlighting the best films dedicated to the creative spirit of […]

        $15 – $20
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      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.