ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

A Chicago Homecoming!

The Obama Portraits

On loan from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, these paintings are touring the country and Chicago is their first stop! The exhibit includes Kehinde Wiley’s portrait of President Barack Obama and Amy Sherald’s portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama. The Art Institute of Chicago is proud to welcome this exhibit in celebration of the Obamas’ history, living and working in Chicago; Michelle Obama has even said that The Art Institute is where they went on their first date! The two portraits are covered in the highlights tour “Artists of the Obama White House,” which also examines works by other artists the Obamas chose to feature on their walls during Barack Obama’s presidency. On display through August 15. For more information about hours and pricing, including FREE days, go to arctic.edu/exhibitions/9507.

Broadway Outdoors!

Broadway in Your Backyard

Presented by Porchlight Music Theater, this FREE, outdoor concert series highlights a variety of famous Broadway songs with positive and inspirational messages. The songs featured in this performance celebrate friends, family, and community, making it appropriate for all ages, so feel free to bring the whole family! The show begins at 6:30 p.m. on August 3, and runs for 90 minutes at Welles Park, 2333 Sunnyside Ave. In the event of rain, the official reschedule date is August 4 at the same time. For more information about the "Broadway in Your Backyard" series or other Porchlight Music Theater events, visit porchlightmusictheater.org.

Art In Tune!

Tuesdays on the Terrace: Jazz at the MCA

Come see this live musical performance in the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Anne and John Kern Terrace Garden, 200 E. Chicago Ave. This weekly series highlights renowned artists from throughout Chicago’s jazz community in a setting that’s free and accessible to the general public. Due to space constraints, those who wish to attend must reserve tickets in advance and they can do so at mcachicago.org/programs/music/tuesdays-on-the-terrace. If you can’t make it to this one, visit the same link to see other dates in this series! Hosted by Al Carter-Bey (WDCB 90.9 FM) and Richton Guy Thomas (WHPK 88.5 FM), the concert will run from 5:30 - 7 p.m. on August 3.

A Market for All!

Pilsen Vendor Market Pilsen Art House is offering its nonprofit gallery space for this weekly pop-up event to support Pilsen artists and vendors. The market has both indoor and outdoor spaces for community members to sell paintings, jewelry, candles, apparel, and other artwork and handmade goods. The event runs from noon - 5 p.m. on this (August 8) and future Sundays through October 17, and is a family-friendly option for community engagement. Admission into the market is free, and all patrons are required to wear masks in accordance with Pilsen Art House’s guidelines. Pilsen Art House is located at 1756 W. 19th St.

Midday Classical!

Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert - Virtual Broadcast

The International Music Foundation presents this free virtual concert broadcast live from the Chicago Cultural Center. The program runs from 12:15 - 1 p.m. on August 4, and includes pieces by Tomeka Reid (pictured), Alexander Borodin, and Jessie Montgomery performed by the Grant Park Music Festival 2021 Project Inclusion String Fellows. Dame Julia Myra Hess was an English pianist who grew popular in the early 1900s for her performances of musical works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Schumann. To view the broadcast, and for more information, visit imfchicago.org/events. The concert will also be broadcast on 98.7 WFMT.

Combien ça coûte?

French Market at Gallagher Way

Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark St., is excited to host this French street market on this (August 5) and other select Thursday nights for the rest of the summer. Guests can enjoy the casual nature of the event's open-street setup while connecting with neighbors, businesses, and vendors from the community. The market is host to over 20 vendors selling food, pastries, flowers, candles, soaps, and other goods with a European artisan flair. The event also offers a kid’s craft booth and live music, making it a perfect outing for the whole family. Gallagher Way will be open for the market from 4 - 7 p.m. and admission is FREE. For more information, go to gallagherway.com/events/french-market.

A Look Inside!

Summer on the Patio - Staged Readings

This series offers a way for theater fans to share in the Artistic Home’s play production process. Throughout the weekend of August 6-8, they will be hosting a variety of staged script readings and open rehearsals of contemporary works, free for public audiences to sit in on. The scripts for these events will include "Mud" by María Irene Fornés, a contemporary classic about emancipatory feminism; "Ironbound" by Martyna Majok, a story of an immigrant woman’s life in the U.S.; and "The Pavilion" by Craig Wright, a poetic and humorous study of ordinary life. The staged readings will take place from 7 - 9 p.m. at Artistic Home’s Training Studio, 3054 N. Milwaukee Ave. and are also available to stream. A full schedule is available at theartistichome.org.

Human Rights & Nelson Mandela!

From Law Breakers to Law Makers: Working with Nelson Mandela - Virtual Panel

Join the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center for this online panel discussion with Judge Albert “Albie” Louis Sachs, an anti-apartheid activist who was appointed judge on the Constitutional Court of South Africa by Nelson Mandela, and Justice Irwin Cotler, an international human rights lawyer and Counsel to Nelson Mandela during his imprisonment. Moderated by Juliet S. Sorenson, this conversation will examine human rights in the context of Nelson Mandela’s work and the people like Sachs and Cotler who aided it. Admission is free with a recommended $10 donation to support the museum and will run from 12 - 1 p.m. on August 8. Register online at ilholocaustmuseum.org/programs-events.

Fitness & Fun Times!

Pier Fitness: Sunset Yoga at Navy Pier

Relieve stress at the end of a long weekday through this event presented by Navy Pier and Lifeway. Every Tuesday through August 31, a yoga instructor will be presenting a vinyasa + yin style class from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. in Navy Pier Polk Bros Park at 600 E. Grand Ave. This style of yoga focuses on strength and balancing while working to detoxify your body and is accessible to people of all skill levels. The workout is free, but patrons must bring their own yoga mat. Sunset Yoga is one of many outdoor exercise options Navy Pier is offering throughout the summer. For more information or to see what other classes are available, visit navypier.org/events-and-public-programs.

-Compiled by Audrey Champelli