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  • February 2024

  • Sat 3
    February 3, 2024 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

    Art Smart Series: Black Women in Clay: Legacies and New Directions

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
  • Sat 3
    February 3, 2024 @ 1:00 pm - 10:00 pm Architecture & Design Film Festival

    Architecture & Design Film Festival

    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us at the CAC for a film line-up that includes 15 feature films and more than a dozen free film shorts from all across the world, each sharing a unique story of innovation and sustainability in architecture, design and fashion.

    $20
  • Sat 3
    February 3, 2024 @ 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm

    The Making of Mahalia Jackson Court Screening & Talk Back

    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

    The Making of Mahalia Jackson Court (2023) / US Director: Christopher Hoerdemann Runtime: 9:48 Architects, artists, craftspeople, and community stakeholders work together to rapidly transform a vacant lot on the South Side of Chicago into a vibrant community gathering space. On Saturday, 2/3 at 3 PM there will be a special free screening of The Making of […]

    Free
  • Sat 3
    Featured February 3, 2024 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    “Nan San” Exhibition at the Haitian American Museum

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    Haitian American Museum of Chicago 4410 N Clark St, Chicago, United States

    We are happy to announce our very own first Father - Daughters exhibition “Nan San” opening this Saturday 3-5pm. Come see contemporary paintings, drawings as well as sculptural works and join us for an artist talk with the exhibition‘s artists. Looking forward to see you there !

  • Sun 4
    February 4, 2024 @ 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm Architecture & Design Film Festival

    Architecture & Design Film Festival

    • Music, Film, and Theater
    Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us at the CAC for a film line-up that includes 15 feature films and more than a dozen free film shorts from all across the world, each sharing a unique story of innovation and sustainability in architecture, design and fashion.

    $20
  • Wed 7
    Featured February 7, 2024 @ 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm UIC Black Cultural Center: Black Heritage Month⁠ African Americans and the Arts

    UIC Black Cultural Center: Black Heritage Month⁠ African Americans and the Arts

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events

    Homes Away From Home: Black Students’ Activism and Belonging at U of I Thursday, February 1st Bus Departs: 12 pm Bus Returns: by 12 am Sign up: https://go.uic.edu/homeaway This is a FREE trip to the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) to learn more about our Cultural Centers, connect with students from UIS and the University […]

  • Thu 8
    February 8, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Neighborhood Nights

    Neighborhood Nights

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

  • Fri 9
    February 9, 2024 - February 11, 2024

    The Museum at Andersonville Fika Fest

    • Food and Drink
    • Talks and Gatherings
    Swedish American Museum 5211 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL, United States

    Join as we and other Andersonville businesses unite for food, warm beverages and shopping (coffee grounds in our Store will be 15% off!). There will be fun ways to become better acquainted with the Museum and Swedish culture! We'll have a popup cafe, treats for the Coffee and Cocoa Crawl, and we'll be hosting the […]

  • Fri 9
    February 9, 2024 - February 11, 2024

    Andersonville’s Fika Fest

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    • Food and Drink

    Join as we and other Andersonville businesses unite for food, warm beverages and shopping (packaged coffee in our Store will be 15% off!). There will be fun ways to become better acquainted with the Museum and Swedish culture! We'll have a pop-up cafe, traditional Fika-inspired treats for the Coffee and Cocoa Crawl, and we'll be […]

  • Fri 9
    Featured February 9, 2024 @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am UIC Black Cultural Center: Black Heritage Month⁠ African Americans and the Arts

    UIC Black Cultural Center: Black Heritage Month⁠ African Americans and the Arts

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events

    Homes Away From Home: Black Students’ Activism and Belonging at U of I Thursday, February 1st Bus Departs: 12 pm Bus Returns: by 12 am Sign up: https://go.uic.edu/homeaway This is a FREE trip to the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) to learn more about our Cultural Centers, connect with students from UIS and the University […]

  • Fri 9
    February 9, 2024 @ 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm

    Valentine’s Day Card Making

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

    Join us to make a handmade Valentine for someone special on your lunch break, Thursday, February 9 from noon to 2 PM. Stop by the CAC Design Studio to create a one-of-a-kind card that will make anyone feel extra special this Valentine’s Day. CAC’s love for the folks of 111 Illinois Center is 'designed' to […]

    Free
  • Fri 9
    February 9, 2024 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

    “Year of the Dragon: Early China to LEGO” – Exhibition Preview Reception

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    3500 S Morgan Street 3500 S Morgan St 3F, Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us and be part of the celebration for our Lunar New Year Exhibition - Year of Dragon: Early China to LEGO! Attendees will have early access to our exhibition while enjoying an original performance choreographed by the dancer and multidisciplinary artist Irene Hsiao. Wine and appetizers will be served. LIMITED to 100 Spots. Time […]

    $25
  • Fri 9
    February 9, 2024 @ 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

    The Great LEGO Mystery Adult Night at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago

    • Workshops and Classes
    LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago, 601 N Martingale Road Suite 130, Schaumburg, IL 60173 601 N Martingale Road Suite 130, Schaumburg

    Calling all Adult Fans of LEGO! Experience a mystery-themed Adult Night Friday, February 9th from 7pm - 10pm in the attraction filled with clues, suspects and red herrings galore! Enjoy the 4D Theater, rides, and explore the attraction kid free. The Great LEGO Mystery Adult Night Includes: - Enjoy access to the Center including our […]

    $24.99
  • Sat 10
    February 10, 2024 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 am

    Scottish American History Forum

    • Talks and Gatherings
    Chicago Scots 2800 Des Plaines Ave, North Riverside, IL, United States

    Date: February 10 | 10:00 am - 11:30 am Location: Topic: The Burning Land: One Family’s Passage Through the Civil War and into the West  Speaker: David O. Stewart, Historian and Author of George Washington, The Summer of 1787, Impeached, Madison’s Gift, American Emperor and others. Register Now

  • Sat 10
    February 10, 2024 @ 10:00 am - 12:30 pm

    DIY Valentines: A Maker Event

    • Workshops and Classes
    Newberry Library 60 West Walton Street, Chicago, IL, United States

    Join us and the Chicago Calligraphy Collective for an interactive and family-friendly Valentine’s Day-themed maker event.

  • Sat 10
    February 10, 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 AM | Kaffee und Kuchen 11:00 - 12:00 PM | Vorfilm 12:00 PM | Feature Film Begins   Join us each Saturday at the DANK […]

  • Sat 10
    February 10, 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 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 […]

  • Sat 10
    February 10, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 11:30 am

    “Year of the Dragon: Early China to LEGO” – Opening Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting

    • Exhibitions and Gallery Events
    3500 S Morgan Street 3500 S Morgan St 3F, Chicago, IL, United States

    On the first day of the Lunar New Year 2024, the Heritage Museum of Asian Art invites you to attend the Opening Ceremony and Ribbon Cutting. Enjoy our celebratory event to officially open 'The Year of the Dragon: Special Exhibition' and access the exhibit early! Time and location: 11 AM, Sat, Feb 10th, 2024, at […]

    $8
  • Sat 10
    Featured February 10, 2024 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Celebrate Lunar New Year with the HANA Center on February 10th!

    • Cultural Festivals and Fairs
    HANA Center 4300 N. California Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

    Hana Center is holding a Lunar New Year event at its main building in Chicago to celebrate the Year of the Blue Dragon. Bring your family and friends to enjoy a day filled with joy, cultural richness, and community spirit. When: Saturday, February 10th, 11am - 2pm Location: Hana Center Chicago Main Building, 4300 N […]

  • Sat 10
    February 10, 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 artifacts.  

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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.