{"article":{"id":9143,"title":"3Arts Increases Artist Support in Response to National Funding Cuts","excerpt":"","body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1772053788/yb7fi1n0ieheq3kt5uax.jpg\"></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">By CGN Staff</strong></p><p><br></p><p>3Arts, the Chicago-based nonprofit that supports artists in the performing, teaching, and visual arts, has announced 17 recipients of its annual 3Arts Awards. The organization will distribute more than <strong>$1 million in grants this year</strong>, a $400,000 increase from previous years, in direct response to widespread national cuts in arts funding.</p><p><br></p><blockquote>“A thriving city depends on a thriving arts community,” said <strong>Cat Tager</strong>, Executive Director of 3Arts. “Right now, our arts community faces mounting challenges with each new day, each news cycle, and each trip to the grocery store. Recognizing this critical moment, so similar to the onset of the pandemic, 3Arts will dramatically increase our support for artists this year.”</blockquote><h3><br></h3><h3><strong>Honoring Artists Across Disciplines</strong></h3><p>Now in its 18th year, the 3Arts Awards recognize Chicago-area artists working in dance, music, teaching, theater, and visual art. Each awardee receives <strong>$30,000 in unrestricted support</strong>, part of the organization’s mission to sustain creative practice through direct and flexible funding.</p><p>The 2025 honorees include dance artists <strong>Wendy Clinard</strong>, <strong>Chih-Jou Cheng (程之柔)</strong>, and <strong>Torrence “Tea Buggz” Griffin</strong>; musicians <strong>Tommy Carroll</strong>, <strong>Ariella Granados</strong>, <strong>Kara Jackson</strong>, and <strong>Maxwell Senteney</strong>; teaching artists <strong>ebere agwuncha</strong>, <strong>Victoria Boateng</strong>, and <strong>Tom Lee</strong>; theater artists <strong>Rammel Chan</strong>, <strong>Nina Castillo-D’Angier</strong>, and <strong>Kristin Idaszak</strong>; and visual artists <strong>Jess Atieno</strong>, <strong>Leasho Johnson</strong>, <strong>Fern Logan</strong>, and <strong>Odette Stout</strong>.</p><p><br></p><p>The 2025 <strong>3Arts Awards Celebration</strong> will take place <strong>Monday, November 10 at 5:30 p.m.</strong> at the <strong>Harris Theater for Music and Dance</strong> (205 E. Randolph St.), featuring performances by past awardees including <strong>The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra</strong>, <strong>D-Composed</strong>, and an aerial collaboration by <strong>Michel Rodriguez</strong> and <strong>Jacinda Ratcliffe</strong>. Tickets ($150–$300) include a reception, ceremony, and after-party, and are available at <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https://www.3arts.org/tickets\" target=\"_blank\">3arts.org/tickets</a>. Proceeds benefit both 3Arts and the <strong>Center for Native Futures</strong>.</p><p><br></p><h3><strong>Expanding Reach and Emergency Support</strong></h3><p>This year’s program introduces <strong>two new awards</strong> in Music and Visual Arts for artists in <strong>downstate Illinois</strong>, presented in partnership with <strong>Artspace Southern Illinois</strong>, expanding 3Arts’ geographic reach.</p><p>In total, the organization will increase the number of awards and emergency funds available:</p><ul><li><strong>17 artists</strong> will receive $30,000 awards (up from 10 in 2024).</li><li><strong>Six Next Level Awardees</strong> will each receive $50,000.</li><li>The <strong>Make a Wave</strong> microgrant program grows from 10 to <strong>40 artists</strong>, each receiving $2,000.</li><li>More than <strong>$150,000</strong> in <strong>emergency funding</strong> will be distributed to artists facing financial hardship.