"Free, Free, Free!" is an e-newsletter and website that provides a monthly curated list of free programs, events and activities happening throughout the city in our libraries, museums, cultural centers and parks. We encourage you to express your culture through the arts and take advantage of the many opportunities the City of Chicago provides you to engage, create and participate!
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Rahm Emanuel
Mayor
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Mark Kelly
Commissioner |
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Chicago International Film Festival 2017
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Wednesdays until October 4, 2017, 6:30pm
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
Cinema/Chicago, together with the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and our consular and cultural partners, presents the 14th annual International Screenings Program, a free weekly film series that celebrates the richness and diversity of international and independent filmmaking. For the complete schedule of films, please visit our
website.
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Chicago Jazz Festival
August 31 - September 3, 2017 Chicago Cultural Center & Millennium Park
Known for its artistic creativity, the Chicago Jazz Festival is a favorite Labor Day Weekend tradition. It promotes awareness and appreciation for all forms of jazz through free, quality live musical performance. Since 1979, the festival's mission is to showcase Chicago's vast jazz talent alongside national and international artists to encourage and educate a jazz audience of all ages. For more details and a full schedule, please visit our
website.
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World Music Festival Chicago
September 8-24, 2017
The 19th Annual World Music Festival Chicago will take place September 8-24, 2017 and is presented by the City of Chicago and produced by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. This city-wide, multi-venue, eleven-day festival has attracted over 650,000 concertgoers and has presented more than 650 artists and ensembles from over 80 countries since it began in 1999.
Some highlights include Underground System from New York City, Ragamala, Bharath Symphony, Duo Scofano-Minetti, Betsayda Machado y Parranda El Clavo, and Nichol Mitchell & Ballake Sissoko: Bamako. Please visit our website for the
complete schedule.
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National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
Open Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm & Saturday, 10am-2pm
3015 W. Division St.
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture (NMPRAC) is devoted to the promotion, integration and advancement of Puerto Rican arts and culture, presenting exhibitions and programming created to enhance the visibility and importance of the rich Puerto Rican arts tradition. The NMPRAC prides itself on truly being a community museum, open to all and do not charge admission. Please visit NMPRAC's website for
more information.
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Museum of Science and Industry
September 5-8, 11-15, 18-22, 25-29, 2017, 9:30am-4pm
5700 S. Lake Shore Dr.
One of the largest science museums in the world, the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) has both an illustrious history and a focus on the future of science and science education. In September, MSI will be holding several Illinois Free Days where museum entry is free for all Illinois residents who show valid proof of residency. For more information, please visit their website.
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Chicago Architecture Biennial
Saturday, September 16, 2017 - January 7, 2018
Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.
For the
second edition 100 firms from more than 30 countries will display surprising new works that "Make New History," about how the present informs the past and how local resonates globally.
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Edgewater Artist in Motion
Saturday, September 23-24, 2017, 11am-6pm
1140 W. Granville St.
The
Edgewater Arts Festival offers an impressive, multicultural and multigenerational lineup of Chicago art artists that attracts thoughts of art lovers and buyers from all over the city.
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OVERRIDE | A Billboard Project
August 28 - September 17, 2017
OVERRIDE | A Billboard Project
is a cutting edge citywide public art initiative, presented by EXPO CHICAGO and the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Displayed throughout Chicago's City Digital Network (CDN), the citywide exhibition will run from August 28-September 17, 2017 to align with the sixth annual exposition. #overridechicago
Photo: Genevieve Gaignard, Selfie (2016). Courtesy of Shulamit Nazarian, Los Angeles
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Palais de Tokyo | Singing Stones Opening Reception
Tuesday, September 12, 8-11pm | RSVP
The Roundhouse at the DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl.
