<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417908/ln4jqizyakouzikbisgz.jpg"><figcaption>Murals on the walls of the Uptown Post Office in Chicago on June 22. The W.P.A.-era murals, painted on ceramic tiles by artist Henry Varnum Poor, celebrate the accomplishments of architect Louis Sullivan and poet Carl Sandburg. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;How will Chicago artists make it through the pandemic? 85 years ago the Feds had an answer. Could it work again?Indeed, 85 years ago this spring, in the darkest days of the Great Depression, with more than 20 percent of Chicagoans out of work, President Roosevelt did something unprecedented. By signing an executive order creating the WPA — one of several federal programs established during the 1930s that provided regular salaries to artists — he was promoting the role of the federal government as arts patron. He was suggesting the government should play a part in directing the cultural identity of the nation itself. And by the late 1930s, about 75,000 Chicagoans — and 12,000 more in the surrounding suburbs — were working for the WPA.By Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-ent-lessons-of-great-depression-art-0719-20200715-pb2at6yaqjd6hhevkj364ip4om-story.html">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417909/oqsjctqzzxwtsqucjfts.jpg"><figcaption>Coming Home, purportedly by Gertrude Abercrombie, sold at auction for $93,750 last year.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Experts weigh in on alleged art forgery ring in MichiganArt historians explain why the work of lesser known artists with rising markets, like George Copeland Ault and Gertrude Abercrombie, might become the target of a fakes schemeBy Ruth Lopez, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/analysis/experts-weigh-in-on-michigan-art-forgery-ring">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417911/y8sls16yejzeagdz0mud.png"><figcaption>A mural based on the phrase “Beyond Human Dreams of Loveliness” stretches 150 feet along an outside wall at Harry S Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave. in Uptown. Pat Nabong / Sun-Times</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Street artist Left Handed Wave’s Uptown mural ties together neighborhood’s past, present‘Beyond Human Dreams of Loveliness’ at Truman College spells out that phrase, each letter inspired by a place — past or present — central to Uptown and the surrounding area.By Clare Proctor, Chicago Sun Times<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/murals-mosaics/2020/7/17/21310570/chicago-murals-uptown-left-handed-wave-beyond-human-dreams-loveliness-truman-college-balaban-katz">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417912/cjuzdgviofjelusvjs6f.jpg"><figcaption>TEFAF's spring 2018 edition in New York. KIRSTEN CHILSTROM</figcaption></figure>TEFAF Cancels Fall New York Fair as Pandemic’s Far-Reaching Impact Becomes&nbsp;ClearAs the coronavirus pandemic continues to make it difficult for large events to be held throughout the remainder of 2020, another top art fair has been canceled, marking the second event of its kind to be called off this week alone. The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF) said in a statement that it will not host its New York edition, which had been postponed from May until the end of October.By Maximiliano Duron, artnews<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/tefaf-new-york-fall-2020-canceled-1202694702/">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: July 21, 2020

<figure class="image"><img src="http://i2.cmail19.com/ei/i/E6/51F/945/031908/csfinal/Untitleddesign-6b4bd8bb11a91af1.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Kayla Anderson (left) and Kristin McWharter (right)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Via PRChicago, IL. July 16, 2020 --&nbsp; Chicago Artists Coalition is thrilled to announce&nbsp;the recipients of the 2020 ENVISION Grant for Chicago-based artists working in the field of time-based digital and electronic art: <a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xkjdya-dlvzir-r/">Kayla Anderson</a> and <a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xkjdya-dlvzir-y/">Kristin McWharter</a>. Anderson and McWharter have been awarded unrestricted grants of $2,500 each for their demonstrated artistic excellence. 2020 is the inaugural year of the ENVISION Grant, which is made possible by a partnership with the Carl &amp; Marilynn Thoma Art Foundation.&nbsp;In announcing the grants, CAC’s Executive and Artistic Director, Teresa Silva said, “We are pleased to provide direct funding to Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter for their compelling and rigorous work. Our hope is that the ENVISION Grant will have a positive impact on their studio practice for developing imaginative and experimental new work. CAC is also grateful to the Thoma Art Foundation for their vision and generosity in supporting Chicago artists.”The Thoma Art Foundation’s Curator of Digital Art, Jason Foumberg added: “The Thoma Foundation is thrilled to sponsor this three-year award for emerging Chicago-based artists working in the digital art field. We often look to emerging artists as we would a crystal ball, to see what the future holds in terms of experimentation, innovation, and paradigm shifts. For this reason, we are pleased that the jury has selected Kayla Anderson and Kristin McWharter, two promising artists working at the forefront of virtual reality who shed light on human relations in our technological age. I look forward to seeing the artworks that Anderson and McWharter develop in the near future.”Anderson and McWharter will be recognized for their achievement in an award ceremony by CAC and the Thoma Art Foundation, once it is deemed safe to reopen to the public, anticipated for fall or winter 2020.The next ENVISION Grant application cycle opens May 2021 and&nbsp;more information about the program can be found <a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xkjdya-dlvzir-j/">here.</a>&nbsp;

Chicago Artists Coalition announces recipients of the inaugural ENVISION Grant

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417606/z4xjlmi7smz3ort2frjl.jpg"><figcaption>The murals that Sounding Boards collect as businesses opt to take their plywood down will live in a storage facility until the initiative is able to move on to the next phase of its preservation plan. Mackenzie Crosson / WBEZ</figcaption></figure>Protest Art Has Covered Boarded Up Businesses — Will It Be Preserved?Some businesses were damaged, some were looted, and others sought to pre-emptively safeguard their property from civil unrest by boarding them up—and the blank plywood covering their windows became canvases. Ant Ben hoped his painting would have a life in a Chicago public school once the restaurant decided to take the boards down, but the piece disappeared before that was possible.By Mackenzie Crosson, Steven Jackson, Izii Carter &nbsp;- Via WBEZ Radio<a href="https://www.wbez.org/stories/protest-art-has-covered-boarded-up-businesses-will-it-be-preserved/e3db8017-a6ba-4dde-9bc3-3d17f6ee5392">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417607/svjnd5rw3zqnvhn9xiix.jpg"><figcaption>The installation “Dirty Laundry” on the lawn at Schurz High School. (Erica Gunderson / WTTW News)</figcaption></figure>Artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust Ask Community to Make #AMENDSThe broad front lawn at Carl Schurz High School in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood is bisected by two laundry lines strung between trees and festooned with bright yellow ribbons that flap and rustle in the breeze. Scrawled in black marker on the hundreds of ribbons are personal messages about racism.The ropes and ribbons, in place since Thursday, are one portion of the three-part community-based art project “#<a href="http://facilitychicago.org/the-contribution-project/">AMENDS,</a>” which seeks to end racism by beginning with the self. It’s the work of life and art partners Nick Cave and Bob Faust at their multidisciplinary creative space and gallery Facility, right across the street from the school.By Erica Gunderson, WTTW News<a href="https://news.wttw.com/2020/07/12/artists-nick-cave-and-bob-faust-ask-community-make-amends">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417608/vw608cueucb6l7w82kkm.png"><figcaption>Christie's "ONE" auction.</figcaption></figure>Christie’s Nets $420 M. in First Livestreamed Global Relay Auction Led by $46.2 M. Lichtenstein&nbsp;NudeThe global event closes the first set of milestones of the new virtual auction era. The auction hammered at $362 million, above its pre-sale low estimate of $337 million, realizing a total sell-through rate of 94 percent.By Angelica Villa, artnews<a href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/market/christies-one-sale-results-roy-lichtestein-1202694117/">Read More</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417609/gmwwtyaoap7zsfrhxxwc.jpg"><figcaption>Frieze London and Frieze Masters 2020 have been cancelled Photo by Linda Nylind. Courtesy of Linda Nylind/Frieze</figcaption></figure>Frieze directors ‘left with no choice’ but to cancel London fairs in OctoberContinued restrictions on large-scale events and travel due to coronavirus have made the show logistically impossibleBy Anny Shaw, The Art Newspaper<a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/frieze-directors-left-with-no-choice-but-to-cancel-london-fairs-in-october">Read More</a>&nbsp;</body></html>

News From Around the Art World: July 14, 2020

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417594/doqlkyg8pkrautoue9w2.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;CGN Staff, Via PRThe Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is pleased to announce that it is planning to reopen to the public on Friday, July 24, 2020, after several months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. With generous support from Northern Trust, the museum is welcoming back visitors with free admission through the end of August, as well as new museum hours, days, and a lower capacity optimized for the safety and well-being of visitors, following city, state and CDC health guidelines.The MCA will now be open to the public on Fridays and weekends from 11 am to 6 pm, with the first hour of the day dedicated to seniors and people at an increased risk. Visitors are encouraged to make online reservations in advance through a new touchless admission process. The MCA’s reopening features more work on view by Chicago artists and from Chicago collections than ever before in its history. Acclaimed Chicago filmmaker Deborah Stratman’s exhibition on her film The Illinois Parables, includes a re-creation of the WFMT radio studio of the renowned Studs Terkel with a selection of his celebrated interviews. Just Connect is a timely exhibition on how the pandemic has made us more aware of our desire to connect, and how we depend on our communities and families for a sense of belonging. The popular exhibition, Duro Olowu: Seeing Chicago has been extended to September 27, featuring an exceptional assembly of works drawn from Chicago’s greatest public and private collections by the British-Nigerian fashion designer Duro Olowu.﻿MCA Director Madeleine Grynsztejn says, “Throughout extraordinary moments in history, artists have always shown us the way forward with work that has the power to heal, connect, inspire, and ignite our creativity. Art museums are among the lowest-risk spaces to visit in the city, and the spacious design of the MCA offers wide-open public spaces to easily accommodate physical distancing while guests experience the art on view. We also encourage visitors to step outside to enjoy time for quiet contemplation in our terraced sculpture garden with some of the best views in the city overlooking Lake Michigan.”With the health and safety of the community as its top priority, the MCA has implemented extensive new safety measures that follow city, state, and CDC guidelines, from a new touchless admission process, to a system of newly designed wayfinding to ensure physical distancing, to enhanced cleaning and sanitization. A full roster of safety measures is online at <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001j_e975AqtCcZm4RiG1uZtYXtPbOHM38JGMAdkgAwJoSlgLZMt-zeTczCZiPblC1cpcLqlEqYqrw2lGc2pxHr0lc5Cmyb3ERGdDzNM4vIv4zYUf1o91eGgJDWKqf1z6Avr4NTe0Gm4PWS4vfXN3cpT8vfuBLfNpbo&amp;c=SqG7nguZ9rNrA4JhIyF9nXlWIltHh4u-vo4-TiJiBVmxl3ypX8_ejg==&amp;ch=6FKRbN0JfcJdzPfvUy9xJLwLVfOj_161TmZbVLMfK7qIVREP0YhFyA==">www.mcachicago.org/safety</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

