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ART

“The United Colors of Robert Earl Paige” At The Hyde Park Art Center

The Hyde Park Art Center will present “The United Colors of Robert Earl Paige,” a career-spanning survey of artist, designer, and educator, Woodlawn native Robert Earl Paige (b. 1936). With multimedia works made from 1964–2024, this solo show is the largest presentation of the Chicago native’s work to date, “including rarely seen parts of Paige’s collection that explore the artist’s lifelong quest for beauty and equality.”

“Inspired equally by modernist aesthetics and the traditional basket weaving techniques and symbology of West African cultures, Paige seeks to encourage liberation for all. His signature ‘Power to the People’ design motif of half circles building upward and outward in an organized mesh of individuals expresses how simple gestures and lines can depict solidarity.” Curated by Allison Peters Quinn, director of exhibition & residency programs at the Hyde Park Art Center, the exhibition is on view April 6–October 27. More here.

How The Field Museum Is Complying With New Native Museum Regulation

“When new federal regulations took effect last month requiring museums to get consent from tribes before exhibiting certain Native cultural items, museums across the country began to remove objects from cases, cover up displays and even close entire halls,” reports Julia Jacobs at the New York Times, looking at how six objects are being presented at the Field. “Under the law only certain types of items must be returned to tribes, allowing others to stay on display. A visit to the venerable Field Museum in Chicago showed how compliance is playing out. While some displays have been concealed with paper or curtains as the museum explores whether it must return objects, others remain on view, either because they are not believed to be governed by the new rules or because tribes have given consent.”

Union Secures Funds To Preserve Historic Mural On Ashland

“The United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America, which is selling its union hall at 37 South Ashland, has raised enough funds to begin the process of preserving the ‘Solidarity’ mural on the building’s interior walls,” relays the union. The union has “raised money from private sources to remove the most important parts of the mural from the hall prior to new owners taking over the building. That work began on Friday, February 16. A crowdfunding campaign is close to raising an additional $10,000… The mural, in the style of Diego Rivera, was painted in 1974 by lead artists John Pitman Weber and Jose Guerrero, a factory worker and self-taught artist and cartoonist.”

DESIGN

Peering At The Loop Googleplex

A poppy semi-listicle looks at changes to the former Thompson Center at Chicago magazine: “A center of civil service transitioning into a private tech hub understandably gives some Chicagoans the ick. The glass dome once symbolized government transparency; now it nods to the panopticon of big tech. But from an architectural standpoint, many see this deal as a win. Tech companies have a good track record of restoring historic buildings. That includes Google, which transformed a Howard Hughes airplane hangar into offices in L.A. and made Manhattan’s art deco Port Authority Building its own, too. [Chicago site leader Karen] Sauder promises the center will still serve commuters and become a ‘thriving community destination.’ Phew! Because a lack of public access to this postmodern gem would be a loss for Chicago.”

Oak Park Boosts Airbnb Tax To Aid Affordable Housing Services

“Oak Park’s village board approved a measure to increase taxes on transient occupancy rental units such as Airbnb to support affordable housing,” reports Wednesday Journal. “Oak Park has 120… short-term rentals, compared with one full-service hotel and one bed-and-breakfast. The tax increase, to 7.5 percent from four percent, is expected to bring in more than $4.2 million over a ten-year period, a $1.2 million difference over what would have been collected without this change. That $1.2 million will go toward supporting affordable housing.”

Brookfield Zoo Christens Ninetieth-Anniversary Ferris Wheel In March

“Located just east of the zoo’s Roosevelt Fountain, the wheel will treat visitors to views of the Chicago skyline and the park’s 235 acres of gardens and habitats,” reports the Sun-Times.

DINING & DRINKING

How Good (Or Not) Would The Kroger-Albertsons Merger Be For Chicago?

“The public deserves to know much more about the potential impact of the deal between the nation’s largest supermarket chains,” says the Sun-Times editorial board. “Kroger, the nation’s largest supermarket chain, operates Mariano’s and Food 4 Less stores, while Albertsons, the country’s second-largest grocery chain, owns Jewel. We’re not saying that the merger should be blocked. But the lawsuit could be a good way to shine enough light on the deal to determine whether that’s the case… Transparency is especially important since shoppers are paying more for groceries these days: Food prices rose 5.8 percent in 2023.

“Kroger and Albertsons officials have said the super-merger would… insulate consumers from rising food prices. They also said the expanded company would have the cash to keep workers’ salaries competitive as well… It would be wrong to merely take the companies at their word on this and allow the deal to happen without more due diligence, especially when big mergers sooner or later tend to bring about the opposite results. And the worst-case opposite result with this deal would see the grocery competitors, once combined, forming a monopoly with the nationwide power to suppress wages and raise grocery prices.”

