Discover Black Arts in Chicago
Explore exhibitions, performances, and cultural events happening across the city. Celebrate the vibrant legacy of Black creativity.
Upcoming Events (35)
Windfall
Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Directed by Awoye Timpo This is a story about money. Don’t let them fool you otherwise. When a Chicago father loses his child in a clash with the police, he is visited by three strangers who advise him to take the city’s cash settlement, relocate and forget his grief–or else remain, haunted by memories of the world his child fought so hard to protect. This lyrical world premiere from Academy Award-winning ensemble member Tarell Alvin McCraney is a vital and timely look at the spirit of activism set against the most indifferent system of them all: the almighty dollar.
I Used to Live in Chicago
I Used to Live in Chicago is a multidisciplinary exhibition exploring memory, displacement, and cultural resilience across Chicago’s historically black neighborhoods. Curated by Anefertiti Bowman, the exhibition brings together leading contemporary artists Norman Teague, Max Sansing, and Steve Bravo, alongside elder Chicago artists Sura Dupart, Tyrue “Slang” Jones, and Patric McCoy. Together, their work forms a layered, intergenerational dialogue rooted in lived experience, cultural memory, and the evolving realities of the city.
Sun Tea
Adapted from the short stories of Shirley Carney Adapted & Directed by Lauren Wells-Mann Shirley Carney is a celebrated writer. Her short stories have twice been adapted in critically acclaimed productions (Relevant Hearsay & Radical Hearsay). Her stories unspool like a winding highway, traveling from crowded urban barrooms to the front parlors of small towns. These are not stories of violence and powerlessness, but those of hope and bravery.
The Hula-Hoopin' Queen
Based on the book by Thelma Lynne Godin Adapted by Gloria Bond Clunie Music by Thomas Johnson Family, friendship, community—and lots of HOOPS! The whole neighborhood has the HULA HOOPIN' itch! Evanston playwright Gloria Bond Clunie’s sweet, funny, and energetic adaptation follows three Harlem girls as they vie for the crown of Hula-Hoopin’ Queen! Championed by Oprah Winfrey, this Chicago Public Library’s “Best of the Best” award-winner is a joyful reminder of the essentials that bind our communities. Best enjoyed by everyone 4+ Show runs at 70min.
In the Continuum
Catch this Obie-award winning play that follows two women living worlds apart as they face life changing events with humor and grace.
Trauma Attraction
2025 A Taste of Theatre Playwright Award. Written and directed by Benaiah Link. A powerful, immersive theatre experience that invites audiences to confront fear, explore healing, and witness the strength of the human spirit.