CHICAGO, Oct. 01, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), a global leader in art and design education, is putting forward a series of compelling arts and culture events for Chicagoans this fall. The programming, which ranges from panel discussions to curated exhibits, is meant to inspire area residents and the next generation of thinkers and makers who challenge convention.

Current and upcoming activities include:

• More Speech: A Conversation About the First Amendment (October 1): At the third annual Citizen Artist Forum, SAIC, in partnership with the American Library Association and Illinois Library Association, will host a panel discussion examining how the First Amendment impacts our freedom of speech and expression. More Speech will feature the diverse perspectives of artists, journalists, historians, librarians, legal professionals, and civic leaders. Former WGN anchor Robert Jordan will moderate the panel.
• The Struggle for Justice (October 8): SAIC will join the Pulitzer Center and Illinois Humanities for an evening focused on the struggle for justice, from the first arrival of enslaved people sold to colonists in 1619 to the mass incarceration of black and brown people. The evening will begin with a keynote address by award-winning New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones.
• Re:Working Labor (September 21 – November 27): The result of a year-long research initiative, this exhibit at the Sullivan Galleries brings together over 80 artists to examine representations of labor in an increasingly technologized society.
• The Chicago Architecture Biennial (September 19, 2019 – January 5, 2020): SAIC will have a strong presence at the biennial, with contributors spanning Tania Bruguera (MFA 2001, HON 2016), Santiago X (MFA 2018), Theaster Gates (HON 2014), Assistant Professor Maria Gaspar (Contemporary Practices), and full-time visiting artist Paola Aguirre (Architecture, Interior Architecture, and Designed Objects), who is the founder of borderless studio.

“The School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s more than 150-year history includes a deep commitment to civic engagement, because we know art and design are not separate from the culture we live in, the politics we negotiate, and the civilization we build together,” said Elissa Tenny, president of SAIC. “The topics interrogated through the talks and exhibitions at SAIC and the contributions of our community to the Chicago Architectural Biennial are essential to how artists pursue the questions that expand our understanding, increase our compassion and help make our shared society better across our state, nation, and world.”

For more information on SAIC, please visit www.saic.edu.

About the School of the Art Institute of Chicago

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) is a top-five art and design college. The school and its alumni are recognized for their cultural contributions to the world, including establishing the Art Institute of Chicago museum which remains a unique differentiator for the school’s campus. For more information, please visit www.saic.edu.

Contact:
Bree Witt
312.499.4211
bwitt@saic.edu