Class Description
This class will explore Chicago’s riches in the realm of public art through a series of readings and walking tours. We will pay attention to the role of public sculpture in the Loop and along the lakefront in shaping memory and identity. A special focus will be the Chicago Park District’s 2026 Monument Response Project, which pairs historic monuments with installations by contemporary artists to foster creative dialogue about inclusiveness and imagine new forms of commemoration in public spaces.
Please read our Walking Tour Policies. The rain date is 12/19.
Diane Dillon is a Scholar-in-Residence at the Newberry Library. She holds a PhD in the History of Art from Yale University.
Interested but not available on these days? Register for the other section of this class running on Wednesdays!
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 28
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Instructor-Distributed Materials
A Brief Syllabus
- Museum Campus and north end of Burnham Park
- Chicago’s Loop, south section
- Chicago’s Loop, north section
- Southern Grant Park
- Northern Grant Park and Millennium Park
- Lincoln Park, southernmost section
- Lincoln Park, near Diversey and Belmont
- Lincoln Park, near Fullerton
Cost and Registration
8 Sessions, $300 ($270 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($300), Community Supported ($280), and Sponsor ($320).Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.
RegisterThe views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.
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Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.
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