Swan Lake Soars Above Expectations

By Ciara Balanzá / June 17, 2026

University Ballet of Chicago celebrated its 25th season with its second-ever staging of the Russian classic, Swan Lake.

Matisse’s Jazz Electrifies the Art Institute

By Ciara Balanza and Lara Orlandi / June 4, 2026

The revelatory exhibit Jazz traces Matisse’s journey from his defiant early works to the vibrant cut-outs that defined his final years.

Truly Seeing People with Zsófia Ötvös

By Ciara Balanzá / March 30, 2026

Zsófia Ötvös’s exhibit renders an empathetic yet honest depiction of people, from those she glimpsed during her travels in Budapest to individuals in Chicago.

Two Dance Groups Stage a Rare “Rendezvous”

By Ciara Balanzá / March 27, 2026

A seminal collaboration between two University of Chicago dance powerhouses, Maya and EX Crew, ignited an exciting evening.

Amid the Snow: Kuvia in the Photo Archives

By Ciara Balanzá / March 26, 2026

Arts and Culture Reporter Ciara Balanzá looks into the photographs and history behind the 43-year tradition.

PinkPantheress Goes Illegal

By Ciara Balanzá / February 23, 2026

At the Aragon Ballroom, the hyperpop artist delivered a rhythm that felt almost criminal in its intensity.

Storyteller Patti Smith Takes Another Crack at Horses

By Ciara Balanzá / January 30, 2026

Returning to her hometown during the Horses 50th anniversary tour, Smith slips into the role of a storyteller.

Sounds Echo at Yoko Ono: Music of the Mind

By Ciara Balanzá / January 14, 2026

At the Museum of Contemporary Art’s sprawling retrospective, Yoko Ono commands a cacophonous presence.

An Angel on Earth: Leith Ross

By Ciara Balanzá / January 12, 2026

On the I Can See the Future Tour, Leith Ross embraced the crowd with radical love.

Mixing Matcha and Masculinity at the Performative Male Study Break

By Lara Orlandi and Ciara Balanzá / January 8, 2026

The Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality offers a fresh take on the viral archetype of the performative male.

A Spectrum of Emotions at Indigo De Souza’s Concert

By Ciara Balanzá / January 7, 2026

On the Precipice Tour, Indigo De Souza cultivated a safe space to paint with the shades of our emotions.

Japanese Breakfast Brings a Bittersweet Taste to the Salt Shed

By Nolan Shaffer and Ciara Balanzá / June 16, 2025

At the For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) tour, Michelle Zauner refreshingly evoked the album’s dreaminess and titular emotion.

Grooving to the Beat at “Where Fun Comes to Dance”

By Ciara Balanza / May 22, 2025

At the annual showcase of dance RSOs, laughter, expression, and togetherness won out.

Smart Museum Celebrates Robert Earl Paige with Moda

By Ciara Balanza / May 22, 2025

Student fashion designers riff on Southside artist Robert Earl Paige’s Give the Drummer Some! exhibit.