MCA Chicago Set to Reopen on July 24 with Free Admission and New Hours

<html><head></head><body>CGN Staff, Via PRArtadia is pleased to announce the recipients of the eleventh annual Chicago Artadia Awards:​ Caroline Kent ​and ​Eliza Myrie​. As the 2020 Chicago Artadia Awardees, Kent and Myrie will receive $10,000 in unrestricted funds, as well as access to the ongoing benefits of the Artadia Awards program. Applications were open to any visual artist living within Chicago’s Cook County for over two years, working in any medium and at any stage of their career.The decision followed an extensive jury process, culminating in a virtual studio visit between shortlisted finalists and jurors ​Jennifer Carty​, Associate Curator of Modern &amp; Contemporary Art, The Smart Museum at University of Chicago and ​Jessica Hong​, Associate Curator of Global Contemporary Art, Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth.On receiving the 2020 Chicago Artadia Award, ​Eliza​ states, “The process of this award, the opportunity to discuss and present my practice, especially with the discombobulated energy of Covid-19, really reminded and excited me about the investments and commitments I have made. There are so many things to find out by making and many conversations I want to be having as a result of finding those things out. Artadia was a great reminder of that and of course, will enable lots more making.”Of the Awardees' work, ​Jennifer​ notes, “I was so struck by the work of the awardees Caroline Kent and Eliza Myrie, both of which tackle existing power structures and hierarchies in different and nuanced ways. Through a fluency of language with histories of abstraction, Kent extends and alters this legacy through potent means. While Myrie’s exploration into sculpture, performance, and likeness leads us to consider the physical and mental maintenance, often coupled with moments of futility, of subverting patriarchal systems. Both of these bodies of work feel particularly relevant to the current moment in which we live and the futures we endeavor to imagine.”Additionally, ​Jessica​ states, “When we’re facing such extremes and upheavals, it is artists and cultural producers that push us to think, question, and engage in new ways, and this year’s Artadia Awardees are no exception. Though both artists have quite distinct practices, Kent and Myrie seek novel, even revolutionary, potentials of their media and create space for possibility, which is now more essential than ever. It is especially during these times, artists require support through organizations like Artadia to amplify their voices, as it is ultimately the publics that need to hear these voices and experience their work. It was a privilege to serve as juror and connect with all of the finalists and it’s an honor to have a small part in supporting these critical practices.”Artadia is honored to partner with Global Insurer, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company, and the artist LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, Inc. for the two 2020 Chicago Artadia Awards. Both organizations have generously committed to supporting exceptional artists in Chicago, each with a named Award in the amount of $10,000. The 2020 Chicago Artadia Awards are additionally supported by the Artadia Board of Directors, Artadia Council Members, and individual donors across the country.&nbsp;About the Awardees:Caroline Kent<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417591/uverwcm2wxjj989izgnq.png"><figcaption>Artwork credit: Caroline Kent,​ Language for the Living, 2018 Photo courtesy of the artist</figcaption></figure>Caroline Kent is a Chicago based visual artist that explores the relationship between language, translation and abstraction through her expanded painting practice. Kent speculates in both the potential and the limitations of language, and ultimately questions the modernist canon of abstraction.Caroline Kent earned a BS in Art at Illinois State University (1998) and an MFA at the University of Minnesota (2008). Kent has exhibited nationally at The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, The DePaul Art Museum, Chicago, The California African American Museum, LA, and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Kent has received grants from The Pollock Krasner Foundation, The McKnight Foundation, and The Jerome Foundation. She is currently represented by Kohn Gallery in Los Angeles.&nbsp;Eliza Myrie<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417592/br57szfv6htnwvgrgu8i.png"><figcaption>Artwork credit: Eliza Myrie, ​clothesline/back fence talk​, 2018 Photo of artist by Elizabeth Haynes</figcaption></figure>Eliza Myrie received her MFA from Northwestern University and was a participant at The Skowhegan School and The Whitney Independent Study Program. Myrie is a lecturer at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a co-founder of The Black Artists Retreat [B.A.R.]. Exhibitions include Arts Club Chicago; Gallery 400; Vox Populi; Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago; New Museum of Contemporary Art.Myrie’s work explores site and labor through generational inheritance, gender, and authorship. As a sculptor and printmaker, dimension, volume, and examination of how representation and subjectivity are lost/gained via physical and conceptual processes are central to her work.&nbsp;The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Artadia Award is presented to Eliza Myrie​. "The work of Eliza Myrie elegantly tackles questions of colonialism, race, borders, pronouns, and materiality across a wide range of mediums. These are difficult issues, but Myrie walks that tightrope, often managing to demonstrate how such concepts can be both fictional and vitally important at the same time. LeRoy Neiman's own art was deeply engaged with the contemporary moment, and I'm sure he would have been thrilled to support an artist like Myrie, who carries on that legacy with a similar dedication to beauty and wit.”&nbsp;The Liberty Specialty Markets Artadia Award is presented to Caroline Kent.​ Robert Pittinger, Senior Vice President – Fine Art &amp; Specie at Liberty Specialty Markets said: “We are thrilled that Caroline Kent is this year’s recipient of Liberty Specialty Markets Artadia Award. We hope the award will help this Chicago-based visual artist to continue pushing the boundaries with her bold yet highly sophisticated explorations of the relationship between shape, line and color. As one of the world’s leading fine art insurers, we’re dedicated to playing a positive role in the art community, helping it flourish and protecting its creations. The Artadia program, which supports innovative visual artists in their local communities and the wider world, is precisely the type of initiative that aligns with our commitment to supporting the arts.”Awardees were selected from a shortlist of ​five finalists: ​Yvette Dostatni​, ​Azadeh Gholizadeh​, ​Caroline Kent​, ​Yvette Mayorga​, and ​Eliza Myrie​. The finalists were chosen by ​Jennifer Carty​, Associate Curator of Modern &amp; Contemporary Art, The Smart Museum at University of Chicago; ​Daonne Huff​, Director, Public Programs &amp; Community Engagement, The Studio Museum in Harlem; and ​Laura Mott,​ Senior Curator of Contemporary Art and Design, Cranbrook Art Museum.&nbsp;About the Artadia Awards: Artadia is a national non-profit organization that awards artists with unrestricted grants followed by a lifetime of program opportunities. This is Artadia’s eleventh Award cycle in Chicago. Applications were open to any visual artist living within Chicago’s Cook County for over two years, working in any medium and at any stage of their career. Finalists and Artadia Award recipients are selected through Artadia’s rigorous, two-tier jury review process. In the first round of review, jurors evaluated all submissions and collaboratively determined the five Finalists. Artadia is unique in that it allows any artist to apply, engages nationally recognized artists and curators to review work, and culminates in direct grants. Since 1999, Artadia has awarded over $5 million to 342 artists across Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Artadia Announces the 2020 Chicago  Awardees

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418783/uerw1f8byyhce24eu96u.jpg"><figcaption>Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (American, 1910-1983). Untitled #289 (detail), 1955. Oil on oak tag board, 17 x 14¾ in. Collection of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, gift of Lewis, Jean and Dan Greenblatt, 2003.3.9. Photo by John Faier.</figcaption></figure>﻿Written by Alison Amick, Senior Manager of Exhibitions and Development, Chief Curator at Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art&nbsp;Did you know the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) features works of art at their stations? Recently, the CTA renovated the Chicago Avenue Blue Line Station, just kitty-corner from Intuit. As part of this process, the CTA engaged Intuit about artists and artworks from the museum’s collection that could be reproduced in light boxes gracing the renovated station. After discussing numerous possibilities, the artist Eugene Von Bruenchenhein was selected as the choice.﻿Self-taught artist Eugene Von Bruenchenhein created striking artworks in the Milwaukee home he shared with his wife, Eveline Kalka, whom he nicknamed “Marie.” In the 1940s, he began a series of photographs of Marie, before turning his attention to painting around 1950. At the time these two paintings were created—the mid-1950s—Von Bruenchenhein, like many Americans, was thinking about the possibility of nuclear warfare and possible annihilation.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418784/dbno1br0llutguk3a7sk.jpg"><figcaption>Eugene Von Bruenchenhein (American, 1910-1983). Ruins of Palenque #216 (detail), 1955. Oil on oak tag board, 17 x 14¾ in. Collection of Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, gift of Lewis, Jean and Dan Greenblatt, 2003.3.8. Photo by John Faier.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Excavated in the mid-20th century, the ancient Mayan city of Palenque would have appealed to Von Bruenchenhein as a subject. The artist was interested in past civilizations, believing himself to come from royal lineage, and may have seen parallels between the rise and fall of Palenque and the uncertain era in which he lived. Ruins of Palenque #216 incorporates Von Bruenchenhein’s technique of using his fingers to manipulate paint, here, to create the stacked geometric forms that comprise his structure. Its vibrant pinks, purples and blues contrast with the more muted orange and green of the swirling smoke-like background. Von Bruenchenhein, who worked as a florist for a time after high school, also created brightly colored fantastical landscapes filled with vegetation and flora. His dynamic composition Untitled #289 incorporates botanical elements set against a fiery background of reds and yellows, suggestive of an apocalyptic vision.The light boxes are now in! Stay tuned to our social media channels for updates.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Outsider Artists Featured at CTA Blue Line Station 