Publican Quality Bread Opens in Oak Park

As their tenth anniversary approaches, James Beard award-winning baker Greg Wade and One Off Hospitality have announced the opening of a brand new daytime bakery and evening café with the launch of Publican Quality Bread Oak Park on Sunday, February 25. It’s the first storefront launch for One Off outside of the city limits: “Promising all the pillars of its West Town flagship and then some, PQB Oak Park will present expanded hours, adding a PM evening service with Roman-style pizzas, ‘tiramisu cones,’ and a curated selection of craft beer and wine. PQB will also celebrate opening week with collaborations with local favorites, Rare Bird Preserves and Berwyn’s Babygold BBQ.” More here.

LIT

Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association Hires Executive Coordinator

The Great Lakes Independent Booksellers Association has hired February Spikener as executive coordinator. “Her background in English and teaching, coupled with her experience managing a student-led cooperative and her current role as a bookseller at RoscoeBooks, reflects a passion for literature and community building.” More on the group here.

MEDIA

More On The 200 Layoffs At Freedom Center

“Tribune Publishing will lay off nearly 200 workers beginning April 22 as the newspaper gears up to move printing operations from the Freedom Center to Schaumburg,” reports the Sun-Times. “Employees were made aware of the layoffs last week, according to data disclosed under the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act. ‘Plant closure’ was listed as the reason for the layoffs. Paddock Publications, the publisher of the Daily Herald, agreed in May to sell its twenty-year-old Paddock Printing Center in Schaumburg to an affiliate of Tribune Publishing.”

Judge Approves Audacy Bankruptcy Plan

Audacy’s hundreds of stations include Chicago’s WXRT, WBBM Newsradio, 670 The Score, B96 and US99: “A federal judge in Texas has signed off on Audacy’s plan to restructure a majority of its debt, a move that will allow the radio broadcast giant to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the near future,” reports Matthew Keys at The Desk. “Audacy will divvy up around $1.6 billion in debt among its creditors, bringing its overall debt load from $1.9 billion to a more manageable $350 million… The plan will also see a George Soros-backed investment fund acquire around $400 million in debt, which the group will swap for stock in Audacy.”

STAGE

American Players Theatre Announces Four New Core Company Members

Spring Green, Wisconsin’s American Players Theatre has welcomed four new members to their core company of actors in preparation for their forty-fifth anniversary season, running June 8 through November 10. Actors Phoebe González, Josh Krause, Samantha Newcomb and Laura Rook join the thirteen current members of APT’s Core Acting Company. More here.

Twenty-Second Chicago Flamenco Festival Sets Lineup

The Instituto Cervantes of Chicago has announced the return of the Chicago Flamenco Festival, its twenty-second edition set for February 28 through March 23. The multi-week festival, dedicated to the preservation, presentation and celebration of the multicultural art form of flamenco, features performances by flamenco artists from Chicago and across the United States, as well as internationally renowned artists from Spain. Performances and talks take place at three venues: Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, City Winery and Space Evanston. Tickets are $15–$40. The performance schedule and tickets are here.

Ballet 5:8 Performs “Lost Women of Juárez”

Ballet 5:8 will perform “Lost Women of Juárez” at the Harris Theater on April 20, drawn from a family tragedy of choreographer Julianna Rubio Slager. “In the early 2000s, her Tia Yolanda died under suspicious circumstances and her death was never investigated. This tragedy has been repeated thousands of times in the borderland between El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, and as the headlines fade, their names should be remembered.” Also on the bill: “‘Wind‘ by Steve Rooks feels the ethereal embrace of an unseen force. A former dancer at the Martha Graham Dance Company, Rooks draws inspiration from the music of Alfonso Peduto.” The Harris Theater for Music and Dance, April 20, 7:30pm. Single tickets ($10–$75) and more are here.

Neil Diamond Musical Comes To Chicago

Direct from Broadway, “A Beautiful Noise, The Neil Diamond Musical” will make its Chicago debut, November 12–24 at Broadway In Chicago’s Cadillac Palace Theatre as part of its multi-year North American Tour. The show is part of the next Broadway In Chicago subscription series. Current subscribers can renew beginning Monday, February 26, and the season will be available to new subscribers on Wednesday, March 20. Single tickets will be on sale at a later date. Tickets are $40-$135. More here.