Join EXPO CHICAGO for the
opening of Palais de Tokyo's "Singing Stones,"
featuring 11 emerging artists from France and Chicago for the first U.S. off-site exhibition in the United States, in partnership with the Institut Français at The Roundhouse-a 17,000 sq. ft space built in 1881 and designed by Burnham & Root- at the DuSable Museum of African American History. #singingstones #expochicago #palaisdetokyo
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Presented by Mayor Rahm Emanuel,
Night Out in the Parks brings over 1,000 cultural events to neighborhood parks each year. Chicagoans and visitors alike, enjoy the breadth of world-class events in every one of the city's 77 community areas. Here are a few programming highlights happening in September, but be sure to check out their
website (or
download the app!) for a full listing of events!
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Dancing with Garden of the Phoenix at Jackson Park
Saturday, September 16, 2017, 6-8pm
6401 S. Stony Island Ave.
Similar to writer Milan Kundera, as a dance maker Nejla Yatkin is going into a place and time, exposing it, exploring it, penetrating it and then transcending it through movement. For Dancing with Jackson Park at Garden of the Phoenix, Yatkin will work with local community members to choreograph a one of a kind site specific dance piece.
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So Fresh Saturdays at Sherwood Park
Saturday, September 23, 2017, 3-7pm
RAGE brings community driven edutainment series to Englewood parks.
So Fresh Saturdays are a community driven edutainment series that will showcase various artistic expressions and educational workshops focusing on youth, entrepreneurship, hip hop, media, social networks, community activism, and culturally relevant history using various media formats. Presented by the Residents Association of Greater Englewood.
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Mucca Pazza and Marching Mustangs at Steelworkers Park
Friday, September 29, 2017, 7-9pm
E. 87th at Lake Michigan
Mucca Pazza combines forces with the Marching Mustangs!
Chicago's favorite punk marching band Mucca Pazza are joined by rising stars The Horace Mann Elementary Marching Mustangs for an evening of genre busting collaboration.
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Chicago Public Library: National Hispanic Heritage Month
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Since first opening our doors in 1873,
Chicago Public Library has served all Chicagoans with free and open places to gather, learn, connect, read and be transformed. The libraries are that special third place-beyond home and work-where people come to improve their lives, nourish their intellect or savor entertainment. Their 80 locations host a variety of free events ranging from performances, arts and crafts, writing and poetry, continuing education and more.
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From September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month which celebrates and recognizes the contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans culture to the United States. Here are a few stand-out events in September that celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month at the Chicago Public Library. But be sure to check out their full event calendar for programming at your local library!
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Ye'Kuana Symbol Painting at Archer Heights
Monday, September 18, 2017, 4-5pm
5055 S. Archer Ave.
During this fun craft you'll learn how to recreate Ye'kuana symbols using a simple printing technique, you'll also be introduced to some simple Spanish vocabulary.
Durante este divertido proyecto de arte aprenderás a recrear los símbolos de Ye'kuana usando una técnica de impresión simple. También se le presentará un simple vocabulario español.
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High Tech Papel Picado
Tuesday, September 19, 2017, 6-7pm
Kelly Library, 6151 S. Normal Blvd.
Papel picado is a mexican papercutting tradition that can be seen during many major holidays. In this program, you'll learn a high-tech way to design and cut your own papel picado pattern!
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Latino Punk, History & Music
Saturday, September 23, 2017, 1-2pm
West Belmont Library, 3104 N. Narragansett Ave.
Learn about the Latino Punk Scene from musician/historian Martin Sorrondeguy of Los Crudos, joined by a musical guest!
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Here Hear Chicago
Wednesday, September 13 - Saturday, September 16, 2017,
Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.
Navy Pier has commissioned world--renowned contemporary artist Nick Cave and international architect Jeanne Gang for Here Hear Chicago, a FREE series of live productions that mix art, design and performance. The collaboration will be featured at Navy Pier this fall as part of the free public programming for the Chicago Architecture Biennial and EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Modern & Contemporary Art. For the full schedule, please visit Navy Pier's website.
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