Two textured wall art pieces: left, a person in a brown coat and hat; right, a person in blue pouring tea into a cup. Both wear sunglasses and jewelry, with bold colors and 3D, sculpted surfaces.

Kalamazoo: Great Name, Terrific Art Scene About a two-and-a-half hour drive from downtown Chicago and an almost straight shot west of the Lake Michigan community of South Haven, a legacy of cultural renown remains a part of Kalamazoo’s identity.

Alison Cuddy August 14, 2026

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Two abandoned, orange-painted houses with damaged roofs stand in a grassy, empty field. Some leafless trees surround the houses, and a few distant homes are visible in the background under a cloudy sky.

From Heidelberg to the Good Shepherd: Art, Space and the Right to the City in Detroit Artists need space to create and display their work. As regimes of capital accumulation emerge, they transform the economies of this space and, in turn, transform how artists create.

Steve Panton August 13, 2026

Two damaged books with torn covers lie on a patterned rug. The top book has a design of overlapping red and blue circles, while the bottom books corner is chewed and its title partially visible.

I Wanna Be Your Dog: A Walk on the Wild Side at tête-à-tête-à-tête In "Dog," tête-à-tête-à-tête creates a space to howl and sharpen your claws, as you wonder if there’s not a dog inside of you just waiting to be set free.

Annette LePique August 12, 2026

A wall displays two artworks: on the left, a blue and white abstract sculpture; on the right, a rectangular painting with vertical blue, brown, and pinkish streaks.

The Challenge Color Poses "Polychrome" at Gallery 1882 is a sublime journey into color.

Samuel Schwindt August 11, 2026

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A rusty metal staircase runs diagonally up a brick wall behind a black fence. Several pale pink and white patterned flags are hanging from the stairs, with shadows of trees cast on the wall.

Leticia Pardo’s Stairway to Heaven Pardo honors the legacy of Mexican labor in Chicago's built history with the Arts Club of Chicago.

A man in a denim jacket and cap stands next to a painting of a red truck loaded with watermelons and a sign reading Sweet Mississippi Watermelons, displayed on a partition wall at an art exhibit.

Signs of Life: Artist Donnie Carter Loves Being a Chicago Tourist, Even After Living Here Seventy Years Like an urban Morse code, Carter’s hand-painted signs punctuate the South Side, making the signs for places like Lee’s Unleaded Blues and the Johnny Twist Blues Museum.

Chicago Art Movements Over The Years, From the Monster Roster to the Modern Moment A look at the highly recognizable movements, collectives and developed aesthetics from the city.

Bold black text reading NEW CITY BREAKOUT ARTISTS 2026 is overlaid on a neon yellow background. White boxes with names, such as Hai-Wen Lin, Noelia Towers, and others, are scattered across the image.

Breakout Artists 2026: Chicago’s Next Generation of Image Makers

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Art installation with colorful, fabric-covered hanging sculptures resembling rockets or lanterns, suspended over a green carpet with red, circular cushions spread across the floor in a gallery space with white walls and ceiling.

“Belly Laugh at a Funeral” Stages the Rituals of Mourning Ziba Rajabi delves into Persian traditions of mourning and loss at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, creating a contemplative space amidst a time of conflict.

Sheila Regan August 10, 2026

Spiky green thistle plants and red hot snack chips scattered on wrinkled pink fabric.

A Modern Fable at Filter Photo The uncanny lurks just around the corner in this exhibition by duo Rager.

Susan Aurinko August 7, 2026

Colorful pastel houses line a waterfront, reflected in calm water below. Small boats rest on the muddy shore, and the sky is overcast, creating a soft, tranquil scene.

Ephemera and History at Perspective Gallery Leaves and architecture are the focal points of this two-artist color photography exhibition.

Susan Aurinko August 6, 2026

A black-and-white photo shows a desk with a TV, reel-to-reel machine, and VCR. Fish are mounted on the wall above. A round modern chair sits to the right. The scene is in an office space.

Polar Opposites Meet at Stephen Daiter Gallery There is beauty in contrast and beauty in these sometimes perplexing but entrancing photos.

Susan Aurinko August 5, 2026

A small sailboat with a colorful sail is displayed in a gallery. Nearby, a TV on a stand shows an image of water. The room has white walls, a concrete floor, and an exposed wooden ceiling.

The Construction of Time A new exhibition at Gray starts pulling threads, unraveling ideas of time and productivity.

Mario Rodriguez August 4, 2026