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418783/iwulcx4ibb9gfna6xjvd.jpg"></figure>CGN Staff, Via PR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.designs4dignity.org/art-for-dignity/">Art for Dignity</a> is demonstrating support for racial justice and social responsibility presented through art and visual expression with the help of Chicago’s talented and passionate community. In creating awareness of the ideals of equity, inclusion, empathy and empowerment through the power of art, River North neighbors and business owners with boarded windows are partnering with Chicago- area artists to bring this vision to life. Representing unity, peace and community through original artwork, Designs for Dignity stands together through Art for Dignity in empowering lives through design.&nbsp;Artwork will later be auctioned off with proceeds benefiting <a href="https://www.formyblock.org/">My Block My Hood My City</a>, participating artists and Designs for Dignity.&nbsp;Participating artists include: Cleveland Dean, Shawn Micheal Warren, Sam Kirk, Caswell James, Veronica Martens, Janeallison Ng, Bahar Shirkhanloo, and Malcolm Poe, among others.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418784/cppmrcywtxlrhi4jvaid.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;Painted boards will remain on display in River North over the next week. You can find images of the already completed boards <a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/bg5wmmhk1skgnsu/AABcH68t43kpUhlZRKpPfCzva?dl=0">here</a>. If you are interested in capturing the painting in action, we can continue to update you on scheduled installations. The next opportunity to capture the artwork taking place will be:&nbsp;&nbsp;Completed Art for Dignity boards can be found at:&nbsp;Artists Frame Service: 1867 N. Clybourn Ave.Jo Chicago Communications: 126 W. Kinzie St., 2nd FloorOscar Isberian Rugs: 120 Kinzie St.&nbsp;Glamour Closet: 209 W. Illinois St.&nbsp;&nbsp;ABOUT DESIGNS FOR DIGNITYDesigns for Dignity is a 501(c) nonprofit organization that transforms nonprofitenvironments through pro bono design services and in-kind donations – empowering lives through design. Celebrating its 20th year, the organization’s mission is to serve marginalized communities by harnessing the talents and resources of the design community at large, with the ultimate goal of providing spaces that inspire hope and dignity. By engaging the design community and all of its resources, Designs for Dignity has positively impacted hundreds of thousands of lives by transforming 250+ nonprofit spaces and leveraging $13 million in donated materials. <a href="http://www.designsfordignity.org/">www.designsfordignity.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Designs for Dignity Initiates Art for Dignity Campaign to Raise Money for Social Justice

CHICAGO – Threewalls, a Black-led non-profit organization providing support and visibility for ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American) contemporary visual artists in Chicago, today announced the 2020 recipients of the RaD Lab+Outside the Walls fellowship. Awarding grants of $32,000 for 8 total projects, nine fellows will imagine alternative ways towards racial equity through the lens of radical imagination and racial justice. Dedicated to ALAANA artists who are working at the intersection of art, community and justice and doing so to build a racially just society, the fellowship is generously supported by the Surdna Foundation, who awarded Threewalls $1.2 million in 2019 to expand the organization’s racial justice work.Program fellows will spend a year researching, developing and testing an idea that addresses a racial justice issue pertinent to their neighborhood community. 2020 Fellows Jenna Anast, Ireashia Bennett, Aquil Charlton, Safiya Eshe Gyasi &amp; Chineze Mogbo, Felicia Holman, Salvador Jimenez-Flores, Youree Kim and Chandra Christmas-Rouse will address a wide range of racial justice issues, including dismantling weaponized media, food apartheid, environmental and educational racism, segregation, ableism, abolition, decriminalization of mentally disabled People of Color and disinvestment from Black communities. Each project will engage community members based in Chicago neighborhoods, including Bronzeville, Bucktown, Little Village, North Kenwood, Pilsen, South Shore, Uptown and Washington Park. Project summaries and artist bios are available <a href="https://carolfox.box.com/s/kiunh3c0b566avkjqp3oj9ra0kgf3d3r">here</a>.“The artists and creatives we have awarded represent critical and imaginative thinking necessary to create a racially just Chicago, and by extension a racially just world,” said Threewalls Executive Director Jeffreen M. Hayes. “Our organization has radically reimagined what it means to truly support ALAANA artists, with funding going towards not just their projects but also their needs as individuals. Additionally, recognizing that many of our artists are part of communities in which the coronavirus has had a disproportionate impact, we increased the award amount to $32,000.”Fellows are offered technical and creative assistance throughout the program, including financial and digital coaching sessions, creative counseling and accessibility workshops. Threewalls serves as a thought partner and engages the fellows by offering curatorial and administrative support.“This year's RaD Lab+Outside the Walls fellows demonstrate the power of artists to challenge the status quo and reimagine a more just world in which everyone can thrive,” said Robert Smith III, program officer of the Surdna Foundation's Thriving Cultures program. “As communities across the nation work together to dismantle anti-black racism, we are proud to partner with Threewalls to support this powerful cohort of artists to work within their communities to use their collective experience, strategies, and creativity to realize a racially just Chicago.”The fellowship takes place sequentially over two years, with fellows developing their projects in RaD Lab during the first year and Outside the Walls in the second year. Once completed, fellows will receive an additional $32,000 and their research projects will be presented as installations and interventions in their neighborhood.&nbsp;“We deeply appreciated all who applied for this fellowship, reflecting the expansive and distinctly creative force of ALAANA communities in Chicago,” said Threewalls Director of Programs Barak adé Soleil. “The 2020 cohort affirms complexities of our culture that cannot go unnoticed; dynamic intersections of disability, queerness, Black feminism, migration and healing that shape how they will collectively reimagine - within and across this city’s neighborhoods - a more equitable future.”Fellows were selected through an open call process and reviewed by an external panel of individuals who are actively involved in artistic work, who identify as members of an ALAANA community and the majority of whom are Chicago-based. 2020 panelists were Addis Aliyu, Justin Cooper, Chandra Méndez-Ortiz and Nikki Patin.&nbsp;About the Surdna FoundationThe Surdna Foundation seeks to foster just and sustainable communities in the United States --communities guided by principles of social justice and distinguished by healthy environments, strong local economies, and thriving cultures. Learn more at <a href="http://www.surdna.org/">www.surdna.org</a>.&nbsp;About ThreewallsThreewalls was founded in 2003 to provide support and visibility for the visual arts community in Chicago. In 2016, the organization was reimagined through the lens of blackness and is an evolving Black-led nonprofit organization, that unapologetically celebrates blackness, intersectionality, and exists through Black feminist practice. Threewalls fosters contemporary art practices that respond to lived experiences, encouraging connections beyond art. We center ALAANA (African, Latinx, Arab, Asian, and Native American) artists, creatives and collaborative projects, especially those which are best presented outside of traditional art spaces. Learn more at <a href="http://three-walls.org/">three-walls.org</a>.&nbsp;

Artists Will Receive $256,000 to Support Eight Year-Long Neighborhood-Based Projects in Chicago

