2024 Activating Heritage Conference
2024-03-12 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Chicago) | IL
Please note: Online registration closes on Tuesday 3/5 at 9:00am, but we will still accept walk-in registrations so if you miss the window to register online you can do so in person on Tuesday!

WHAT IS ACTIVATING HERITAGE?
Activating Heritage is the Alliance’s annual professional development conference for cultural heritage and non-profit professionals. The conference connects our Core Members and other arts & culture workers from across the Chicago region with meaningful, hands-on, capacity-building experiences facilitated by a host of scholars and leaders in the field, through dynamic presentations, panels, and workshops. We enthusiastically encourage participation from members of the community as well. The conference will also be of interest to students (both undergraduate and graduate), historians, and anyone else interested in learning more about community engagements with culture.

HOW DOES ACTIVATING HERITAGE WORK?
United with a diverse and accomplished array of panelists, moderators, community stakeholders, and industry professionals, we will delve into broader and deeper conversations surrounding advocacy, fundraising, museum collections, preservation, programming, digitizing, virtual exhibitions, education, and the next generation of arts and cultural heritage professionals.

**Note for CCA Core Members: We have registration waivers for any core members who would like to attend but are facing financial hardship. Email info@chicagoculturalalliance.org with the subject “Registration Waiver” and a list of the registrant names, email addresses, and the name of your organization and a representative will be in touch.

Driving Directions/ Nearby Parking / Public Transportation:

Driving Directions to Student Center West

From the north/O’Hare Airport:Take the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/I-94) to the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) westbound and keep to the right; take the second exit from the Eisenhower Expressway‚ which is Ashland Avenue; take Ashland Avenue south to Taylor Street; then go west on Taylor Street to the campus.

From the west:Take the Eisenhower Expressway (I-290) to the Ashland Avenue exit; take Ashland Avenue south to Taylor Street; then go west on Taylor Street to the campus.

From the east:Take Harrison Street or Roosevelt Road west to Wood Street. If you take Harrison Street‚ go south on Wood Street to the campus‚ or from Roosevelt Road go north on Wood Street to the campus.

From the south:Take the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/I-94) and exit on Roosevelt Road (1200 south). Take a left onto Roosevelt Road. Go west on Roosevelt Road to Wood Street; then go north on Wood Street to the campus.

Parking Near the Student Center West

Parking is available in the Wood Street Parking Structure (1100 South Wood Street). Upon entry‚ guests should take a ticket and upon exit‚ guests should present this ticket to the cashier and pay the appropriate total (cash‚ debit cards‚ and credit cards are accepted at this lot).

Public Transportation

UIC is easily reached by public transportation. The CTA provides many lines that connect and get you to the many destinations in the city. The Blue Line has a UIC – Halsted stop, located about one block north of the Student Center East.

Metra Stations are a short walk or cab ride from campus. These trains come in from the suburbs.

For detailed directions using CTA‚ Metra‚ or Pace‚ please visit the RTA Chicago website.

Tree of Life
2024-03-12 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-13 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-14 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-15 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-16 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-17 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-18 10:00 - 17:00, 2024-03-19 10:00 - 17:00 and 2 more dates | 2249 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60612, 2249 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States
Join us for the opening of our Tree of Life art exhibit featuring Marta Sofia Fraser and Kateryna Tkachenko. The exhibit opens Friday, March 1, 2024 at 6:30, admission is $10 per person. The exhibit runs through March 24, 2024.

Get Lit: Pub Night
2024-03-12 17:30 - 20:00 | American Writers Museum, 180 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL, 60601, United States
Raise your glasses and don your finest green attire because we’re bringing the heart and soul of Irish pubs to life at this month’s Get Lit! At this event, we’re celebrating the works of Irish-American writers and the stories told every day in pubs across the country.

Play a few rounds of classic Pub Trivia, inspired by Images of America: Chicago’s Historic Irish Pubs by Mike Danahey and Allison Hantschel. Win prizes by answering questions themed around Irish history, culture, music, writing, and more!
Customize and design your very own pub coaster to enhance the ambiance of your at-home Irish Pub.
Hunt for hidden creatures in the Leprechaun Hunt and win a special prize for completing it.
Grab an Irish pub-inspired poem from our friends at Poems While You Wait.
Enjoy beer, wine, and the night’s specialty cocktail, the Tipsy Cow, a fiery Irish whiskey cocktail. Non-alcoholic options available as well.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this magical evening where Irish folklore comes to life, and the pub becomes a stage for tales both ancient and new. Join us at Get Lit: Pub Night for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration like no other!

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!
A limited number of discounted tickets have been made available for teachers and school librarians. To claim your discount, use the code provided in the AWM education newsletter. You can sign up for the monthly education newsletter here for regular updates. If you are an educator and have questions, please email our Education Team at education@americanwritersmuseum.org.
Buy your tickets today! A limited number of tickets are available at the door. AWM members, use the access code emailed to you to reveal the member ticket price. Tickets include admission to the museum and drink tickets for two complimentary beverages. Additional drink tickets are available for purchase. Guests must be 21+ to attend Get Lit and show a valid ID at the door.
Funds raised at this event will 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.