Production Team Set for Fiftieth-Anniversary Non-Equity Jeff Awards Ceremony

At the fiftieth-anniversary Joseph Jefferson Awards for Non-Equity Theater, “more than a hundred recognized artists and emerging faces and voices will be honored in a program under the artistic direction of Adrian Abel Azevedo with music direction under Dr. Michael McBride, both reprising their roles after last year’s popular show,” relays the Jeff Awards. Co-hosts “are actor-singers Neala Barron and Ari Gato. They are joined by Frank Nall as announcer. Parker Guidry also returns to welcome nominees on the red carpet.

“The 2023 Non-Equity Jeff Awards nominees include 144 theater artists across twenty-four categories of excellence in theater production among shows from thirty-two companies. Four companies are recognized with more than ten nominations each including Kokandy Productions (seventeen from two productions), Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre (sixteen), and Invictus Theatre Company and Refracted Theatre Company (both receiving ten). ‘Tambo & Bones’ from Refracted Theatre Company drew the largest number of nominations for a single production (ten). Among New Work, eight world premiere plays are in award consideration.” The ceremony is at Park West, Monday, March 25, 7pm.

ARTS & CULTURE & ETC.

Pritzker Budget Includes $10 Million Increase In Illinois Arts Council Grants

“Governor Pritzker’s budget for the coming year includes $10 million in general revenue to expand existing grant programs at the Illinois Arts Council,” reports Shia Kapos at Politico Illinois. “It’s a key move by Pritzker who sees the arts as essential to building up neighborhoods and communities that have been hard-hit by the pandemic, in part because arts organizations folded up. ‘The needs of the arts sector are similar, whether it’s in a small rural community or a neighborhood in Chicago,’ said Nora Daley, chair of the Illinois Arts Council and a longtime supporter of the arts, much like her late mother, former first lady of Chicago Maggie Daley.”

Arts Alliance Illinois Statement On DCASE Transition

“Mayor Johnson is changing the leadership of the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Since 2021, when Commissioner Erin Harkey’s tenure began, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events has doubled the number of organizations receiving funding across city neighborhoods, significantly increased the number of Individual Artist Grant recipients, and prioritized supporting artists of color who face disproportionate barriers due to systemic racism and disinvestment,” relays Arts Alliance Illinois. “We are extremely thankful for Erin Harkey’s past leadership and hard work laying critical groundwork for the City to serve as a sustainable support structure for artists and organizations across every Chicago community. With 63,000 creative workers in Chicago—and DCASE as the primary driver of direct city support to artists—this transition is a pivotal moment for our city’s creative future. Much is unclear about what will come next for DCASE, and for our city’s arts and culture scene.”

CityArts Program Grant Applications Open

The 2024 CityArts Program grant application is now open to Chicago arts and culture nonprofits of all sizes and artistic disciplines for general operating grants. “Applicants must have a primary mission to create, produce, present, provide, or support arts and culture activities or services. In response to community needs, CityArts general operating grants are renewable for one year. Grant amounts will be based on the organization’s average annual revenue over the past three years.” Applications are due by March 25, 5pm. More information and applications here.

Four Migrant Shelters Closed After Lull In Arrivals

“The city has closed four migrant shelters in the past week and a half as the number of migrants arriving in the city slows,” reports the Sun-Times. “The shelters were located in the Loop, North Lawndale, Lake View and North Park and at their busiest held around 400 people in total. The biggest was the North Park Village Nature Center shelter center, which the city closed to be used as a polling place… Two of the shelters—the Harold Washington Library and the New Life Community Church in Lake View—have closed before and reopened. The Harold Washington shelter could reopen again if needed.”

Interim Exec Named For World Business Chicago

Eric Sedler is interim executive of World Business Chicago through the end of March, reports Chicago Business Journal, “as the city’s economic development partner organization continues its search for someone to step into Michael Fassnacht’s shoes as president and CEO… The announcement comes roughly a month after Charles E. Smith was named new vice chair of WBC, succeeding Mellody Hobson, who will continue to serve on the board. A longtime West Loop resident, Sedler is a co-founder and managing partner of Avoq and has thirty years of experience working in business, government, media and civic engagement in Chicago.”

Chicago Sues BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and Shell For “Catastrophic” Effects Of Climate Change

“The city is seeking reimbursements from the oil and gas giants for damages brought on by climate change, from extreme heat to flooding,” reports Block Club. “The city of Chicago filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Tuesday against BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and Shell, accusing the companies of ‘deceiving Chicago consumers about the climate dangers associated with their products’… Also named in the lawsuit is trade group American Petroleum Institute. The 185-page complaint outlines ‘damages Chicago has incurred’ from the companies’ [making] climate change [worse].”

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