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417774/kqgawlmuzm80qkfzu5h0.png"></figure>CGN Staff Via PR&nbsp;The International Museum of Surgical Science is one of 20 science centers and museums around the country selected to receive $5,000 in support of STEM engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic from the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and made possible by the Voya Foundation.This flexible program is designed to support science and technology centers and museums to continue to serve their missions and community by developing, enhancing, or adapting programs or resources, helping maintain STEM learning as children, families, and educators adapt to a new normal. Twenty institutions were selected to receive funding, from among 96 science centers and museums that submitted applications.The International Museum of Surgical Science will use the award to develop a STEM-engagement program that includes downloadable education materials and do-at-home activities, designed for grades 6–8. The packet and associated activities explore core concepts on topics including pathology, patent medicines, cardiology, ophthalmology, anesthesia and medical imaging. Each activity highlights artifacts from the museum, including a photograph and inquiries for observation. The project extends the museum’s mission of enriching people’s lives by enhancing their appreciation and understanding of the history, development and advances in surgery and related subjects in health and medicine. These resources will be made available digitally, and for local families in need, the museum will provide kits of materials. The packet and resources will be available by the end of June on the Museum’s website at&nbsp;<a href="https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1047035384&amp;msgid=2239760&amp;act=GR1O&amp;c=428141&amp;destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imss.org%2F&amp;cf=66669&amp;v=776a947d47d6b73f91637fa56a9daed4d65747cedb5fd07501f8109ca0ee74f7">http://www.imss.org</a>.“We are thankful for this opportunity to create new materials for our younger audience. Since being closed, we have been working on ways to further engage our community through online education. This STEM packet has been developed with our educators and interns to cater to a need in our community that will benefit those learning at home. These funds help our organization greatly during this uncertain time,” said Michelle Rinard, Operations Manager, International Museum of Surgical Science.“We know the important role the International Museum of Surgical Science’s STEM program play in our communities because of the success of Voya STEM Futures, one of our signature programs,” said Angela Harrell, SVP, Chief Diversity and Corporate Responsibility Officer and President, Voya Foundation. “We’re proud that our rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic can keep our children learning during this unprecedented time.”“We are thankful that Voya recognized a need for continued exploration and learning opportunities—even when science centers and museums are closed—and stepped forward to help them keep doing what they do best,” said Cristin Dorgelo, President and CEO of ASTC. “Community-based organizations like the International Museum of Surgical Science are well-positioned to help meet the need for increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people, which is needed now more than ever.”Members of the public can further support the International Museum of Surgical Science’s STEM project by making a contribution at&nbsp;<a href="https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1047035384&amp;msgid=2239760&amp;act=GR1O&amp;c=428141&amp;destination=https%3A%2F%2Fimss.org%2Fdonate%2F&amp;cf=66669&amp;v=627a36a7d28cabb64076d14aeb7e01920908c3337b3b05b196faa0a9c1a6ac95">https://imss.org/donate/</a>.&nbsp;About the International Museum of Surgical ScienceThe International Museum of Surgical Science (IMSS), a division of the International College of Surgeons, maintains over 10,000 square feet of public galleries committed to the history of surgery, and an exquisite permanent collection of art and artifacts from the history of medicine. The museum supports its mission through medically themed exhibitions and programs, in addition to a strong contemporary art exhibition program. IMSS is housed in a historic landmark mansion located at 1524 North Lake Shore Drive, one-half block south of North Avenue, in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood. IMSS is open to visitors Monday through Friday 9:30AM – 5:00PM and Saturday and Sunday 10:00AM – 5:00PM. For more information visit&nbsp;<a href="https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1047035384&amp;msgid=2239760&amp;act=GR1O&amp;c=428141&amp;destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imss.org%2F&amp;cf=66669&amp;v=776a947d47d6b73f91637fa56a9daed4d65747cedb5fd07501f8109ca0ee74f7">www.imss.org</a>.&nbsp;About Voya FoundationVoya Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life in communities where Voya Financial operates and its employees and customers live. Voya Foundation provides grants and establishes signature partnerships in the areas of financial literacy and children’s education and fosters employee engagement to deepen our positive impact on the community. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1047035384&amp;msgid=2239760&amp;act=GR1O&amp;c=428141&amp;destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.voyafoundation.com%2F&amp;cf=66669&amp;v=cc46548bb0d8614fa7d760c4b18307f554a3988aee2f18017738e2cd3fbef3f5">http://www.VoyaFoundation.com</a>.About ASTCFounded in 1973, ASTC is a network of nearly 700 science and technology centers and museums, and allied organizations, engaging more than 110 million people annually across North America and in almost 50 countries. With its members and partners, ASTC works towards a vision of increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.astc.org/">www.astc.org</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

International Museum of Surgical Science Wins Highly Competitive Grant to Support STEM Engagement During COVID-19 Pandemic

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418782/jo2ppddshaxammr5qh3f.png"></figure>Via PRCHICAGO — The Richard H. Driehaus Museum today announced the four artists who will receive its 2020 A Tale of Today: Emerging Artists Fellowship. Launched in 2019, the annual Fellowship provides four emerging Chicago-based ALAANA (African, Latino, Asian, Arab, and Native American) artists with an unrestricted stipend of $2,500. It also provides the artists with support from the Driehaus Museum’s professional networks to advance and promote their careers, plus access to the Museum’s resources and its home, the Nickerson Mansion. To help with the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis, the stipend this year will be given at the outset of the program, allowing the Fellows to immediately use the funds for anything from studio supplies to housing and other basic needs.The Fellowship is a six-month program which includes meetings with art professionals, career counseling sessions, public programming experiences, and exhibition opportunities, including a pop- up exhibition at EXPO Chicago in April 2021. Inspired in part by the Nickerson Family, who in the late 19th century often invited art students to sketch and study their collection, the Fellowship encourages artists to use the Museum and the mansion as a creative center for developing their work and careers.The 2020 A Tale of Today: Emerging Artists Fellows are: Maryam Taghavi, Alexandria Eregbu, Devin T. Mays, and Unyimeabasi Udoh. Brief bios on each of the Fellows follow below.“We are committed to supporting our local artists and the creative community in Chicago,” said founder and president of the Board of Trustees, Richard H. Driehaus. “Our Fellows this year reflect the diversity of Chicago’s cultural scene and the variety of contemporary art being created in the city. We want the Driehaus Museum and its home, the Nickerson Mansion, to serve as an inspiration for Chicago’s creative energy.”This year’s four Fellows were selected by a committee comprised of Lisa Lee, Associate Professor of Public Culture and Museum Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago; artist Nick Cave; gallerist Monique Meloche; and Hendrik Folkerts, Dittmer Curator of Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago. An open call application process invited artists to submit their portfolios and describe how their practice would develop through the Fellowship, how the Driehaus Museum’s space and history related to their work, and how they would contribute to their Fellowship cohort.“Following the success of last year’s program, I am thrilled to welcome the second cohort of A Tale of Today: Emerging Artists Fellows to the Driehaus Museum,” said the A Tale of Today Curatorial Fellow, Kekeli Sumah, who also leads the Fellowship program. “As our world has transformed over the past few months, so too have the topics we will explore in the program, including resiliency, adaptability, and perseverance in the face of adversity. At times like these, strengthening one’s community is especially important, and I look forward to working with the Fellows to do just that.”This summer, the Driehaus Museum will also launch a virtual conversation series featuring the A Tale of Today: Emerging Artists Fellows. The conversations will explore the Fellows’ current projects, practices, and techniques in light of the themes being explored in the A Tale of Today Fellowship.The A Tale of Today Emerging Artists Fellowship is made possible in part through a grant award from the Terra Foundation for American Art.&nbsp;About the 2020 A Tale of Today: Emerging Artists Fellows:MARYAM TAGHAVIMaryam Taghavi is a Tehran-born Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist working in photography, installation, video, publication, drawing, and performance. She employs a post-studio, site-specific practice that weighs in on and intervenes in existing modes of production. Interested in the interchangeability between the observer and participant, Taghavi locates agency in the role of the language to mark the experience of displacement and expose complex layers of difference across social and cultural levels. Taghavi’s work has been exhibited at LAXART, the Queens Museum, and the Chicago Cultural Center, among others.ALEXANDRA EREGBUAlexandra Eregbu is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice draws from history, lived experiences, and her own imagination to deepen her connectivity to the natural world. Her work is driven by memories, whether lived or dreamt, and surrealist activity across the diaspora — spanning from West Africa and the Caribbean, to her native city in Chicago. Frequently working with natural dyes such as indigo, dried roots, and other plant-based pigments, Eregbu is also motivated by the stories of the material world and views her work as a quest to unlock the unifying mysteries that exist within them. Her work has been presented at Public Space One in Iowa City, the Camargo Foundation in Cassis, France, Casa Rosada in Salvador, Brazil, and the Contemporary Art Center in New Orleans, among others.DEVIN T. MAYSDevin T. Mays’ practice is driven by an investigation of the so-called “in-between” space created by the social polarities of his understanding. He is interested in developing a visual language that defines and re-defines the “in-between” being. Through performances, spatial interventions, and installation work, Mays’ practice questions and complicates how we view our identities and understand ourselves subjectively. His work has been exhibited at the DePaul Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago, as well as the Chicago Artists Coalition.UNYIMEABASI UDOHUnyimeabasi Udoh is an artist and graphic designer who seeks to make peace with the void. They are concerned with surface and absence, text as image, blackness as color and construct, and how systems of communication and knowledge—particularly the Western canons of art and literature, and the position of black people and African artifacts within them—are created and maintained. Udoh has exhibited work at the Chicago Artists Coalition, SITE Galleries in Chicago, and the Porto Design Biennale in Portugal.&nbsp;About A Tale of Today The A Tale of Today initiative launched in March 2019 with the opening of the Driehaus Museum’s inaugural contemporary art exhibition featuring the work of Yinka Shonibare CBE. Since then, A Tale of Today has expanded into the Fellowship program, which launched in June 2019, with an aim to engage Chicago-based emerging artists, promoting their careers and expanding their networks. The second class of Fellows coincides with the second A Tale of Today contemporary art exhibition, featuring site-specific work by the Chicago-based artists Mika Horibuchi and Nate Young. The initiative takes its name from The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today, the 1873 book by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner that gave the era its name.&nbsp;About The Terra Foundation for American Art The Terra Foundation for American Art is dedicated to fostering exploration, understanding, and enjoyment of the visual arts of the United States for national and international audiences. Recognizing the importance of experiencing original works of art, the foundation provides opportunities for interaction and study, beginning with the presentation and growth of its own art collection in Chicago. To further cross-cultural dialogue on American art, the foundation supports and collaborates on innovative exhibitions, research, and educational programs. Implicit in such activities is the belief that art has the potential both to distinguish cultures and to unite them.&nbsp;About <a href="driehausmuseum.org">The Richard H. Driehaus Museum</a> The Richard H. Driehaus Museum explores the Gilded Age through the art, architecture, and design of the late 19th century to the present. Once known as Chicago’s “Marble Palace” and located just steps from the Magnificent Mile, the collection of period decorative arts is presented in an immersive experience within the mansion. Temporary exhibitions organized by the Driehaus Museum and its partners place the Gilded Age in context, as do vibrant educational and cultural programs designed to illuminate the history, culture, and urban fabric of Chicago.Richard H. Driehaus, the museum’s founder and namesake, is a Chicago businessman and preservationist with a long history of supporting the arts and culture.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