Orchids After Hours
2024-03-14 17:00 - 20:00, 2024-03-15 17:00 - 20:00 | Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencie, IL, 60022
Make a date to be whisked away by a whimsical world of 10,000 fresh, colorful blooms. Marvel at surprises under the big top as you treat yourself to light bites and colorful cocktails (available for purchase). Enjoy a vibrant night out at the Orchid Show of Wonders.

Felisa Rincón de Gautier Awards 2024
2024-03-14 18:00 - 21:00 | IL
Join Us As We Honor 6 Exemplary Members of our Community!
PRAA invites you to attend the 2024 Felisa Rincón de Gautier Awards event.
This event was created in 2017 to honor Felisa Rincón de Gautier (1897 –1994) who was the first woman to be elected as the Mayor of a capital city in the Americas. A noted women’s rights activist and an active participant in the suffragist movement, Rincón was mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico for 22 years (from 1946 to 1968).
Through the award ceremony and the giving of these annual awards — to prestigious community leaders each year — it is PRAA’s goal to heighten and exemplify Ms. Rincon de Gautier’s impeccable service and commitment to her community, women, and her country. This award aims to recognize members of our community for their distinguished community service.
Special thanks to our organization partner La Fundacion de Felisa Rincon de Gautier.

Drag History Movie Night
2024-03-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Leather Archives and Museum, 6418 N Greenview Ave, Chicago, 60626
Drag history movie night, featuring a pop up exhibit and panel featuring Irregular Girl, Kinley Preston, James Hosking, and James Conley.
Join us for a screening of two exquisite short documentaries taking us behind the scenes for frank, tender glimpses into the lives, loves, and the artistry of drag performers. The recently re-discovered and preserved First Impressions (Pat Lehman, 1977, 25 min.) gives performers at a Denver drag club a platform to speak with candor and humor as they prepare for the evening’s performance, a precious and rare document of drag and queer life in the 1970s. James Hosking’s acclaimed Beautiful by Night (2014, 29 min.) is a loving portrait of three older drag performers at Aunt Charlie’s Lounge in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district as they share their musings on art, aging, and self-acceptance. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on the past and present of drag, featuring drag performers Irregular Girl and Kinley Preston, filmmaker James Hosking, and curator and co-chair of Gerber/Hart Library & Archives, James Conley. The event is a partnership between the Leather Archives & Museum, Media Burn Archive, and Gerber/Hart Library & Archives.

Neighborhood Nights
2024-03-14 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!

3rd Fridays Free Admission Museum Night
2024-03-15 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.

If the Sky Could Dream: Interactive Installation, Performance, & Workshop Series
2024-03-15 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-03-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Heritage Museum of Asian Art, 3500 S Morgan St, Chicago, IL, 60609, United States
Heritage Museum of Asian Art is collaborating with 2024 Resident Artist Irene Hsiao to create a new interactive installation, performance, and workshop series called If the Sky Could Dream. Coinciding with the Lunar Year of the Dragon, the museum will showcase dragon artworks from throughout Asia, as well as include an original, contemporary vision of the dragon from an Asian American perspective by Hsiao.
​
If the Sky Could Dream combines drawing, painting, dance, found materials and found spaces at the museum to reveal and celebrate the dragons among us—structural, ancestral, architectural, internal, and environmental. Because the dragon is a water deity in Chinese culture, this work also features projections of the waters of Chicago: Lake Michigan, the Chicago River, and the lakes, ponds, and lagoons of Chicago Parks.
Dates:
Friday, Feb 9, 6:00 – 8:30 PM: Preview of the Dragon Exhibition
Saturday, Feb 10, 11:00AM-12:00PM: Dragon Exhibition Opening Ceremony
Friday, Feb 16, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Friday with Irene Hsiao
Friday, Mar 15, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Friday with Irene Hsiao
Saturday, Mar 16, 1:00 – 3:00PM: If the Sky Could Dream Workshop – Series One
Friday, Apr 19, 6:00 – 8:00 PM: 3rd Friday with Irene Hsiao
Saturday, May 11, 1:00 – 3:00PM: If the Sky Could Dream Workshop – Series Two
​
If the Sky Could Dream is supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant.
​
About the Artist:
Irene Hsiao is a dancer, writer, and multidisciplinary artist. She 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. She is inaugural Artist in Residence at the Smart Museum of Art in 2020 and 2021, 2022-23 Fellow at High Concept Labs, first Artist in Residence at 21c Museum Hotel in 2022-2023, and a 2020 Chicago Dancemakers Forum Lab Artist.Her performances have been presented at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Smart Museum, EXPO Chicago, Chicago Textile Week, Ragdale Foundation, Krannert Art Museum, Alma Art Gallery, Kavi Gupta Gallery, and more

Stammtisch Open Haus, Every 3rd Friday
2024-03-15 19:30 - 2024-03-16 00:00 | 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

Kino, Kaffee und Kuchen
2024-03-16 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

Puerto Rican Arts Alliance: Studio Arts Program
2024-03-16 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.