</li></ul><h3><strong>Visual Arts Awardees</strong></h3><p>Among this year’s visual arts honorees:</p><ul><li><strong>Jess Atieno</strong> explores diasporic histories and identity through printmaking and research between Nairobi and Chicago.</li><li><strong>Leasho Johnson</strong>, a Jamaican-born artist, investigates Black queer identity through painting, installation, and sculpture.</li><li><strong>Fern Logan</strong>, a photographer and professor emerita, is celebrated for her <em>Artist Portrait Series</em> documenting prominent Black artists.</li><li><strong>Odette Stout</strong>, a Chicago-based artist and drag performer, creates multimedia performances examining technology, transformation, and community.</li></ul><h3><strong>Investing in the Future of the Arts</strong></h3><p>Founded in 1912 and relaunched in 2007 with its current awards program, 3Arts has distributed more than <strong>$8.2 million</strong> to over 2,500 artists across the region. Its support prioritizes <strong>women artists (66%)</strong>, <strong>artists of color (74%)</strong>, and <strong>Deaf or disabled artists (17%)</strong>.</p><p>At a time when public and private arts funding has declined nationally, 3Arts’ expansion underscores its belief that <em>investing in artists is investing in community resilience</em>.</p><p><br></p><p>Read about all the 3Arts Awardee Bios <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https://www.3arts.org/awards/3arts/2025/\" target=\"_blank\">here</a>.</p>","published_at":"2025-10-09 17:07:04.401","state":"published","slug":"3arts-increases-artist-support-in-response-to-national-funding-cuts","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-02-25 21:09:49.405","updated_at":"2026-02-25 21:09:49.405","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'/tickets':305B '000':53B,158B,369B,384B,400B,404B '1':45B '10':248B,373B,393B '150':289B,403B '17':32B,364B,542B '18th':135B '1912':502B '2':399B,521B '2007':506B 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'year':50B,57B,127B,136B,322B,421B '程之柔':189B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1760048823/djn9zjgovysjvsgodm4o.jpg","editor_pick":false,"category_name":"Announcements"},"related":[{"id":14456,"title":"Illinois Holocaust Museum to Reopen November 11 Following Renovation","excerpt":"","body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084737/qrikvx76nvvt5agq24rq.jpg\"></p><p><br></p><p>By CGN STAFF</p><p><br></p><p>Illinois Holocaust Museum &amp; Education Center will reopen its Skokie location on November 11, 2026, following a renovation that expands visitor spaces, updates its core Holocaust exhibition and adds a new reflection gallery. The reopening is timed to coincide with Veterans Day. Active military personnel, veterans and their families will receive free admission that day.</p><p><br></p><p>The project includes a redesigned Lillian &amp; Larry Goodman Auditorium and Gallery, an enlarged lobby in the Shapiro Family Foundation Welcome Center, and a refreshed Resilience Hall with an expanded stage for presentations and public programs.</p><p><br></p><p>Updates to the Zev &amp; Shifra Karkomi Holocaust Exhibition include additional material on the roots of antisemitism, the story of Chicago resident Leo Edelman, and the experiences of other groups targeted by the Nazis. A new reflection gallery, accessible from the exhibition, offers visitors a quiet space during and after their visit.</p><p><br></p><p>“Every visitor’s experience now begins differently and runs deeper,” said Kelley Szany, the Museum’s senior vice president of education and exhibitions. “The new welcome center sets the tone from the moment people arrive, the enhanced core Holocaust exhibition brings the history and the voices of survivors into sharper focus, and our new auditorium gives us a place to gather, listen, and talk about what it means for our communities today.”