Explore current and upcoming exhibitions across Chicago's best galleries, institutions, and non-profit contemporary artspaces.
Read MoreThe Third Coast city of Chicago has long been a centre for American culture, music, and the arts. A key stronghold of experimentation in North America's contemporary art world, Chicago's numerous galleries and exhibitions attract art enthusiasts and collectors from around the country and beyond.
The city's thriving art scene stands out for its focus on exhibitions at innovative artist-run and non-profit galleries, backed up by a range of established contemporary artdealer galleries, large museums, and community-centred institutions.
Notable Chicago institutions include the Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). The Art Institute of Chicago displays an impressive collection of impressionist paintings, including works by Monet, Dalí, Van Gogh and Renoir.
As a national hub for contemporary art, a few significant contemporary art events draw artists and art enthusiasts to Illinois each year. EXPO Chicago, held in September at Navy Pier, features leading contemporary art exhibitions from around the world. Chicago Contemporary Art Month takes place each October and aims to spotlight the diversity of the local contemporary art scene. The Old Town Art Fair takes place in June and features work from artistsnationwide.
Chicago has a diverse and vibrant contemporary art scene, providing enthusiasts with a wide range of thought-provoking artistic expressions. From cutting-edge digital art to conceptual and immersive video installation art, one will uncover many different types of contemporary art in Chicago. Exploring the city's streets and neighbourhoods will reveal captivating murals and street art. Talent from around the globe showcases their creativity on the walls of buildings, turning Chicago into an open-air gallery.
Find out what contemporary art exhibitions are showing in Chicago by exploring the profiles of our featured exhibits. Whether you'd like to view drawings, photography, paintings, posters, or a collection of artefacts, art enthusiasts can find out what works are currently on display by viewing our exhibit profiles. Here you can read about the exhibit and the works the exhibition features, see a photo of the artist and find information for news publications.
Use the listed profiles to create a virtual contemporary art tour of Chicago by listing the avant-garde exhibitions and interactive experiences on offer this year.
Find out when a new exhibit is showing in Chicago to avoid missing out on a contemporary art exhibition. View artist like Esmaa Mohamoud's, whose exhibition at Kavi Gupta in 2023, enabled art lovers catch a glimpse into her perspective on Black people's complex everyday life in the modern landscape of America. As a multidisciplinary artist, her biographical exhibit features photos, video installations, and sculptures created from a range of objects and materials.
Stay up-to-date with contemporary art exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art and other local galleries courtesy of our email newsletter. Contact us for more information to become one of our Ocula gallery network members.
