November Artist News

published: Nov. 2, 2026

 

Carmela Full of Wishes at the Chicago Children’s Theatre

Showing now through November 15, Carmela Full of Wishes, featuring Stephanie Diaz, is a “moving ode to family, to dreamers, and to finding hope in the most unexpected places.”

 

Women of Afrofuturism at SFO Museum

On view now through November 19, Women of Afrofuturism, featuring D. Denenge Duyst-Akpem, is an exhibition celebrating “the women of Afrofuturism who continually imagine inclusive, joyful, and luminous futures for Black people while simultaneously addressing present issues and past injustices.”  

 

Hayward at Steppenwolf

Showing now through November 22, Hayward is a reimagining of Hamlet and Electra following “a family shaped by the trauma passed down by a father who served in the Navy during the Gulf War.” The cast features Sydney Charles.

 

Cydney Lewis: Reflection at Gallery 400

On view now through December 12, Cydney Lewis: Reflection uses “discarded and found materials from her environment to create collages and sculptural assemblages that address Black consumer culture in the South Side of Chicago. Between commutes or spending her downtime, Lewis uses a phone app to layer her hand-cut collages with digital drawings.”  

 

To Be Remembered: Woven Matters of the Heart at the Chicago Cultural Center

On view now through February 28, To Be Remembered: Woven Matters of the Heart “embraces the reflective ways in which five contemporary textile artists illuminate their rich interior worlds through their unique fiber practices. The artists: ebere agwuncha, Nnaemeka Ekwelum, Hale Ekinci, Josúe Esaú, and Thương Hoài Trần each visually intertwine time, memory, and emotion to conjure deeply felt histories across spatial geographies, venerating the cultural traces that connect us to the motherlands.”  

 

Theater of the Mind at 333 N. Lasalle Street

Showing now through January 2, Theater of the Mind, is a new theatrical experience that engages the senses. “Inspired by both historical and current neuroscience research, the show takes you on an immersive journey inside how we see and create our worlds…Follow your Guide as they revisit key moments in their life in a surreal, 15,000-square-foot installation with a group of just 16 audience members.” Artists Shariba Rivers, Kelli Simpkins, Wai Yim, and a cast of six all play “David” who will rotate as the guide for each performance.

 

Cecil McDonald, Jr.: The American Beauty at Alma Lewis

Showing now through March 6, Cecil McDonald, Jr.: The American Beauty , is the first U.S. survey exhibition presentation of the work of Cecil McDonald, Jr, “whose photography explores the intersections of masculinity, familial relations, and black culture’s artistic and intellectual pursuits, particularly as this culture intersects with and informs the larger culture.”

 

Black Harvest Film Festival at Gene Siskel Film Center

Showing November 6-15, the Black Harvest Film Festival is “Chicago’s annual showcase for Black film across the diaspora. Born from an urgent need to celebrate the Black experience, the Black Harvest Film Festival unites filmmakers and audiences to showcase the power of Black cinema.” Several 3Arts artists are featured in the lineup:

•  Introduction to the Black Haptic (Mumbet’s Revenge) by Lola Ayisha Ogbara, as part of the line up of shorts titled, Black and Blur.
• Notes of Rest by Sulyiman Stokes and Julian Davis Reid

 

Laura Kina/ What is Asian American Art?

On November 12, during a virtual conversation, Laura Kina “will share how her  paintings use autobiography to archive personal and collective memories and Okinawan American identity. Drawing from over 30 years of experiences as a member of Asian American/Asian diasporic artists’ collectives and networks, Kina will address the question of ‘What/When/Where is Asian American art?”

 

Future Folk Festival at Douglass Park Cultural & Community Center

On November 13, the Future Folk Festival includes a performance by the Praise Mother Squad, an intergenerational dance squad founded by Aaliyah Christina and featuring Keyierra Collins. “Future Folk Festival draws inspiration from the definition of folk music provided by Folk Alliance International: ‘Folk is the music of the people, reflective of any community where they are from.”

 

Sixty On Stage: Sonic Becomings at Elastic Arts

On November 18, Allen Moore is a featured performer in Sixty On Stage: Sonic Becomings, a night of sound and celebration.