April 2026 events calendar for Chicago

The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art (better known as EXPO Chicago) returns to Navy Pier’s Festival Hall from Thursday, April 9 through Sunday, April 12, hosting more than 170 of the world's prominent contemporary galleries from 36 countries, including the continuation of an exciting partnership with the Galleries Association of Korea. You’ll see towering installations, sprawling canvases, intriguing sculptures and more cutting-edge art at this annual gathering, which features work by artists from around the globe. EXPO Chicago also presents conversations with artists, on-site installations, public art initiatives and more ways to immerse yourself in the creative spirit of the event.

Immerse yourself in a new perspective on legendary artist Henri Matisse at this exciting new exhibition at The Art Institute of Chicago. Bedridden and unable to paint in the 1940s, Matisse turned to a new, more accessible medium: cut paper. Mining his memories of circuses, world travels, folktales and concerts in Parisian music halls, he produced a series of 20 maquettes that will be on display for the public to enjoy.

Doc10, Chicago's only all-documentary film festival, returns to the Davis Theater and Gene Siskel Film Center for its big 10th anniversary. From Friday, April 24 through Sunday, May 3, the festival will screen 10 current documentaries culled from other top festivals around the globe (Sundance, Tribeca).

Hamilton, writer-composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda’s biography of Alexander Hamilton as refracted through a hip-hop, pop and R&B lens, is a sprawling, stunning, singular achievement. It returns to Chicago for another run this March through April. Check the official website for the full schedule.

Talking Heads frontman, Broadway innovator and all-around creative polymath David Byrne is once again blurring the line between art and science, this time in the middle of downtown Chicago. “Theater of the Mind” is Byrne’s latest experiment in perception, identity and theatrical immersion—and it’s happening inside a real office space. Created with writer and philanthropist Mala Gaonkar, the 15,000-square-foot experience invites audiences of just 16 at a time to explore a series of rooms designed to mess with your senses and make you question, well, yourself.

Spring is here and that means it’s the time for the start of the baseball season! Head to Guaranteed Rate Field to catch the Chicago White Sox take on the Toronto Blue Jays on Opening Day. 

They call this three-day market One of a Kind for a reason. A whopping 350 artists from around the country will fill out one floor in the Merchandise Mart for the spring edition of this seasonal bazaar. Take a look at the show's website for a full list of vendors making everything from handpainted ceramic mugs and cool textured pillows to carved wooden bottlestoppers. Come for the shopping and stick around for daily fashion shows and a gourmet market stocked with lots of tasty treats.

Chicago—a city renowned for its profound impact on the history and future of the genre—will host the 15th annual International Jazz Day. As the world’s largest celebration of jazz and its power to unite global communities, the event will honor Chicago’s legendary contributions to jazz, blues, and world music. Confirmed artists include Melissa Aldana, Béla Fleck, Ernest Dawkins, Herbie Hancock and more.

With soundstage-sized pieces like horned sculptures emitting soap bubbles, inflated spheres bedecked in abstract squiggles and surreal faceless figures hovering in space, “EmotionAir” reimagines the humble balloon as any other artistic medium—a conduit for creativity and emotion. 

How are some of the most iconic costumes of the past century made? Costume designer Paul Tazewell pulls back the curtain in this behind-the-scenes exhibition. Highlights include costumes from Wicked, Janelle Monáe’s MET Gala looks and Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Sketches, videos and narration reveal how imagination becomes wearable art.