The Driehaus Museum Announces 2020 Recipients of its A Tale of Today: Emerging Artists Fellowship

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417589/omwdrblarurzrf9dcmj3.png"></figure>Via PR&nbsp;GRAND RAPIDS, MI – ArtPrize’s board of directors today announced the cancellation of the organization’s 2020 exhibition, joining many other festivals that have cancelled as a result of COVID 19 related uncertainties. The event had been scheduled to take place from Sept. 16 to Oct. 4, 2020 in downtown Grand Rapids. &nbsp; “Everyone had hoped to find modifications that would enable us to host the exhibition safely,” said ArtPrize board member Marc Schwartz. “We initially shifted plans to focus on outdoor spaces and large indoor venues. &nbsp;However, after analyzing the situation further and considering the unknowns, we realized that hosting such an event was not the best course forward. Although very disappoint-ing, we believe it is the best decision to ensure the well-being of our constituents.” The global COVID 19 pandemic created many obstacles that prevented ArtPrize from hosting an impactful and safe event at the level the community, artists, sponsors, venues, staff and fans of ArtPrize have come to expect. Challenges included concerns regarding artist and tourist travel, un-certainty regarding venues and possible restrictions, unpredictability regarding permitted gatherings in the State, and other safety, health and planning uncertainties. Despite the best efforts of the ArtPrize team and generous, unwavering support from businesses, community organizers, the City of Grand Rapids and many others, these challenges were not able to be overcome and have forced the board to cancel ArtPrize 2020. “I want to thank everyone who has played a role in attempting to host ArtPrize this year despite challenges unlike anything we have ever experienced before,” said ArtPrize Founder Rick DeVos. “The ArtPrize community is talented and innovative, and we appreciate each and every one of you. While we won’t come together to experience art as we have in prior years, I hope that all of us can find our own unique way to connect with Grand Rapids in the months ahead. Our community is known as one that comes together in challenging times and we all need each other now more than ever.” The ArtPrize organization will pause its overall operations as a result of the 2020 cancellation and take time to evaluate the possibility of future events. Artist and venue registration fees will be refunded. Sponsors that had previously committed to participate in ArtPrize 2020 will be contact-ed in the coming days to arrange for the cancellation of partnership agreements.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

ArtPrize Announces Cancellation of 2020 Exhibition Due to COVID-19

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418774/mmhsuuqnn76msftsl5ft.jpg"><figcaption>Holiday Home (Milwaukee), 2019 featuring the updated color scheme for 2020.&nbsp;Photo by Kevin Miyazaki/Sculpture Milwaukee</figcaption></figure>By CGN Via PRAt a time when so much has gone virtual or been put on hold, it is encouraging that public art has, for the most part, still been publicly &nbsp;accessible while so many doors have been closed. We were encouraged to hear last week that Sculpture Milwaukee is moving ahead with plans to mount its popular city-wide sculpture exhibition. They declared on social media, "We're not cancelled!"&nbsp;<a href="sculpturemilwaukee.com">Sculpture Milwaukee</a> announced on May 28 that its annual world-class collection of monumental sculptures will return to the streets this summer, where they can be safely enjoyed by all. Installation is slated to begin the week of June 8, and will be phased through mid-July, and, for the first time ever, many works will remain on view through the winter.&nbsp;&nbsp;In an historic year of innumerable cancelations and uncertainties due to COVID-19, the non-profit was spurred-on by the urgent understanding that access to free, safe, and culturally enriching activities are more important now than ever.&nbsp;“The sculptures will be a visible and vibrant reminder of our city’s unwavering resilience, an invitation to reimagine our surroundings, take-in new perspectives, and get inspired,” says Beth Weirick of Milwaukee Downtown. She continues, “We want everyone to feel safe coming downtown; Sculpture Milwaukee’s plans fit right in with the larger effort to create a safe, inviting locale for our community.”&nbsp;In light of ongoing public health concerns, Sculpture Milwaukee has announced a few unique features of the 2020 season. The organization has deferred in-person events, instead resources will be made available on <a href="http://sculpturemilwaukee.com/">SculptureMilwaukee.com</a> for self-guided exploration. They’ll host a mix of live-streamed and pre-recorded conversations with artists, virtual art lectures and more. Visitors will be encouraged to share their photos and thoughts about the sculptures via social media. Ground markings will be provided to help visitors maintain the recommended six-feet physical distance from others.“Our exhibition stretches out along Wisconsin Ave from O’Donnell Park to the Wisconsin Center, and this year, in partnership with The Black Box Fund, we’ve expanded into the Historic Third Ward. Altogether, our exhibition is over a mile and a half long, open 24-7 and will remain open months longer than in past years. We believe there will be ample space for people to experience vibrant and diverse, world-class artworks while maintaining a safe physical distance,” remarked Sculpture Milwaukee’s Executive Director, Brian Schupper. “We love Milwaukee, and, we want our exhibition to inspire people to get out and experience our beautiful city once again.” &nbsp;</body></html>

Sculpture Milwaukee Returns This Summer, Making Art Accessible 24/7

This is the most recent update from the Arts Alliance Illinois, which we received May 29, 2020. &nbsp;We will share more updates as we have them and as the art and business community begins to safely reopen spaces to the public.&nbsp;– CGN&nbsp;<blockquote>Today many parts of the state are moving to Phase 3 of the Restore Illinois plan for phased reopening. Governor Pritzker released guidelines for businesses to operate during Phase 3, including limits and safety measures for manufacturing, offices, retail, barbershops, and personal services (e.g. salons). <a href="http://go.pardot.com/e/789543/dceo-pages-restoreILP3-aspx/smb3/52877748?h=_6rjJFF1Am05MAr4sHhTyVKT4lt5WrCRHYpn1iovFIs">Click here to read these industry-specific guidelines</a>. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced this week that cautious reopening for the city will begin June 3,&nbsp;releasing a city-specific set of guidelines for businesses that are included in this phase.&nbsp;These guidelines refer to museums and outdoor performances in a "later Phase 3," the details of which are being developed in collaboration with representatives from the field. The expanded guidelines will be released when approved by public health officials.&nbsp;<a href="http://go.pardot.com/e/789543/reopening-business-portal-html/smb5/52877748?h=_6rjJFF1Am05MAr4sHhTyVKT4lt5WrCRHYpn1iovFIs">Click here to read the current Phase 3 guidelines for Chicago</a>.&nbsp; The Alliance is supportive of reopening our state's creative industries when it is deemed safe to do so by public health officials, as the health of artists, creative workers, and audiences is our highest priority. We have advocated successfully for our sector’s many diverse stakeholders to be included in reopening conversations with both the City of Chicago and the State of Illinois, and will keep you updated on developments in these discussions.&nbsp;As always, if you have any ideas, questions, needs, or resources to share, please email us at <a href="mailto:info@artsalliance.org">info@artsalliance.org</a>. State funding for the arts preserved In case you missed it, over the weekend the Illinois General Assembly passed a budget bill with several big wins for the creative sector. This collective support from the state helps to ensure arts and culture will be a critical part of our state’s recovery from the current crisis. &nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="http://go.pardot.com/l/789543/2020-05-27/s9df/789543/42166/2020_0526_IL_arts_funding_preserved_v3.png" alt=""></figure> We're grateful to all the legislators who made the arts a priority, as well as the 36 members of the Arts &amp; Culture Capital Coalition. Finally, thank YOU for being part of our fight for the arts and culture in Illinois. We know the creative sector is hurting right now and we are doing everything we can to ensure it is a critical part of healing and restoration across Illinois. <a href="http://go.pardot.com/e/789543/ILArtsFY21/smb7/52877748?h=_6rjJFF1Am05MAr4sHhTyVKT4lt5WrCRHYpn1iovFIs">Click here to read more.</a></blockquote>&nbsp;&nbsp;