</p><p><br></p><p>Existing attractions, including the virtual reality theater, the interactive Survivor Stories Experience holographic theater, the Take A Stand Center and the Voices of Genocide Exhibition, will remain part of the Museum’s offerings.</p><p><br></p><p>Following the reopening,&nbsp;<em>Blacklist: The Hollywood Red Scare</em>&nbsp;will open November 15 in the special exhibition gallery. Created by and on loan from Jewish Museum Milwaukee, the exhibition examines the intersections of politics, antisemitism, freedom of speech and national security during the Red Scare of the 1940s and 1950s. It will remain on view through March 2027.</p><p><br></p><p>The Museum’s satellite location in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, <span style=\"color: rgb(13, 13, 13);\">Experience360, </span>will remain open through December 31, 2026. The downtown space opened during the Skokie renovation to provide continued access to the Museum’s immersive exhibitions.</p><p><br></p><p>For information and ticket reservations, visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">ilholocaustmuseum.org</a>.</p><p><br></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Image: Museum exterior. Photo by David Seide/Definedspace.com</span></p>","published_at":"2026-10-15 09:32:55.31","state":"published","slug":"illinois-holocaust-museum-to-reopen-november-11-following-renovation","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-15 17:18:57.712","updated_at":"2026-10-15 17:18:57.712","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'11':7A,25B '15':269B '1940s':304B '1950s':306B '2026':26B,333B '2027':314B '31':332B 'access':139B,345B 'activ':54B 'add':40B 'addit':111B 'admiss':64B 'antisemit':117B,291B 'arriv':187B 'attract':226B 'auditorium':75B,207B 'begin':158B 'blacklist':261B 'bring':193B 'center':17B,87B,179B,243B 'cgn':11B 'chicago':121B,321B 'coincid':50B 'communiti':223B 'continu':344B 'core':36B,190B 'creat':275B 'david':364B 'day':53B,66B 'decemb':331B 'deeper':162B 'differ':159B 'downtown':335B 'edelman':124B 'educ':16B,173B 'enhanc':189B 'enlarg':79B 'everi':153B 'examin':286B 'exhibit':38B,109B,142B,175B,192B,249B,273B,285B,351B 'exist':225B 'expand':31B,95B 'experi':127B,156B,236B 'experience360':326B 'exterior':361B 'famili':60B,84B 'focus':203B 'follow':8A,27B,258B 'foundat':85B 'free':63B 'freedom':292B 'galleri':44B,77B,138B,274B 'gather':213B 'genocid':248B 'give':208B 'goodman':74B 'group':130B 'hall':92B 'histori':195B 'hollywood':263B 'holocaust':2A,14B,37B,108B,191B 'holograph':237B 'ilholocaustmuseum.org':358B 'illinoi':1A,13B 'imag':359B 'immers':350B 'includ':69B,110B,227B 'inform':353B 'interact':233B 'intersect':288B 'jewish':281B 'karkomi':107B 'kelley':164B 'larri':73B 'leo':123B 'lillian':72B 'listen':214B 'loan':279B 'lobbi':80B 'locat':22B,319B 'march':313B 'materi':112B 'mean':220B 'militari':55B 'milwauke':283B 'moment':185B 'museum':3A,15B,167B,255B,282B,316B,348B,360B 'nation':296B 'nazi':134B 'neighborhood':325B 'new':42B,136B,177B,206B 'north':324B 'novemb':6A,24B,268B 'offer':143B,257B 'open':267B,329B,337B 'part':252B 'peopl':186B 'personnel':56B 'photo':362B 'place':211B 'polit':290B 'present':98B 'presid':171B 'program':101B 'project':68B 'provid':343B 'public':100B 'quiet':146B 'realiti':230B 'receiv':62B 'red':264B,300B 'redesign':71B 'reflect':43B,137B 'refresh':90B 'remain':251B,309B,328B 'renov':9A,29B,341B 'reopen':5A,19B,46B,260B 'reserv':356B 'resid':122B 'resili':91B 'river':323B 'root':115B 'run':161B 'said':163B 'satellit':318B 'scare':265B,301B 'secur':297B 'seide/definedspace.com':365B 'senior':169B 'set':180B 'shapiro':83B 'sharper':202B 'shifra':106B 'skoki':21B,340B 'space':33B,147B,336B 'special':272B 'speech':294B 'staff':12B 'stage':96B 'stand':242B 'stori':119B,235B 'survivor':200B,234B 'szani':165B 'take':240B 'talk':216B 'target':131B 'theater':231B,238B 'ticket':355B 'time':48B 'today':224B 'tone':182B 'updat':34B,102B 'us':209B 'veteran':52B,57B 'vice':170B 'view':311B 'virtual':229B 'visit':152B,357B 'visitor':32B,144B,154B 'voic':198B,246B 'welcom':86B,178B 'zev':105B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1792084731/ziynfdisvbupniolikjr.