Discover Black Arts in Chicago
Explore exhibitions, performances, and cultural events happening across the city. Celebrate the vibrant legacy of Black creativity.
Upcoming Events (61)
DuSummer Music Series 2026
DuSummer Music Series 2026 at DuSable Museum starting June 25th through September 17th! Come and enjoy great vibe with Outdoors in the Courtyard Plaza with Live Music, Food Trucks, Full Bar. This event is Free to the Public. You can reserve seating RSVP today. Tables are available for Purchase (table purchases are non refundable). For Rain Days we bring the event indoors. Bring in your lawn chair. No outside beverages allowed. FREE ADMISSION.
George Clinton: Mothership
Mariane Ibrahim is pleased to present Mothership , George Clinton's first solo exhibition with the gallery, on view from July 25 to September 5, 2026. Centering on the iconic spacecraft that in 1976 transformed Parliament-Funkadelic concerts into interstellar journeys, the exhibition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Mothership : a visionary creation that, in Clinton’s words, took “the ’hood into outer space.” Occupying the center of the gallery is The Mothership (2026), a monumental sculpture created specifically for this exhibition. Together, the paintings, sculpture, and ephemera reveal that the Mothership has never been simply a concert prop or a relic of music history, but a visual language in which cosmic travel becomes synonymous with Clinton’s music and performances.
Chicago Jazz Festival
The Chicago Jazz Festival is a Labor Day weekend tradition that promotes all forms of jazz through free, high-quality music programming. The festival showcases Chicago's local talent alongside national and international artists to raise awareness and appreciation for one of the city's most beloved art forms. Featuring performances by Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap Duo, Robert Glasper, M.E.B. (Miles Electric Band), Paquito D'Rivera, and many more.
Black Girl from a White Suburb
Written & Performed by Tania Richard | Directed by J. Nicole Brooks Tour-de-force solo show by Tania Richard. Growing up in an all-white Chicago suburb, she spent her days dodging microaggressions, striving to fit in, and yearning to see herself reflected. Her transformation began when cast as The Caterpillar in “Alice in Wonderland.” Blending cautionary tales, social commentary, and humor, Tania takes the leading role in a culture that often relegates Black women to supporting characters. Adapted from her memoir, Black Girl from a White Suburb: Finding My Light, Using My Voice. Performance Schedule: Thursdays: 7:00 PM Fridays: 7:30 PM Saturdays: 3:00 PM & 7:30 PM (select dates) Sundays: 2:30 PM
You Can't Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music
Written and directed by Daryl D. Brooks Hop on the Mothership and take a groovy ride through the era when Afros were high, bell-bottoms were tight, and the music was out of sight! You Can’t Fake the Funk: A Journey Through Funk Music is a high-energy, feel-good tribute to a sound that defined a generation. From Sly and the Family Stone to Parliament-Funkadelic to Earth, Wind & Fire, this show will have you testifying to the power of the Funk. “Ya dig?!”
Play On!
Shakespeare's beloved comedy Twelfth Night is joyfully retold through the timeless jazz tunes of Duke Ellington in this major new revival of the Tony-nominated musical. Conceived by Sheldon Epps. Book by Cheryl L. West. Music by Duke Ellington. Directed by Sheldon Epps. Songwriter Vy heads to swinging 1930s Harlem with dreams of making it big in the music world. Love, mistaken identity, and the transformative power of music collide in this vibrant musical celebration — the perfect production to launch Chicago Shakespeare Theater's milestone 40th Anniversary Season.