Northwestern University's Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art will be closed for the remainder of the calendar year.

A blues and soul singer to shake up your expectations. Read the Artbeat blog.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed houses, churches and museums, but the great Prairie architect also designed a book or two. The most significant was called The House Beautiful. Only 90 copies of The House Beautiful were printed, and fewer than 30 are accounted for. Read the Artbeat blog.

What are some of the finest story songs by Chicago songwriters? Read the Artbeat blog.

1969 was a pivotal point in Eric Clapton's career. Cream had broken up the previous year, and the 24-year-old Clapton was now part of the super-group Blind Faith, which would dissolve within months. But not before Clapton did a surprise show in Skokie, Illinois.

Mark your calendars for October 17 to witness a painting that is as gruesome as it is great.

Welcome to Artbeat, Chicago Tonight’s blog on arts & culture. It’s a privilege to be the curator and share my enthusiasms, but this is a two-way street: help me out, and I’ll return the favor.

Newer suburban theaters may attract more critical attention, but if slow-and-steady wins the race, The Theatre of Western Springs (TWS), established in 1929, slaughters the competition. This year, they celebrate their 85th season and 500th production with a solid staging of Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut's mordant tale of a World War 2 veteran "unstuck in time."