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":14357,"title":"As One New Fair Opens another Familiar Name Announces Its Return in 2027","excerpt":null,"body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791471661/j25vt7cxeohehapkz9n1.jpg\"></p><p><br></p><p>By GINNY VAN ALYEA</p><p><br></p><p>SOFA Chicago, the longtime fair devoted to sculpture, objects, functional art and collectible design, will return to the city October 28–31, 2027, as part of Chicago Art Fair at THE MART, which opened its inaugural edition last night. </p><p><br></p><p>Founded in Chicago in 1994, SOFA became a popular fixture on the city’s fall arts calendar. For much of its history, collectors and visitors gathered at Navy Pier to discover works in glass, ceramics, wood, metal and fiber, alongside sculpture and design. Its focus on materials and craftsmanship gave the fair a distinct identity and cultivated a devoted audience.</p><p><br></p><p>The announcement comes as the inaugural Chicago Art Fair gets underway at THE MART. The new fair opened with a preview on October 7 and continues through October 10, presenting modern and contemporary art. Tim von Gal, CEO and producer of SOFA Chicago and CEO of Intersect Art and Design, was in Chicago this week for the occasion.</p><p>Organizers describe the 2027 collaboration as two distinct but complementary presentations under one roof, with SOFA’s focus on three-dimensional art and design alongside Chicago Art Fair’s broader offerings.</p><p><br></p><p>“Chicago has always been an extraordinary home for SOFA and a city with a deep appreciation for art, craft, architecture and design,” said von Gal in the announcement. “Joining the Chicago Art Fair at THE MART gives us the opportunity to build upon that legacy while creating an exciting new experience for collectors and exhibitors alike.”</p><p>Eric Smith, owner of Chicago Art Fair and CEO of Redwood Art Group, said the addition would broaden the fair’s scope while preserving SOFA’s identity.</p><p><br></p><p>“SOFA has a remarkable legacy and a distinct identity, and its return adds an important new dimension to the fair while reinforcing Chicago’s position as a destination for collectors, galleries and art lovers from around the world,” Smith said.</p><p><br></p><p>For those who remember SOFA as an annual opportunity to encounter ambitious work in craft and design, the return will be welcome news. The participating galleries and programming, still to be announced, will provide a fuller picture of how that legacy will take shape in its new setting.</p><p><br></p><p>SOFA Chicago is produced by Intersect Art and Design, which also organizes annual art and design fairs in Aspen and Palm Springs.</p><p><br></p><p>Additional details about exhibitors, partnerships and tickets are expected in the coming months. </p><p><br></p><p>Visit&nbsp;<a href=\"https://chicagoartfair.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">chicagoartfair.com</a> for updates.</p>","published_at":"2026-10-08 08:42:55.758","state":"published","slug":"as-one-new-fair-opens-another-familiar-name-announces-its-return-in-2027","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-08 15:01:02.232","updated_at":"2026-10-08 15:01:02.232","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'10':145B '1994':61B '2027':13A,40B,178B '28':38B '31':39B '7':140B 'add':302B 'addit':278B,400B 'alik':262B 'alongsid':96B,200B 'also':388B 'alway':209B 'alyea':17B 'ambiti':341B 'announc':9A,118B,234B,361B 'annual':337B,390B 'anoth':6A 'appreci':222B 'architectur':226B 'around':325B 'art':28B,45B,72B,124B,150B,164B,197B,202B,224B,238B,268B,274B,322B,384B,391B 'aspen':396B 