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20 events found.

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  • November 2023

  • Sat 11
    November 11, 2023 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

    Polish Music on Stage / Cracow Duo: Kalinowski & Szlezer

      Polish Museum of America 984 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

      Jan Kalinowski (violoncello) and Marek Szlezer (piano) perform Polish music composed between the 19th century and today.

      $20
    • Sun 12
      November 12, 2023 @ 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 2 Sun. Afternoon Master Classes: Lithuanian Threaded Straw Ornament Making

      2 Sun. Afternoon Master Classes: Lithuanian Threaded Straw Ornament Making

        Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture 6500 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL, United States

        Learn how to make threaded Lithuanian straw Christmas ornaments. View ornaments from the Balzekas Museum's exhibits and collections and about their origin and significance.

        $12 – $40
      • Sun 12
        November 12, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

        Lecture: “Introduction to Buddhist Thought and Meditation”

          Heritage Museum of Asian Art 3500 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL, United States

          Delve into the profound teachings of Buddhist philosophy and the art of training the mind to enhance happiness and focus, and discover how meditation can restore inner peace with the […]

          Free
        • Tue 14
          November 14, 2023 @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

          NHM Online Discussion – Not Just Greek School: Heritage Language Speakers

            Virtual Chicago, IL, United States

            Explore the complexities of heritage language acquisition, impact on cultural identity, and the challenges faced by heritage speakers in an increasingly globalized world.

            Free
          • Thu 16
            November 16, 2023 - January 7, 2024

            Archetypes: A Designed Object Pop-Up Shop (Exhibition)

              Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

              As a seasonal extension of the CAC Design Store, the center’s entry space will be transformed into a gallery featuring prototypes, passion projects, and other one-of-a-kind items produced by the […]

              Free
            • Thu 16
              November 16, 2023 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

              DANKsgiving Dinner 2023

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

                Please join DANK Haus Staff, Board, and fellow Friends for a very thankful, catered DANKsgiving dinner. We will reflect on the successes of the past year, look forward to the […]

                $20
              • Thu 16
                November 16, 2023 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm History Course: Of Breaking Bonds, The German-American Experience

                History Course: Of Breaking Bonds, The German-American Experience

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

                  Over the duration of this 16-week course, we will learn and discuss the German-American experience, from the very first trickle of Germans to North America in Jamestown in 1608 thru […]

                  $150 – $250
                • Fri 17
                  November 17, 2023 @ 12:00 am

                  Reset on the Road at Omni Ecosystems

                    Many conversations about Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood are focused on boosting economic development in the area. At the same time, the neighborhood has seen a growing number of initiatives for […]

                  • Fri 17
                    November 17, 2023 @ 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 17
                    November 17, 2023 @ 7:30 pm

                    Trivia Night | Open Haus Stammtisch

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

                      Come on out for an evening of fun German and American Trivia. Open Haus is a great way to meet new friends, or bring your friends and introduce them to the […]

                      Free
                    • Sat 18
                      November 18, 2023 @ 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 18
                      November 18, 2023 @ 7:00 pm

                      25th Annual National Cuatro Festival

                        Harris Theatre for Music and Dance 205 E. Randolph Drive, Chicago, IL, United States

                        Bringing the best cuatristas to Chicago, this concert highlights the Puerto Rican national instrument as an important part of Latino heritage and history.

                        $40 – $75
                      • Wed 22
                        November 22, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

                        November Free Day

                          Mitchell Museum of the American Indian 3001 central street, Evanston, IL, United States

                          Join us for a day of free admission at the Mitchell Museum on Wednesday, November 22nd, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

                          Free
                        • Thu 23
                          November 23, 2023 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm History Course: Of Breaking Bonds, The German-American Experience

                          History Course: Of Breaking Bonds, The German-American Experience

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

                            Over the duration of this 16-week course, we will learn and discuss the German-American experience, from the very first trickle of Germans to North America in Jamestown in 1608 thru […]

                            $150 – $250
                          • Sat 25
                            November 25, 2023 @ 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 […]

                          • Thu 30
                            November 30, 2023 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm History Course: Of Breaking Bonds, The German-American Experience

                            History Course: Of Breaking Bonds, The German-American Experience

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

                              Over the duration of this 16-week course, we will learn and discuss the German-American experience, from the very first trickle of Germans to North America in Jamestown in 1608 thru […]

                              $150 – $250
                            • December 2023

                            • Sat 2
                              December 2, 2023 @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

                              AIC Winter Art Market

                                American Indian Center 3401 West Ainslie Street, Chicago, IL, United States

                                If you’re looking for a unique, handcrafted holiday gift, then you’ve found the right place! This year’s market features Native vendors from around the Chicagoland area, with drum and dancing […]

                                Free
                              • Sat 2
                                December 2, 2023 @ 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

                                Barry Butler Book Signing

                                  Chicago Architecture Center 111 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL, United States

                                  Join us for a special book signing with Barry Butler, the famous Chicago photographer known for his stunning city photos. Get his latest book, "Chicago: A City Above All," and […]

                                  Free
                                • Sat 2
                                  December 2, 2023 @ 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 2
                                  December 2, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm Winter Maker’s Market

                                  Winter Maker’s Market

                                    Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art 2320 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, United States

                                    This market will platform emerging and established creators to sell their work, grow their business, and join our community. It will be a celebration of all the forms that art […]

                                    $5
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                                  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.