State Funding for the Arts: Art Alliance Illinois Updates

Via PRChicago Artists Coalition (CAC) today announced that Teresa Silva, currently CAC’s director of exhibitions and residencies, has been selected as its new executive and artistic director.&nbsp;She will assume the new role on August 1, 2020. The Chicago Artists Coalition is a non-profit organization that has provided artists and curators with the resources to live, work and thrive in the city since 1974.<figure class="image"><img src="http://i1.cmail19.com/ei/i/AC/126/D20/005148/csfinal/TeresaHeadshot2020-990000000003cf3c.jpg" alt="Teresa Silva has been promoted to the new position of Executive and Artistic Director starting August 1, 2020"><figcaption>Teresa Silva</figcaption></figure>The new position and Silva’s appointment bring to fruition an organizational restructure that Caroline Older, CAC’s executive director since 2014,&nbsp;and CAC’s&nbsp;board&nbsp;of directors have been working on since February 2020. The plan called for a 6-month transition to enable Older to take the next step in her career while ensuring the long-term success of CAC.“In early 2020, as we entered CAC’s 45th year of supporting Chicago artists and curators, it became clear that to accommodate changing priorities among arts&nbsp;funders we needed to innovate to&nbsp;ensure CAC’s sustainability,” said Older.&nbsp;“The new management structure provides for a viable financial future while allowing Teresa Silva to lead CAC’s efforts to support Chicago’s artist community.”During her tenure, Older’s accomplishments include relocating CAC to enhance services and accessibility for artists, launching CAC’s first capital campaign, refreshing CAC’s brand with a new website, increasing grants to artists by 2000% and developing a board of directors of esteemed Chicago leaders while improving board and staff diversity. Older leaves CAC on sound financial footing with over four years of balanced budgets and substantial emergency funds secured since March 16.<figure class="image"><img src="http://i2.cmail19.com/ei/i/AC/126/D20/005148/csfinal/Caroline-D.-Older-990a280a28028a3c.jpg" alt="Caroline Older, CAC’s executive director for the past 5 years, will be leaving to explore new opportunities."><figcaption>Caroline Older</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;“Caroline raised the visibility and impact of CAC, led its move to a new location and substantially increased CAC’s financial support for artists. Her dedication to the success of CAC has been remarkable,” said Carmelita Tiu, Board Chair. “Teresa Silva has unparalleled experience and passion for CAC’s mission and programming, and will undoubtedly continue to build on the foundation that Caroline created.”Silva was Older’s first hire at CAC, and the two were recognized together in Newcity’s Art 50: Chicago’s Visual Vanguard 2019.&nbsp; Silva will be responsible for procuring financial support for CAC through grants and donations, leading programming, residencies and exhibitions, and overseeing day-to-day operations of the organization.&nbsp;She brings to her position a vast network of artists, curators and arts patrons. Karina Quintana and Aileen Cortez, who have worked at CAC since 2019, will support Silva.“COVID-19 has heightened the need to support artists so that they can continue to work and thrive in Chicago,” said Silva. “I am grateful for this opportunity and that, thanks to Caroline, CAC is poised for a dynamic future that will continue to contribute to Chicago’s reputation as a world-class arts center.”&nbsp;As director of exhibitions and residencies since 2014, Silva has helped launch the careers of countless artists and curators. CAC alumni have gone on to exhibit in New York at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Storm King Art Center and the Museum of Modern Art, as well as the Venice Architecture Biennale, the Los Angeles Museum of Modern Art and galleries across the country.&nbsp;CAC alums also hold positions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, EXPO CHICAGO, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.About Chicago Artists Coalition Chicago Artists Coalition is a non-profit organization that supports contemporary Chicago artists and curators by offering residency programs, exhibitions, professional development and resources that enable them to live, work and thrive in the city.&nbsp;CAC&nbsp;is deeply committed to advancing the cause of art and its importance in Chicago’s culture and economy by cultivating a wide-reaching civic, philanthropic and public support network. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://news.chicagoartistscoalition.org/t/i-l-xdiihc-dlvzir-y/">www.chicagoartistscoalition.org</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chicago Artists Coalition Announces Leadership Transition

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417775/edqx4gmumpvdbz9o4hz5.jpg"><figcaption>Wadsworth Jarrell with son Jerry, Jae Jarrell, and Napoleon Jones-Henderson at an AFRICOBRA meeting,&nbsp;1968, Chicago, IL. Courtesy of Gerald Williams</figcaption></figure>Via PR&nbsp;The three living co-founders of AFRICOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists)—are receiving honorary doctorates from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417776/uyjmup519ojp4yuimsb6.jpg"><figcaption>AFRICOBRA: Nation Time,&nbsp;official collateral exhibition of the&nbsp;2019&nbsp;edition of La&nbsp;Biennale&nbsp;di&nbsp;Venezia,&nbsp;installed at Ca’ Faccanon, Venice, Italy&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Kavi Gupta congratulates Gerald Williams, Wadsworth Jarrell, and Jae Jarrell—the three living co-founders of AFRICOBRA (African Commune of Bad Relevant Artists)—for their receipt of honorary doctorates from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, "for their extraordinary contributions to culture."<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417777/qp4d78jehr5crxtfvzct.jpg"><figcaption>Jae Jarrell working on&nbsp;Ornaments of Reflection for the Toronto&nbsp;Biennial, 2019, Cleveland, OH.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>This honor comes on the one-year anniversary of the opening of&nbsp;AFRICOBRA: Nation Time, an award-winning, official collateral exhibition at the 58th Venice Biennale. Organized and sponsored by Kavi Gupta, bardoLA, and MOCA North Miami, and curated by Jeffreen M. Hayes, Ph.D.,&nbsp;AFRICOBRA: Nation Time&nbsp;was noted as a highlight of the Biennale by numerous press outlets and further enshrined AFRICOBRA as a crucial voice in the international artistic landscape. Installed in the gothic palazzo Ca’ Faccanon, the exhibition featured both classic and recent works by the artists of AFRICOBRA, including some pieces which had not been displayed publicly since their original showings with the group in the 1970s. Accompanied by extensive historical material to contextualize the state of 1960s America, and Chicago specifically, the exhibition now stands as a definitive exploration of the group’s legendary history.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417778/esfhujsy9st4rknmlclc.jpg"><figcaption>Wadsworth Jarrell in his studio,&nbsp;2019, Cleveland, OH.</figcaption></figure>Founded in 1968 on the South Side of Chicago, AFRICOBRA was on the vanguard of the global Black Arts. Rather than focusing on violent revolution, they focused on nurturing a revolutionary cultural spirit distilling the intertextual aspect of their visual environment into an aesthetic position that was unmistakably current, and unmistakably connected to the African diaspora. Soon, the group was joined by five more members: Napoleon Jones Henderson, Nelson Stevens, Sherman Beck, Omar Lama, and Carolyn Mims Lawrence.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721417779/hqhzlhaakjyubjhkj8ji.jpg"><figcaption>Gerald Williams in front of his work at the opening for The Time is Now! Art Worlds of Chicago's South Side atthe Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, 2018, Chicago, IL.&nbsp;</figcaption></figure>Congratulations, AFRICOBRA, for everything you have accomplished. We celebrate the far-reaching impact your philosophical and aesthetic positions continue to have on our culture—the story of AFRICOBRA has only just begun.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Three Living Members of AFRICOBRA are Receiving Honorary Doctorates from SAIC

CGN staff via PRAfter NADA had to announce the cancellation of their September 2020 fair in Chicago, after only hosting one edition of the show a few months ago in 2019, they have now shared plans for a fully digital endeavor. FAIR, built in partnership with Artlogic, is a new art fair initiative designed to be entirely online, function cooperatively, and act as a benefit for NADA’s community of galleries, nonprofits and artists.&nbsp;The plan has come together in a relatively short period of time and is not only meant to be only online but also a means of supporting galleries through sales (vs grants, loans or fundraising.) What art fair preview have you ever read that doesn't reference the cliche comfortable shoes? Well, now you don't even need them.&nbsp;Taking place May 20–June 21, 2020, FAIR will directly support 119 NADA Gallery Members and 81 other galleries that have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, totaling nearly 200 galleries around the world.FAIR offers an alternative profit-sharing model, structured to facilitate mutual support within the art community and provide revenue to each of its participants during a time in which galleries have temporarily closed their physical locations. A percentage from each sale made from FAIR will directly benefit all participating galleries and artists. In addition, a percentage of each sale will go towards supporting NADA for their efforts in producing FAIR, their continued work as an organization for art galleries, through this time of crisis and beyond.Cooperative Sales Model:50% of each sale goes directly to gallery (which is split evenly between artist/gallery)20% of each sale goes into cooperative gallery sales pool; to be shared evenly among all participating galleries20% of each sale goes into cooperative artist sales pool; to be shared evenly among all participating artists10% of each sale goes to support the New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA)Each participating gallery will present a series of artworks over four-weeks with the opportunity to share new artworks each week. The initiative will also feature a series of online performances, studio visits and talks to complement the artworks presented by participating galleries and artists. FAIR, produced in collaboration with Artlogic, utilizes their Online Viewing Rooms service and is generously hosted by them.&nbsp;Week 1 of FAIR launches on Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 10am EST at <a href="https://newartdealers.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3493a38a571991d5c278569e7&amp;id=d6cb77681a&amp;e=a3f64d3727">thisisfair.org</a>.View the list of participants <a href="https://newartdealers.viewingrooms.com/participants/">online</a>. Chicago and regional galleries participating include:&nbsp;<ul><li>Ackerman Clarke – Chicago</li><li>Circle Contemporary (Arts of Life) – Chicago</li><li>Devening Projects – Chicago</li><li>DOCUMENT – Chicago</li><li>The Green Gallery – Milwaukee</li><li>M. LeBlanc – Chicago</li><li>MICKEY – Chicago</li><li>PATRON – Chicago</li><li>The Suburban – Milwaukee</li><li>Volume Gallery – Chicago</li><li>Western Exhibitions – Chicago</li></ul>&nbsp;FAIR Dates​ &amp;​ Times May 20 – Sunday, June 21, 2020 <a href="https://newartdealers.us9.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3493a38a571991d5c278569e7&amp;id=55dfb3879b&amp;e=a3f64d3727">thisisfair.org</a>Week 1: May 20, 2020 Live at 10am ESTWeek 2: May 27, 2020 Live at 10am ESTWeek 3: June 3, 2020 Live at 10am ESTWeek 4: June 10, 2020 Live at 10am EST&nbsp;

NADA Announces FAIR – Designed Entirely For Online (No Comfy Shoes Needed)

