Salon is the word that popped to mind when I first heard about ArtNight Chicago. It used to be a thing. Not the place we go for a haircut (in spite of COVID-19, that’s still a thing), but those wine-fueled conversational forums that got their start in the 17th century and were still going strong in the 19th. Wiki defines them as gatherings, usually in the home of an “inspiring host,” where guests amuse each other and “increase their knowledge,” just by talking. The last one I attended in Chicago was in the 1990s, when, I think, they were eclipsed by book clubs.
“It started in my dorm room and was all music at first,” Hochberg recalls: “There’d be a hip-hop group, followed by a string quartet.” Then, gradually, he says, there were other things—a math presentation, a sign language demonstration—and it morphed into a place to share whatever people were passionate about.
Until now, ArtNight’s been a word-of-mouth phenomenon, attracting friends of friends and their friends. The COVID-enforced shift to online events has freed it of space and geographic limitations and could actually broaden its reach, Hochberg says. With that in mind, starting with the next midmonth event, they’ll be contacting organizations in all of Chicago’s 77 official communities (alphabetically, three at a time), looking for folks of any age willing to hop onto Zoom and share their passion in five-minute slots, or simply to attend and make some new friends. But first, there’s the next First Friday, August 7. It’s free, and there’s an equal-opportunity chance to be a presenter, Hochberg says. “Anyone can sign up to share; all that matters is do what you love. We’re here to support that.” v