FREE Guided Tours at the National Hellenic Museum
2024-03-16 11:00 - 15:00 | National Hellenic Museum, 333 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL, 60661, 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.

Constructing Jathi Choreography with Harini Nilakantan
2024-03-16 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

SCENT OF LINDEN Screening
2024-03-16 19:00 | Magura Cultural Center, 415 W Golf Rd #7, Arlington Heights, IL, United States
A recent immigrant, Stefan moves into the Bulgarian enclave in Tennessee, where comical rivalries, suspicions, and hijinks conspire to come between him and his American Dream. Genre: Comedic Drama. Sofia International Film Festival, Cinequest VR & Film Festival, Indie Memphis Film Festival, Golden Rose Film Festival Varna, Oxford Film Festival and more.
* The film stars Ivan Barnev, Albena Koleva, Toncho Tokmakchiev, Albena Mihova, Yoana Bukovska-Davidova, Ivan Petrushinov, Maria Bobeva, Georgi Zlatarev, Janet Ivanova, Ivaylo Dimitrov, and Reni Vrangova.

Confronting Catastrophes Exhibit
2024-03-17 - 2024-04-07 | Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art, 2320 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622, United States
UIMA is delighted to collaborate with the Kyiv Mohyla Foundation in presenting the opening of “Confronting Catastrophes,” an exhibition by Dr. Yohanan Petrovsky Shtern, a multifaceted artist, historian, and author. Dr. Shtern will also deliver a compelling presentation titled “Living through the war: an artist’s endeavor.” Join us to listen to his insights on the themes depicted in his paintings, particularly as they resonate with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its global implications. The presentation will be conducted in English.

Spotkanie z Regin? Wasiak-Taylor (Meet-the-Author with Regina Wasiak-Taylor)
2024-03-17 14:00 - 16:00 | Polish Museum of America, 984 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, 60642, United States
Biblioteka Muzeum Polskiego w Ameryce
serdecznie zaprasza na spotkanie
z Reginą Wasiak-Taylor
Regina Wasiak-Taylor
polska pisarka, prezes Związku Pisarzy Polskich na Obczyźnie
redaktor naczelna londyńskiego pisma „Pamiętnik Literacki”,
czasopismo to jest organem Związku Pisarzy Polskich na Obczyźnie,
do którego należeli znani członkowie Polonii amerykańskiej:
Feliks Konarski Ref-Ren i prof. Jerzy Krzyżanowski
Spotkanie odbędzie się w Social Hall ZPRKA/ MPA
Bezpłatny parking obok budynku Muzeum Polskiego.
Wstęp wolny

The Polish Museum of America Library
cordially invites you to a Polish language event
Meet-the-Author with
Regina Wasiak-Taylor
Social Hall PRCUA/PMA
Free Admission
Free parking

St. Patrick’s Day 2024 with The Screaming Orphans this March!
2024-03-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., Chicago, IL, 60630, United States
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this unbelievable show! Chicago favorites The Screaming Orphans will be in the Mayfair Theatre at the Irish American Heritage Center on Sunday, March 17th!
Screaming Orphans, a genre-breaking, chart topping all sister band from Donegal, Ireland, are known worldwide for their award-winning sound, combining their original pop songs with a unique take on traditional Irish music. The band have toured globally and recorded with the likes of Sinead O’Connor, Peter Gabriel, The Chieftains, Joni Mitchell and World music star Baaba Maal. Screaming Orphans have released 15 albums and have topped Billboard, iTunes Pop, Singer/Songwriter and World Music charts.
Don’t miss the opportunity to see these superstars! The pub will be open and the craic will be on!
March 17th at 7:00pm, in the Mayfair Theatre at the Irish American Heritage Center. Tickets are $35, $30 for IAHC members. St. Patrick’s Day with The Screaming Orphans

Materials, Metaphors, and Miniatures
2024-03-18 - 2024-08-18 | South Asia Institute, 1925 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, 60616, United States
The exhibition ‘Materials, Metaphors, and Miniatures’ featuring works from the Hundal Collection delves into neo-contemporary miniature painting through the works of artists who have moved beyond the traditional format and explore contemporary themes.
General Admission includes Second Floor Exhibition.
LIST OF ARTISTS
Bashir Ahmed | Asif Ahmed | Waseem Ahmed | Farhat Ali | Faiza Butt | Imran Channa | Alexander Gorlizki | Nusra Latif Qureshi | Imran Mudassar | Shoaib Mahmood | Fariha Nadir | Imran Qureshi | Shahzia Sikander | Amjad Ali Talpur | Saira Wasim | Muhammad Zeeshan
