Past Events and Programs

We've been very fortunate to have artist Ben Whitehouse as part of our Arts Center this winter. Ben has been working in our 2nd floor studio space and interacting with students and visitors throughout the week. He will be with us through April 13. We hope that the public will take full advantage of Ben’s time with us and stay alert for upcoming events and programs with him.

Our Living Studio residency is a new and ongoing program provides a meaningful platform for local and national artists to transparently make and share work. The residency focuses on artistic visibility and public engagement around contemporary artistic practices and processes. The Art Center views its residency as an investigation of openness, generosity and exchange while challenging traditional notions of art studio.

Monday January 20, 2014

Evanston Public Library
1703 Orrington Ave  Evanston, IL 60201

Join us on December 4th at the Evanston Public Library as we continue reading Arthur C. Danto’s acclaimed 1992 book Beyond the Brillo Box: The Visual Arts in Post-Historical Perspective. Dialogic Communities: Repairing the Social Bond is an ongoing participatory education program facilitated by the Evanston Art Center Director of Education Keith Brown and Insight Arts Executive Director Craig Harshaw. Dialogic Communities was conceived to inspire thoughtful public dialogue, reinvigorate the spirit of community, and open up explorations in contemporary visual art all while serving as a productive social and informal public education model.

Inspiration for Dialogic Communities derives from Paulo Freire, Joseph Beuys, Jacques Ranciere and art historical public cultures.

To participate, buy the book and read:

pp. 147-248 for meeting 12/4

Used copies of this book start at $7.00. 

New copies start at $13.00

The Evanston Public Library  has 4 copies at 1703 Orrington Ave  Evanston, IL 60201

Sincere thanks to Matthew Ballou, Norbert Marszalek and Tim Vermeulen for exhibiting their paintings in EAC's main galleries. This was a well-attended exhibition that culminated in a special visiting artist workshop titled The Evocative Self-Portrait in Pastel taught by Ballou. Ten individuals registered for the workshop, which presented another opportunity for our students to interact with and learn from some of today's most talented teaching artists.

During the entire month of November, every time you eat lunch or dinner at Evanston's KOI, the restaurant will donate 20% of the sales from Table 23, minus tax and gratuity, to the Evanston Art Center. Additionally, EAC will receive 1% of edamame sales and $1 for all delivery and carryout orders when EAC is mentioned. Table 23 remains empty if it is not reserved specifically to benefit EAC.

Crab Tree Farm
Lake Bluff, IL
Saturday, June 29, 2013
10 am – noon
RSVP by Wednesday, June 26
Limit: 40 people
EAC Members $30

Over 250 guests attended Evanston Art Center’s Spring Benefit, and many left with a unique piece to bring home, funding the Art Center’s exhibition, youth outreach programs and scholarships. While viewing interesting and unique art pieces throughout the Art Center, guests also enjoyed food and appetizers as well as lively music and dance.

Take a graffiti workshop, watch the film "Louder than a Bomb" or a demonstration from the University of Hip-Hop at the Evanston Art Center. We're hosting a 3-day educational program from May 3 through May 5 around street art called Street Arts as Public Pedagogy: Learning From the Margins.

Dialogic Communities is an experimental multi-month participatory art and culture discussion series that is free and open to the public. In conjunction with Insight Arts’ Craig Harshaw Dialogic Communities seeks to inspire thoughtful dialogue and reinvigorate the spirit of community while serving as a productive social model. This informal discussion invites regional community members, scholars, and the public to discuss a range of topics in art and culture (e.g. contemporary art history, theory, criticism, unique artist projects, the everyday, and visual and material culture). 

Saturday's performance by artist and musician Scott Carter and his band mates Jesse Butcher and Alex Gartelmann was a smashing success! Over thirty audience members watched the artists/musicians play and ultimatley, destroy, the installation. The piece will be on view through this Thursday. Images from the performance will be in our Image Gallery later this week.

Join Us! The screening is Sunday, March 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Rotary International Building auditorium.
Over 30 young filmmakers will have their films shown at the Red Carpet Screening event on Sunday. Awards will be given in several categories.

On Sunday, February 10 between 1 and 4 p.m. there will be more to see in our galleries than our Faculty Exhibiton - you will also see some of our faculty. A selection of our talented teaching artists will offer free demonstrations on various art-making techniques right in the galleries. There is no fee, just drop in and learn something.

February 10 is also the final viewing day of the Faculty Exhibition and The Body, Real or Imagined exhibition up in our 2nd floor Studio Gallery. Don't miss these exciting shows.

Dialogic Communities: Repairing the Social Bond

The Evanston Art Center's 10th Annual Winter Arts & Crafts EXPO features original, handmade works of jewelry, ceramics, fiber, metal, glass, painting, photography, mixed-media and more. All proceeds from the EXPO sale will benefit EAC's ongoing exhibition, scholarship, and outreach programs. Based on enthusiastic community support, our 10th year will run for 32 days and represent approximately 100 artists. 

How has the Evanston Art Center made a positive difference in your life? Did learning a new skill help you find a job? Was the artwork you did in class exhibited or win an award? Did you fall in love? Were you accepted into a BFA or MFA program?

Send your stories to ‘[email protected]’ or mail to Evanston Art Center, 2603 Sheridan Road, Evanston IL 60201, att.: testimonials. Please send in by March 1, 2013. We will select three stories and celebrate the individuals who sent them at our Spring Benefit Gala on May 18, 2013.

EAC's August 11th screenprinting workshop by Jay Ryan was a huge success being fully subscribed with 20 participants. Our apolgoies to those on the waiting list. We will try to get Jay back again for another workshop. Also, our own Michael Jackson, EAC teaching artist in our printmaking studio at the Noyes building, also teaches screenprinting.