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image image-style-side"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418768/lsfaqztifptyrobhmce4.gif"><figcaption>On the cover, summer 2020 – Ebony G. Patterson, ...three kings weep..., 2018 (still), edition of 3, 3-channel digital color video projection with sound, 8 minutes 34 seconds. Courtesy of the artist and Monique Meloche Gallery.</figcaption></figure>The summer 2020 issue of CGN has arrived! Needless to say, the issue we were planning back in February 2020 had to change quite a bit, but we did our best to adapt to a rapidly shifting world and art market. Due to the ongoing stay-at-home order, copies are available in May primarily by <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/print-subscriptions">subscription</a>.&nbsp;We expect that in June 2020 copies will be more widely and publicly available in area galleries, museums, hotels and other locations as they reopen.&nbsp;This issue includes a new look at the local art community during the time of COVID-19 and features interviews with a range of creative makers and supporters, including artist <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/news/2020/5/ebony-g-patterson-the-interactivity-of-visual-appeal">Ebony G. Patterson</a>; collector and former River North art dealer Ann Nathan; art patrons Marilyn and Carl Thoma; Stuart Dyer of Ladybug Vintage; artist Marcela Torres; dealer Patrick Hull of Vertical Gallery on embracing digital sales; new galleries navigating the first year in business; and a walk through Logan Square's galleries and murals. We also spotlight new online ventures and virtual openings.&nbsp;The cover features art by Ebony G. Patterson as well.&nbsp;New content will be posted online throughout the month, and we continue to update our calendar daily, and of course we hope to add more in-person event as soon as possible.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/print-subscriptions">Subscribe now</a> to receive a copy by mail!&nbsp;In the mean time, stay safe and enjoy the art.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

The Summer 2020 Issue of CGN is Here

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418761/ockzgp9ol1zcvlqacr1p.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;CGN Staff via PR&nbsp;When COVID-19 became a reality back in March, personally I thought, thank God that EXPO isn't until September. It's safe. I was skeptical of events so far out being cancelled.&nbsp;Two months later, I get it. It's all radically different and everyone is doing the best they can to stay safe, to keep others safe, and to rethink.&nbsp;I know Tony Karman is truly an optimist, and I believe in his ability to move the fair from the fall to the spring, when life and art can hopefully begin anew. Everything could come full circle. After all, in the very beginning, the original Art Expo took place in May. So until April 2021, stay tuned for more updates and additional plans from the EXPO team, and stay positive.&nbsp;&nbsp;CHICAGO—EXPO CHICAGO, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, today announced that it will present its ninth edition from April 8–11, 2021 at Navy Pier. The decision to move the fair from its traditional September time slot to this coming spring was the result of a collaborative decision-making process that EXPO CHICAGO conducted with galleries, collectors, institutional partners, and city officials. In response to the rapidly evolving social and business environments, EXPO CHICAGO put in place a plan that allows exhibitors to provide non-binding deposits and, subsequently, a flexible payment schedule for those participating in the exposition. In addition, alongside expanding programming and initiatives, EXPO CHICAGO has pledged to make contributions to both the Art Dealers Association of America (ADAA) and the New Art Dealers Association (NADA) from the proceeds of the exposition.&nbsp;“Art fairs are collaborative enterprises in which the organizers, galleries, collectors and host city institutions, residents, and leadership work together towards a set of shared goals,” said President | Director of EXPO CHICAGO&nbsp;Tony Karman.&nbsp;“Moving our dates will enable our exhibitors and partners in Chicago to focus on reopening their galleries, launching their upcoming exhibitions, and begin the process of rebuilding so that together we can prepare for this important convening moment for the global art community in Chicago next April.”EXPO CHICAGO Artistic Director Stephanie Cristello states, “The EXPO CHICAGO team is continuing to develop opportunities to enhance the upcoming edition in ways that support the rebuilding of our partner galleries and institutions, and will be committing resources to their programming initiatives and providing additional support in new and innovative ways."Since its inception, EXPO CHICAGO has remained dedicated to supporting local, regional, and international arts communities through its role as a leading contemporary art exposition, presenting one of the highest quality platforms for curatorial programming and discourse alongside its participating galleries. With strong regional support throughout the Greater Midwest, both coasts, and maintaining a growing international commitment from Europe, Asia, and Latin America, EXPO CHICAGO will continue to leverage its strategic position in the center of the United States in the Spring of 2021.“Chicago is proud of our leadership in hosting an annual international art fair for nearly 40 years—EXPO CHICAGO contributes greatly to the vibrant cultural and hospitality ecosystems of our great city,” said Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events&nbsp;Mark Kelly. “We look forward to welcoming the international galleries, collectors and patrons from around the world to Chicago next April, and for all to experience the rich diversity that is a hallmark of our community.”“Our cherished, nine-year partnership with EXPO CHICAGO is steadfast and has never felt stronger, with our mutual concern for the safety and health of Chicago’s creative community in mind,” said Pritzker Director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Madeleine Grynsztejn. “We hope the decision to reschedule this vital event to 2021 pays it forward to our artists, galleries, and supporters, and reveals the strength of collaboration and the power of art during difficult times.”&nbsp;</body></html>

EXPO CHICAGO To Move from September to April 8–11, 2021

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418761/sxt09dkiwqns4mswcdpv.jpg"><figcaption>Image credits and captions: Arthur Dove, <a href="https://terraamericanart.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=267a08a7bec1f099f2207f0ac&amp;id=654febdb82&amp;e=ed2e5b3048">Boat Going through Inlet</a>, c. 1929, oil on tin, Terra Foundation for American Art, Daniel J. Terra Art Acquisition Endowment Fund, 2015.6, Courtesy: The Estate of Arthur G. Dove/ Terry Dintenfass, Inc.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Via PRThe Terra Foundation for American Art announces an $8 million commitment to emergency funding and ongoing relief for visual arts organizations impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fund provides emergency support to selected Chicago, US, and international arts organizations that are part of the foundation’s network of partners, as well as relief over the next two years for US-based art museums in support of their collection projects. Application details about this new two-year grant program will be announced in summer 2020. In addition to its&nbsp;COVID-19 relief response, the foundation remains committed to its ongoing grant programs, which support projects and exhibitions on US art internationally, nationally, and in Chicago. The foundation is actively accepting grant applications for exhibition research and development, academic programs, and publications for <a href="https://terraamericanart.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=267a08a7bec1f099f2207f0ac&amp;id=2fb943a8b8&amp;e=ed2e5b3048">Art Design Chicago 2024</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://mcusercontent.com/267a08a7bec1f099f2207f0ac/images/9e0cbde5-b9bf-4b05-9c95-27e4f933e8c7.png"></figure> <a href="https://terraamericanart.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=267a08a7bec1f099f2207f0ac&amp;id=911f32d508&amp;e=ed2e5b3048">Digital&nbsp;Resources: Art Design Chicago</a>Contributing to an expanded understanding of American art history, Terra Foundation partners developed more than 25 digital resources—including podcasts, websites, TV documentaries, and more—as part of Art Design Chicago 2018. Explore Chicago's historic role as a crossroads of art and design, creativity and commerce.<a href="https://terraamericanart.us4.list-manage.com/track/click?u=267a08a7bec1f099f2207f0ac&amp;id=7bed52c870&amp;e=ed2e5b3048">Access resources</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

 Terra Foundation Creates $8M COVID-19 Relief Fund for Visual Arts Organizations

<figure class="image"><img></figure>Via PRGlen Ellyn, Ill. — The <a href="">Cleve Carney Museum of Art</a> (CCMA) and McAninch Arts Center (MAC) announced a series of online art classes and virtual artist studio visits to be presented this May. The children’s series, titled CCMA Creates: Kids, is being offered in response to parents looking for interactive learning activities and as a free service to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Geared towards kids aged 12 and younger but accessible to all ages and skill levels, the art classes can be found on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/CleveCarneyMuseumofArt/">CCMA Facebook page</a> and the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AtTheMAC/">MAC Facebook page</a>, with new episodes aired at 12pm on Tuesdays.&nbsp;A series of virtual studio visits with artists, CCMA Creates: Stuck in the Studio, will be shared via the CCMA Facebook page on Fridays at 12pm. The online offerings will feature artists who have previously exhibited at the Cleve Carney Art Gallery prior to its renovation into a museum-grade space, as well as artists working on future projects.&nbsp;CCMA will also provide additional online resources for kids and families stuck at home during this time, including downloadable projects and activities drawing from the museum’s collection for inspiration, highlights from the museum’s rich video archive of past Visiting Artist lectures, and a collection of favorite online resources from museums and institutions around the world. “Even though we cannot physically welcome our audience into the museum, we are still eager to stay in touch and be a resource to them,” said Cleve Carney Museum of Art Curator Justin Witte. “We are excited to find new ways to stay connected while we are temporarily apart.”“The MAC and CCMA teams wanted to offer an online solution for families who are currently juggling homeschooling along with other responsibilities, and are looking for interactive engagement,” said McAninch Arts Center Director Diana Martinez.Art classes and virtual artist studio visits will feature local, national and international contemporary artists who are leaders in their field. The first installments will include:&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tuesday, May 5, 12 p.m. – Frida Kahlo Drawing Class with CCMA Curator Justin Witte&nbsp;·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Friday, May 8, 12 p.m. – Virtual Studio Visit with Philadelphia-based artist Sarah McEneaney&nbsp;Additionally, CCMA will be working to host live streamed events with leading artists, designers and curators.&nbsp;

Cleve Carney Museum of Art Unveils Weekly Online Art Classes and Virtual Studio Visits

