DO THIS: Andersonville Arts Weekend
By Laura M. Browning in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 29, 2010 8:20PM
As with so many cultural events lately, the Andersonville Arts Weekend was slated for cancellation. Luckily, a handful of local businesses swooped in to rescue it. With only a month to plan it, they’ve managed to pull together an impressive line-up, from photographers to painters to potters, who will be displaying their work at coffee shops, restaurants, thrift stores, and the ubiquitous interior design stores on Clark Street between Hollywood and Winnemac. We’re excited about a few of these featured events:
The night of 100 pARTies! starts Friday night, October 8, at 6 p.m., with more than 40 Andersonville businesses showcasing local artists, including Scott Simmons, Shannon Favia, Kevin Swallow, and Ben Holiday. There’s a huge variety of artists here, and we’re excited to see so many non-traditional art venues participate. There will also be painting demonstrations and poetry readings on Friday night at the Andersonville Galleria (5247 N. Clark), and the Plein Air Painters of Chicago will be out in force. The event runs from 6 - 10 p.m.
Also on Friday night, you can get your film fix with the Citywide Student Film Showcase, which will screen new films and videos from Chicago-area university students. Tickets are $8, a small price to pay for being able to say you saw them before they got famous. Expect a full schedule sometime next week.
On Saturday, October 9, from 1 - 3 p.m., the Neo-Futurists will host the Neo-Obama Portrait-O-Rama, where you can view Obama portraits and vote for which one you think should take its place amongst the other 43 presidents in the Neo-Futurists’ Hall of Presidents. We’re not sure why they waited two years after he took office, but we still can’t wait to see what kind of portraits he inspired.
Andersonville Arts Weekend begins next Friday, October 8, centered on Clark and Berwyn (5300 N. Clark) in Andersonville. Most events are free, though some performances charge a nominal fee, so check out their website before you go.