'audienc':116B 'becam':63B 'broaden':280B 'broader':205B 'build':248B 'calendar':73B 'ceo':154B,161B,271B 'ceram':91B 'chicago':19B,44B,59B,123B,159B,169B,201B,207B,237B,267B,312B,379B 'chicagoartfair.com':414B 'citi':36B,69B,218B 'collabor':179B 'collect':30B 'collector':79B,259B,319B 'come':119B,411B 'complementari':184B 'contemporari':149B 'continu':142B 'craft':225B,344B 'craftsmanship':105B 'creat':253B 'cultiv':113B 'deep':221B 'describ':176B 'design':31B,99B,166B,199B,228B,346B,386B,393B 'destin':317B 'detail':401B 'devot':23B,115B 'dimens':306B 'dimension':196B 'discov':87B 'distinct':110B,182B,297B 'edit':54B 'encount':340B 'eric':263B 'excit':255B 'exhibitor':261B,403B 'expect':408B 'experi':257B 'extraordinari':212B 'fair':4A,22B,46B,108B,125B,133B,203B,239B,269B,282B,309B,394B 'fall':71B 'familiar':7A 'fiber':95B 'fixtur':66B 'focus':101B,192B 'found':57B 'fuller':365B 'function':27B 'gal':153B,231B 'galleri':320B,355B 'gather':82B 'gave':106B 'get':126B 'ginni':15B 'give':243B 'glass':90B 'group':275B 'histori':78B 'home':213B 'ident':111B,289B,298B 'import':304B 'inaugur':53B,122B 'intersect':163B,383B 'join':235B 'last':55B 'legaci':251B,294B,370B 'longtim':21B 'lover':323B 'mart':49B,130B,242B 'materi':103B 'metal':93B 'modern':147B 'month':412B 'much':75B 'name':8A 'navi':84B 'new':3A,132B,256B,305B,376B 'news':352B 'night':56B 'object':26B 'occas':174B 'octob':37B,139B,144B 'offer':206B 'one':2A,187B 'open':5A,51B,134B 'opportun':246B,338B 'organ':175B,389B 'owner':265B 'palm':398B 'part':42B 'particip':354B 'partnership':404B 'pictur':366B 'pier':85B 'popular':65B 'posit':314B 'present':146B,185B 'preserv':286B 'preview':137B 'produc':156B,381B 'program':357B 'provid':363B 'redwood':273B 'reinforc':311B 'remark':293B 'rememb':333B 'return':11A,33B,301B,348B 'roof':188B 'said':229B,276B,329B 'scope':284B 'sculptur':25B,97B 'set':377B 'shape':373B 'smith':264B,328B 'sofa':18B,62B,158B,190B,215B,287B,290B,334B,378B 'spring':399B 'still':358B 'take':372B 'three':195B 'three-dimension':194B 'ticket':406B 'tim':151B 'two':181B 'underway':127B 'updat':416B 'upon':249B 'us':244B 'van':16B 'visit':413B 'visitor':81B 'von':152B,230B 'week':171B 'welcom':351B 'wood':92B 'work':88B,342B 'world':327B 'would':279B","thumbnail":"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791471648/qlsatdxqgau2braeekxu.jpg","editor_pick":true},{"id":14324,"title":"Pigment International Dedicates Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Richard Hunt","excerpt":"","body":"<p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791479103/r9oi9u47474rx2synx0p.png\"></p><p><span style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">The artist Richard Hunt</span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>By CGN Staff</p><p><br></p><p>Pigment International has dedicated Black Fine Art Month 2026 to Chicago sculptor Richard Hunt (1935–2023), recognizing his contributions to American art and his lifelong connection to the city.</p><p><br></p><p>As part of the month’s programming, the organization will host&nbsp;<em>Pigmented: Chicago to the World — A Black Fine Art Convening</em>&nbsp;on October 23 at the University of Chicago’s Logan Center for the Arts. Partners include the Richard Hunt Legacy Foundation, Adler University, CAI Designs, Chicago Public Art Group, Chicago Sculpture Exhibit and Diasporal Rhythms.</p><p><br></p><p>Born and raised on Chicago’s South Side, Hunt developed an internationally recognized practice while continuing to live and work in his hometown. His welded metal sculptures brought together abstract forms, references to the natural world and an enduring interest in freedom and social justice.</p><p><br></p><p>Hunt identified attending Emmett Till’s funeral in 1955 as a turning point in his artistic life. Till had lived just two blocks from Hunt’s home. Decades later, Hunt’s public commissions would honor figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Mary McLeod Bethune, Jesse Owens and Ida B. Wells, while also addressing the Middle Passage and the Great Migration.