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418768/kq3i15sako47lck6rodd.jpg"><figcaption>Artist Alexandra Bell, born in Chicago, is one of the recent 2020 New York Awardees</figcaption></figure>Via PRThe Artadia Awards provide exposure, financial support, and critical validation to artists. The awards are unrestricted, allowing artists to use the funds in any way they choose.The Chicago Artadia Awards application deadline is June 1, 2020 and it is open to all visual artists living &amp; working throughout Cook County. <a href="https://artadia.org/">Apply here.</a>&nbsp;Each year, an open-call application is made available in each of the six active partner cities for any artist who has lived within that city for a minimum of two years and is not currently enrolled in art school. Supporting artists equitably is a critical part of the Artadia Award process: we consider the unique populations of each community and are proud to reflect our country’s diversity with an Awardee pool that is 50 percent female and 33 percent persons of color.Awardees also receive a dedicated webpage on Artadia’s online Artist Registry; studio visits with renowned curators and collectors; and regular dialogue with Artadia’s staff members, who offer guidance and facilitate valuable connections. The inclusion of Awardees in prominent exhibitions such as the Whitney Biennial (five Awardees were featured in 2017, and six in 2019) attests to Artadia’s standing as an influencer and connector in the art community.&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Artadia Chicago Awards Application Due June 1

<html><head></head><body>By GINNY VAN ALYEAWe are familiar with the #GivingTuesday that comes around each year as the holiday shopping and donation season gets underway, but now <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday/">#GivingTuesdayNow</a> is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5, 2020 (in addition to the regularly scheduled Dec 1, 2020 #GivingTuesday) as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.&nbsp;Many area nonprofits are making the push for your support next week because your donations will truly make an impact to keep them afloat and to allow them to continue their important work. This kind of spending really counts and any amount, no matter how small, can make a difference. Collective support will also give a lift to area groups that are struggling - they will see that they are valued by the community. The Facebook page also has ideas for how kids can get creative and give back too.&nbsp;You can donate to healthcare workers who need your support, and you can also contribute to area arts nonprofits and grassroots groups that have had to close during COVID-19 and have lost critical income sources they depend on.We have heard from a couple of organizations that plan to participate, like <a href="https://www.spudnikpress.org/">Spudnik Press Cooperative</a>, and the <a href="http://swedishamericanmuseum.org/2.0/">Swedish American Museum</a>. For both groups until they can open their doors again to welcome the public back in, they need support to cover costs of basic operations.&nbsp;We know there are many others who need support.&nbsp;Additional participating groups include:&nbsp;<a href="https://uima-chicago.org">The Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art</a><a href="https://chicagoartistscoalition.org">Chicago Artists Coalition</a><a href="https://www.artencounter.org">Art Encounter</a><a href="http://cpslives.org/donate/">CPS Lives</a><a href="https://www.videogameartgallery.com/checkout/donate?donatePageId=54e412bae4b0350b775520e1">VGA Gallery</a>If your group is participating as well, please <a href="https://www.chicagogallerynews.com/about">get in touch</a> with CGN and we will add you to the list. Check back for updates!&nbsp;Ultimately the best way to give lasting support to these groups is by staying interested in and engaged with their programming all year long. Become a member, give a membership to a friend, shop their sites and exhibitions online where possible. Keep this support mentality in mind for other area small galleries and businesses that need your dollars too, since we are all hoping to come out of this together.&nbsp;Hang in there, and happy giving!<figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418755/wkcqbd8vtf53lcic7vi4.gif"><figcaption>Spudnik Press Cooperative</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;</body></html>

Support Chicago Arts Groups on #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5

Via PRCHICAGO — Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC) today unveiled a total of 28 awardees who will receive unrestricted funds during the 2020-2021 cycle, including 25 awardees of the SPARK&nbsp;Grant program, two recipients of the MAKER Grant and one recipient of the Coney Family Fund Award. With the generous support of the Joyce Foundation and an anonymous donor, the SPARK&nbsp;Grant&nbsp;this year expanded to 25 unrestricted awards of $2,000 each. Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, CAC has a strong history of supporting emerging Chicago-based visual artists through unrestricted grant funds, and now administers a total of $61,000 in unrestricted grants to artists, more than five times the amount administered by the organization only two years ago.Now in its second cycle of grantmaking, the SPARK Grant program supports the creative endeavors of visual artists who identify as ALAANA (African, Latinx, Asian, Arab, Native American), an artist with acute financial need, an artist with a disability, or as a self-taught artist whose art practice is a primary vocation. 2020 awardees include Juan Arango Palacios, Yesenia Bello, Ireashia Bennett, Peregrine Bermas, Ladipo Famodu, Carlos Flores, Lional Freeman, Stephanie Graham, Juarez Hawkins, Malika Jackson, Dominique James, A.J. McClenon, Juan Molina Hernández, Allen Moore, Gabriel Moreno, Eliza Myrie, Zachary Nicol, Jose Santiago Perez, Aida Ramirez, David Richards, Roderick Sawyer, Jennifer Senecal, Monica Trinidad, Vicente Ugartechea and Marvin Young. The unrestricted award seeks to alleviate some of the financial burdens associated with being a working artist today. To read all 2020 SPARK Grant awardee bios, <a href="https://chicagoartistscoalition.org/resources/cac-grants/spark-microgrants/recipients">click here</a>.&nbsp;The SPARK Grant program reaffirms CAC’s commitment to emerging artists of Chicago and demonstrates the organization’s desire to directly address the historical barriers that have prevented the arts in the city from reflecting its demographic. The program recognizes that the category of “emerging artist” is not necessarily defined by age but often a consequence of encountering systemic disadvantages perpetuated by discriminatory policies, structures and&nbsp;practices; or, by operating outside of an academic or institutional system. The 2020-2021 grant cycle received more than 200 applications that were juried by Sampada Aranke, Gloria Talamantes and Derrick Woods-Morrow.“At this time more than ever, we are committed to awarding unrestricted funds directly to artists,” said CAC Executive Director Caroline Older. “Artists are foundational to the arts ecosystem of our city, and direct financial support is only one of the myriad ways in which CAC offers support and opportunities to Chicago’s community of emerging artists.”MAKER Grants, co-sponsored by Chicago Artists Coalition and OtherPeoplesPixels, offers two $3,000 unrestricted grants honoring artists whose work actively engages with social or environmental issues. Selva Aparicio and Silvia González were awarded the grants for 2020, with applications juried by William Fox and Stephanie Smith. The Coney Family Fund Award, sponsored by the Coney Family, is a $5,000 unrestricted grant supporting a Black or African American visual artist who demonstrates artistic excellence and experimentation. Brittney Leeanne Williams was awarded this grant in 2020, with applications juried by La Keisha Leek and Pascale Ife Williams.&nbsp;

Chicago Artists Coalition Announces Awardees for SPARK Grant, Maker Grant and Coney Family Fund Award

<html><head></head><body><figure class="image"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1721418755/nzztrpzjxuf93vm8i8la.png"></figure>&nbsp;Via PRChicago, IL – The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago will appoint Myriam Ben Salah as Executive Director and Chief Curator effective September 15, 2020.Ben Salah, a Tunisian curator and writer, is currently co-organizing Made in LA. 2020 at the Hammer Museum and The Huntington Library. She follows Solveig Øvstebø who led the museum from 2013 until 2020, and will be the Ren’s third leader since 1973.On behalf of the Board of Directors, Richard Wright, president, says “I welcome Myriam to Chicago and look forward to seeing her vision added to the legacy ofthe Renaissance Society. Thanks to Solveig’s leadership, an outstanding staff and board, and a clear-eyed commitment to our mission, the Ren has never been stronger as an institution. We are all excited to see how her curatorial work opens up exciting new spaces, shaping the Ren’s next chapter.”Myriam Ben Salah was formerly curator of Special Projects and Public Programs at the Palais de Tokyo. She served as the Editor-in-Chief of Kaleidoscope from 2016 until 2019, and she is currently Editor-at-Large. As an independent curator working internationally, Ben Salah has organized exhibitions and screenings at numerous institutions, including Jaou Tunis (Tunisia),Kadist (Paris and San Francisco), Kunsthalle Stavanger (Norway), Fahrenheit (Los Angeles), and the Beirut Art Center.James Rondeau, President and Eloise W. Martin Director of the Art Institute of Chicago says, "I am eager to join the rest of the arts community in Chicago to welcome Myriam as a colleague and peer. Myriam's attentive, bracing work across institutions, artist-run spaces and publications will allow the Renaissance Society to continue to grow as an exciting locus of the city's creative thought. Her range of expertise, particularly in geographies and narratives presently not being fully addressed in the United States, will assuredly spark new thinking and making. I anticipate a rich and rewarding tenure, and the Art Institute of Chicago will be both a partner and a beneficiary."At the Renaissance Society, she will bring her singular curatorial vision, drawing on an international experience and a decompartmentalized approach to art making. She will pursue at the Ren, through exhibitions and public programs, her work with emerging artists and experimental practitioners in Chicago and beyond.Ben Salah states, "I am truly honored to join the Renaissance Society and to follow in the footsteps of many esteemed colleagues. The Ren has had some of the most thoughtful and inspiring programming in the field. I look forward to charting a course among its rich history of experimentation and to be working with artists on their most radical projects, pushing the boundaries of what art can be and of what art can do."Founded in 1915, the Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago is a leading institution for contemporary art, driven by an uncompromising commitment to artists and their ideas. The Ren presents contemporary art exhibitions, events, and publications. All exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.Photo: Nicolas Cottong&nbsp;</body></html>

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