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Community.

ArtNight is an event where people share on a topic or activity that they love. It doesn’t matter how famous, talented, or virtuosic you are, what matters is that you love what you are doing. Throughout the evening there is a welcome activity, a facilitated discussion, and a potluck.

 

ArtNight began as a series of house-concerts that Jared organized in his bedroom while studying at the Oberlin Conservatory. There would be a hip-hop group followed by a string quartet, followed by a solo trombonist with a loop-pedal. Conservatory-trained musicians would come together to share with people of all musical disciplines and backgrounds. Soon, people began to share on everything from science presentations to sign language demonstrations while bringing food and tea for a potluck. 

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After college, Jared returned home to Chicago and was joined by his friend Rob and several others that helped plan the ArtNights. The ArtNight takes place in peoples’ homes, dorm rooms, outdoors, and public spaces. Every month there is an ArtNight geared toward 20 and 30-somethings and collaborations we do with public organizations for people of all ages. All of the ArtNights are alcohol-free, include food, and take place on a weekend night. 

Passion.

You can share anything you're passionate about. At past ArtNights, we've had:

  • Members of touring bands, and people singing in public for the first time 

  • Mathematicians, and people sharing about soccer strategy

  • Chicago Comedy-troupes, and people trying out comedy for the first time

  • Graduates of Art Schools. and people sharing homemade wooden spoons

  • People running for Congress, and sharing on the difference between Ivy League and Prep style of clothing.

  • Traditional Irish music, and a presentation on the instruments of Kazakhstan

  • Published authors, and people sharing from their personal diary

  • Jazz, and classical music

  • Challah-making, and sharing a table of Serbian snack-food

Sharing.

There is also a welcome activity and a discussion. For one welcome activity, we broke into small groups and built houses out of scrap art supplies. Another time we paired up and taught our partner a game that could only be played with our hands. At some point during the sharing, we take a break for a facilitated discussion. Past discussion topics include: Family dynamics, technology usage, how we make and maintain plans, ideas of “popularity” in high school, and ways we make our own fun.

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The general structure of an ArtNight is:

  • Welcome Activity

  • Sharing

  • Facilitated Discussion

  • Sharing

  • Group hang-out with food

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The ArtNight is about making friends, sharing, and supporting the love we see when people do the things they love to do.

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