</p><p>In 1968, President Lyndon Johnson appointed Hunt to the National Council on the Arts, where he became its first African American member. In 1971, at age 35, he became the first African American sculptor to receive a retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. His career encompassed more than 150 solo exhibitions and more than 160 public art installations.</p><p><br></p><p><img src=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/dfafo598z/image/upload/v1791479104/lltcodkx39gd8sbhtus1.png\"></p><p><em style=\"color: rgb(136, 136, 136);\">Richard Hunt with artist Chris Devins, who recently completed a mural honoring the sculptor in Hyde Park. Photo courtesy of Chris Devins.</em></p><p><br></p><p>Recent projects in Chicago offer new ways to encounter Hunt’s work and history. This fall, the Logan Center opened the Hunt, a café honoring the artist. Created and designed by Little Black Pearl founder and executive director Monica Haslip, the space incorporates two Hunt sculptures, African art, archival materials and photographs by Sandro Miller.</p><p>In Hyde Park, artist Chris Devins and historian Michelle Duster have brought a mural of Hunt to 1515–19 E. 54th Street. The portrait is based on photographs Devins took in Hunt’s studio before the sculptor’s death.</p><p><br></p><p>“Richard Hunt was a giant in the arts world and people need to see what he looked like and be inspired by his legacy,” Devins said.</p><p><br></p><p>Pigment International’s dedication also reflects its own relationship with Hunt. The organization featured him in its magazine in 2020, and he welcomed its Black Fine Art Month programming into his studio in October 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>#</p><p><br></p><p>Two events take place this month:</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Pigment International at SPECTRUM Chicago Art Fair</strong></p><p><br></p><p>October 7–10, 2026.</p><p>Chicago Merchandise Mart, seventh floor, booth #3091.</p><p>Wednesday, October 7, 5–8 pm, with a champagne toast in the booth and an artist meet-and-greet.</p><p>Thursday, October 8, 6-8pm with Diasporal Rhythms</p><p>Featured artists:&nbsp;Jesse Howard, Howard Simmons, Edo, Candace Hunter, Sura DuPart and Max Sansing.</p><p>Additional events are taking place during the fair</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chicago to the World: A Black Fine Art Month Convening</strong></p><p>Presented by Pigment International as part of Black Fine Art Month, which the organization has dedicated this year to Richard Hunt.</p><p>Friday, October 23, 2026, 11:30 am–5 pm.</p><p>Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th Street, Chicago.</p><p><br></p><p>Details at <a href=\"https://pigmentintl.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">pigmentintl.com</a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>","published_at":"2026-10-06 20:00:00","state":"published","slug":"pigment-international-dedicates-black-fine-art-month-2026-to-richard-hunt","type":null,"meta_description":"","text":null,"created_at":"2026-10-08 17:05:04.799","updated_at":"2026-10-08 17:05:04.799","category_id":1,"highlighted":false,"searchable":"'-8':495B '10':462B '11':557B '150':260B '1515':364B '160':266B '19':365B '1935':33B '1955':157B '1968':210B '1971':232B '2020':431B '2021':446B '2023':34B '2026':8A,27B,463B,556B '23':71B,555B '30':558B '3091':470B '35':235B '5':474B,560B '54th':367B '6':494B '60th':569B '7':461B,473B '8':475B,493B '915':567B 'abstract':133B 'addit':514B 'address':201B 'adler':90B 'african':228B,240B,338B 'age':234B 'also':200B,416B 'american':39B,229B,241B 'appoint':214B 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