UChicago Division of the Arts and Humanities

06/01/2026

How has war shaped Western histories of books, reading, and information culture?

At the 2026 Paleography and the Book Visiting Scholar Lecture, historian Andrew Pettegree (University of St Andrews) explored how conflict has simultaneously destroyed and transformed the book trade, from censorship and bombings to the rise of wartime paperbacks and new reading publics.

Made possible by support from former University of Chicago President Hanna Holborn Gray, the lecture concluded with a conversation on public writing, archives, and the enduring lives of books.

Rewatch the lecture:

War, Readers, and the Fate of the Book Trade: Andrew Pettegree Delivers 2026 Paleography and the Book Visiting Scholar Lecture By Rivky Mondal Photo by John Zich On May 13, historian Andrew Pettegree, Bishop Wardlaw Professor of Modern History at the University of St Andrews, delivered this year’s...

05/29/2026

Coming this fall: a new culinary partnership at Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts' Café Logan with Little Black Pearl and Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market. The collab will bring new food offerings and community-centered hospitality to one of the University’s most vibrant arts spaces.

Learn more about the new dining, creative, and community gathering experience.

Features an eclectic menu including flatbreads, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and small plates. Coffee, espresso, wine, and craft beer available. Menus feature seasonal rotations and performance-related special menus.

05/27/2026

Open through July 5! Explore three decades of contemporary Chinese art in Beyond Boundaries at the Smart Museum of Art . The exhibition reflects on UChicago’s pioneering role in studying and exhibiting Chinese art since the 1990s, featuring works by Ai Weiwei, Lu Yang, and many others. Through artworks, archival objects, and new commissions, Beyond Boundaries showcases artists’ response to cultural, political, and environmental transformation

Plan your visit:

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05/26/2026

On June 12-13, the University of Chicago will host the Caribbean Intensities in Music and Sound Symposium, which draws scholars, artists, and cultural workers from across the Caribbean and US. The program includes research presentations, a live reggae concert, and a keynote visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago exhibition Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón.

RSVP by June 8:

June 12–13, 2026 Join us for this two-day Symposium Exploring intensity in Caribbean music and sound Free entry | RSVP by Monday, June 8 Symposium & Keynote RSVP Concert RSVP ABOUT THE SYMPOSIUM This two-day symposium and public humanities gathering brings together scholars, artists, and community...

05/22/2026

On May 24, experimental duo RAGE Thormbones comes to the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts to premiere new works by UChicago graduate composers Nathan Friedman, Ryan Garvey, and Jack Herscowitz.

Learn more:

May 24, 2026 | 7:30PM Logan Center for the Arts, Penthouse 901 RAGE Thormbones (Mattie Barbier + Weston Olencki) premiere new pieces for trombone duo by University of Chicago graduate composers Nathan Friedman, Ryan Garvey, and Jack http://ms.spr.ly/6186vuE8j admission

05/20/2026

In a new feature from UChicago Magazine, Maria Porges (MFA’79) reflects on returning to ceramics decades after her time at UChicago Arts. Read about craft, artistic reinvention, and creative rediscovery.

Learn more about Porges’s work here:

An alumna connects with historical art forms—and revisits her own past—through clay.

05/19/2026

Tomorrow, at the The Salt Shed’s Three Top Lounge, Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Literature, University of Chicago Benjamin Saltzman joins critic Megan O’Grady for a conversation on art, ethics, and attention. Centered on their new books, Turning Away and How It Feels to Be Alive, they'll discuss how art helps us confront what is deeply difficult and deeply human.

Grab a seat at the link: http://ms.spr.ly/6182vuEej

05/18/2026

What does a game of checkers reveal about postwar American culture? Tune in to Turner Classic Movies: TCM as Patrick Jagoda, William Rainey Harper Professor of English and Cinema & Media Studies, and Jacqueline Stewart, Professor of Cinema and Media Studies, explore the role of games, strategy, and independence in classic cinema. Featuring clips from the 1945 Our Vines Have Tender Grapes.

05/15/2026

From the University of Chicago to Studio 8H: Dan Bulla (AM’07) recently took the stage at Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary, playing piano as Adam Sandler performed a song they co-wrote honoring the show’s cast and legacy.

Bulla’s path began with the Master of Arts Program In the Humanities (MAPH) University of Chicago, when he tried a class at Second City. That turning point led him into Chicago’s improv scene and eventually SNL, where he’s now a supervising writer.

Read about his journey in University of Chicago Magazine:

With his music-driven digital shorts, Dan Bulla, AM’07, has made his mark at Saturday Night Live.

05/13/2026

Now open through June 5: Side by Side: Color and Textiles at the Cochrane-Woods Art Center. Featuring works by Ukrainian American artists, Anna Kuczma and Lialia Kuchma, the exhibition explores modern experiments in color through textiles. The show also includes work by Chicago artists Liz Barr and Charlie Kolodziej, alongside materials from the Joel Snyder Materials Collection.

Plan your visit today:

Drawing together the works of Chicago-based Ukrainian American artists, Anna Kuczma (1910-2002) and her daughter Lialia Kuchma (b. 1943), Side by S...