19Th Annual Chicago Artists Month Celebrates Creatives Who Are “Crossing Borders”

Program includes more than 200 events throughout the city, 20 Featured Artists

The Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is pleased to announce the 19th Annual Chicago Artists Month (CAM), which serves to highlight the work of artists and creative professionals throughout Chicago. CAM features artists’ work from multiple artistic disciplines ranging from painting to improv to cooking to sculpture and even sewing. More than 200 events will take place throughout the month, listed at chicagoartistsmonth.org and in printed guides produced by Newcity, available via all program partners.

This year’s theme, “Crossing Borders,” focuses on Chicago artists from all corners bringing their experiences and creativity to new places. Chicago Artists Month kicks off September 27 and continues through October 31, with multiple events all over the city.

Taking place September 27 on Milwaukee Ave. between Central Park and Kimball is A Day in Avondale: A Handmade Festival. Milwaukee Avenue is imagined as a home whose various rooms feature free hands-on events by, for and about Avondale’s diverse and intertwined histories and cultures. Jorge Felix’ Sofrito is a social-performance that engages participants in food-making and conversation. Participants will chop, grind and engage in a dialogue with the artist and, hopefully, leave with a different sense of community and a little container of aromatic Sofrito.

True to the Crossing Borders theme is Trespassing: Our Voices, Our Stories in Humboldt Park on October 5. Chicago VONA (Voices of our Nation), a Chicago writers group made up of diverse writers of color (Black, Latino and Asian) including CAM featured artist Nura Maznavi, presents readings of multi-genre work, visual arts, cross-genre music, and interactive writing projects at Humboldt Park.

On October 10, the Beverly Arts Center will host Crossing Into Dream with CAM featured artist Sandra Leonard. A surrealist art and fashion show and party expresses that some of the most powerful borders are in our minds. The next day brings the first annual Beverly Art Walk.

The Antibody Corporation with featured CAM artist Holly Chernobyl presents MOIRAI, a Butoh-inspired durational performance and choreography at the CTA Logan Square Bus Terminal based on Greek mythology of the Fates. This public performance takes place October 17 and 18.

October 21 provides a chance to see all 20 CAM featured artists in one setting at Martyr’s in PechuaKucha 20×20 co-hosted by Peter Exley and Chicago Artists Month. For the past 10 years, architect Exley has convened PechaKucha Nights – informal gatherings where creative people share their ideas, works, thoughts, creativity and passions in the PK format of 20 images advancing automatically every 20 seconds

Saturdays in October, HI typ/O recruits interdisciplinary artists in Re-Mapping the Salon to respond to the city, maps, border zones to craft readings, performances and visual work along a series of walking tours on October 4: Bronzeville to Pilsen, October 11: Garfield to Logan Square, October 18: Lakeview to Uptown, and October 25: Argyle to Rogers Park.

Featured Programs

A Day in Avondale: A Handmade Festival

September 27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Avondale

Alice

Saturdays & Sundays

September 27-November 1, 1-3 p.m.

Andersonville

Black Eutopia

October 24, 12-9 p.m.

Lawndale

Blues-Hop

October 11-12, 1 p.m.

Garfield Park

Carved, Cast, Crumpled: Sculpture All Ways

September 27

Hyde Park

Checking Boxes

October 13, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

Edgewater

Chicago Printers Guild 5th Anniversary

October 18-November 26

West Town

Crossing Into Dream

October 10

Beverly

Intersections

October 17, 6-8 p.m.

Bronzeville

Juke Cry Hand Clap

October 3-5 and October 10-12

Pilsen

MOIRAI

October 17-18, 7-9 p.m.

Logan Square

PechaKucha 20×20

October 21, 7:30-10:30 p.m.

Northcenter

Re-Mapping the Salon

Saturdays in October

Various locations

Sewing Forgiveness

Ongoing

Various locations

Stir Friday Night

September 27, October 4 and October 11

Lakeview

The Anger Games

October 31, 10:30 p.m.

Loop

Think-Do

October 11, 2-8 p.m.

Washington Park

Trespassing: Our Voices, Our Stories

October 5, 1-4 p.m.

Humboldt Park

Victorian Graffics / Transit Tees

October 1-31

West Town

Villarte’s 9th Annual Little Village Arts Festival

October 3-5

Little Village

Chicago Artists Month is a non-juried program featuring more than 200 events throughout October including open house/open studio tours, neighborhood art walks, informal discussions, workshops and exhibitions, featuring Chicago-based artists and arts organizations. This annual, month-long celebration explores the impact of artists throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods by highlighting their work, their studios and a wide range of exhibitions, programs and events.

For more information about Chicago Artists Month, including a comprehensive calendar and event descriptions and images, visit chicagoartistsmonth.org or get the Chicago Artists Month official program guide produced by Newcity. Program guides will also be available for free at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.) and via participating organizations.

Chicago Artists Month is presented as part of an ongoing collaboration between the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Chicago Park District. In-kind support was received from Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises®, Inc., WTTW and WFMT.