Chicago’s “people’s palace” is throwing its doors open for a brand-new season — and every single program is free. The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) just announced the fall and winter lineup at the landmark Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington St.), packed with exhibitions, film screenings, hands-on workshops and live events running all the way into winter.
The visual arts headline is a trio of new exhibitions. To Be Remembered: Woven Matters of the Heart, on view through February 28, 2027, gathers five contemporary textile artists — ebere agwuncha, Nnaemeka Ekwelum, Hale Ekinci, Josué Esaú and Thương Hoài Trần — whose fiber works weave together memory, emotion and cultural roots across generations. In the historic Grand Army of the Republic Hall, celebrated Chicago artist and activist Dorothy I. Burge presents Freedom Fighters (Oct. 2, 2026 – Oct. 3, 2027), a new series of quilts honoring Black veteran freedom fighters whose struggles stretched far beyond the battlefield — from Harriet Tubman to the Fort Hood 43. And Creative Rebellion (Oct. 2, 2026 – March 7, 2027), part of the 2026 Veteran Art Triennial, turns the lens toward peace, healing and justice.
The calendar stays lively all season: the return of Under the Dome on Oct. 22 with Chicago musicians and a clothing swap, film-club screenings on Oct. 21, Nov. 18 and Dec. 16, family-friendly weaving, crocheting and embroidery workshops in October, November and December, plus City Civics Day on Nov. 14. Admission is free, seven days a week — one more reason this downtown treasure belongs to everyone.
Photo: Carbonsixzero, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
