The 9 Best Ways to See Free Art in Chicago

The impact Chicago has had on the art world over the last couple of years is undeniable. From gallery after gallery popping up with sold-out exhibits, to the unrelenting work of street artists trying to put Chicago Street and Sanitation into overdrive, Chicago is a hub for burgeoning young artists trying to make a name for themselves for the sake of art. And you don’t need to be an art snob in order to enjoy it. Especially if it’s free.

The debate of profit vs. not-for-profit art galleries and showcases is a never-ending one. How do you survive without some sort of funding? It certainly isn’t a lack of opportunities. Especially in Chicago, with all of the opportunistic artists trying to get their work in front of the world, more and more locations are opening their arms to them, and to their patrons, as Chicago’s scene is positioned on furthering the community and its inhabitants. It’s evident as many of the best galleries and exhibits in the city are actually showcasing Chicago natives. Coincidence? When visiting the Windy City, you need to make a point to check out these places showcasing The 9 Best Ways to See Free Art in Chicago.

Location: Downtown on the Magnificent Mile

Local artists and photographers can rest assured—if they have the chops, then they have the venue to showcase their work at the City Gallery. Located in the Historic Water Tower, one of the more well-known landmarks in Chicago, this exhibition space is all about Chicago, with city-themed photography and shining a light on budding area artists trying to make a name for themselves.

Location: The Loop

It’s not everyday one of the most influential artists of the 20th century drops a 50-foot sculpture right in your city. Chicago got the gift of The Picasso from none other than Pablo Picasso back in 1967 because the artist wanted to do work for “one of the great gangster cities.” The 147-ton Cubist structure is made of steel and was the first Picasso outdoor sculpture in North America. And right across the street is another 10-ton masterpiece, this time by world-renowned French painter and sculptor Jean Debuffet, called the Monument with Standing Beast.Who wouldn’t want to say they saw, touched, and monkey-barred through history for free?

Location: Skokie, Ill.

Located just about 40 minutes north of downtown, this two-mile long park is filled with over 60 sculptures and murals to relish in, if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the urban center. Featuring pieces like Groundbreaker—a large dinosaur skeleton-like sculpture protruding from the earth, or Charger I and II—two beautifully colored horses galloping through the grassy area. It’s a nice getaway without having to make a day of it because, you know, you have to get back to the city for all the other cool stuff. Duh.

Location: Logan Square

Chicago has fought the long fight against street art. The city spent nearly $5 million dollars in 2014 to try and rid itself of it. So now there are outlets like Galerie F, Chicago’s first open-door gallery space specializing in exhibiting some of the city’s best contemporary art—including (legal) street art from artists all over the world and fast-moving up-and-comers like Chicago’s own, Don’t Fret.

Location: The Loop

The Chicago Cultural Center’s, city block’s worth, structure is a work of art in and of itself, with its late 19th century neoclassical architecture, featuring two beautiful stained-glass domes and impeccable marble throughout. It also houses four galleries with a year-round turnstile of international, visual, and performance art exhibits. There’s never a dull moment in this place and it can take you about a year to make your way through it, which is fine because you aren’t paying a dime to do it.

Location: West Loop/West Town

If you want to revel in contemporary, avant-garde art movements like Dadaism or Surrealism, there is no better place to go in Chicago then Corbett vs. Dempsey. Owned and operated by two of Chicago’s foremost respected painting intellects, the 11-year-old gallery really hones in on good ol’ American modernism with Chicago-area painters and sculptors, including area legend, Molly Zuckerman-Hartung.

Location: Rogers Park

The main theme to Chicago’s art scene is “community” and there aren’t many that showcase that mantra like the Mile of Murals in Roger Park. A project which started approximately eight years ago and turned out to produce almost a dozen large-scale murals spanning over 14,000 square feet of painted walls. Eventually, this will become 19 murals over a 10 city-block, one-mile stretch of work from artists who try for years to join the project. Hard to find something with that much backstory and cultural investment, especially when you aren’t investing anything to view it.

Location: Pilsen neighborhood on the Lowest West Side

The predominantly Hispanic neighborhood is one of the most culturally pride-filled neighborhoods in the city and the large-scale murals throughout the area speak volumes. Internationally renowned street artists joined forces with the Chicago Urban Art Society to cover the Lower West Side neighborhood’s train platforms to whole facades of buildings with vibrant murals depicting Mexican culture at its finest.

Location: Humboldt Park

Rational Park isn’t your run-of-the-mill gallery. It isn’t dedicated to just art exhibits and insanely expensive soirees. It’s a five-year-old space run by a couple of friends who wanted a new age approach: Welcoming open storefront, casual meet-up space, and ultimate gallery to showcase small and large-scale projects from area artists. Plus, it’s located in one of the hottest neighborhoods in the country that’s still growing. Why not support the cool kids and the new movement that gets away from the traditional gallery.