Stories by Marc Vitali

Lila Downs is an innovative singer with roots in both Minnesota and Oaxaca, Mexico. She studied voice and anthropology in college and marries the two interests in her culturally inspired musical pursuits. 

Students are the focus of a new mural at a CPS school that has a nationally recognized art collection. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary work.

From their rise in the early 1960s at the forefront of the British invasion to the worldwide mega-tours of more recent decades, the Rolling Stones have never left the public eye. A new book takes a panoramic look at the band. 

Young artists get a rare opportunity to show their work. We visit the Union League Club to see an exhibition by a cultural institution in the Kenwood community called Little Black Pearl.

Illinois State House Republican Leader Jim Durkin joins "Chicago Tonight" after a week of incendiary rhetoric in Springfield as the end of the fiscal year is just two weeks away.

From his studio in Bronzeville, Kerry James Marshall creates large-scale canvases that are prized in museums around the world. A 1997 winner of a MacArthur "genius" grant, Marshall spoke with “Chicago Tonight” at the opening of his career retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art. 

A Muslim prayer service was held Thursday to honor the boxer in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. As part of a Nation of Islam delegation, Salim Muwakkil met Muhammad Ali in Kingston, Jamaica in 1974.

The Chicago Blues Festival kicks off Friday with a tribute to Alligator Records. Founder Bruce Iglauer and musician Toronzo Cannon reflect on the significance of the music they love.

A pair of Midwestern artists makes richly detailed paintings that explore mythology and nightmares. Aside from mysterious themes and striking visuals, the works of painters Gina Litherland and Paul Lamantia are essentially different.

A prominent work of art has been out of the public eye for almost five years. Titled “Above and Beyond,” the installation commemorates American soldiers who lost their lives in the Vietnam War, and it's back on display at the Harold Washington Library.

A new documentary tells the amazing story of World War II aviators who earned their wings aboard makeshift aircraft carriers on Lake Michigan.

Students are the focus of a new mural at a CPS school that has a nationally recognized art collection. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the contemporary work.

On Saturday, photographer Steve Schapiro visits the Ed Paschke Art Center. The 81-year-old Chicago transplant will speak about his new book, “Bowie.”

Mayor Rahm Emanuel proclaimed May 19 "Lorraine Hansberry Day" in Chicago. We take a look at various events around the city honoring the Chicago playwright and her legacy.

Her nicknames included "Sassy" and the “Divine One," but whatever you called her, Sarah Vaughan was an exceptional voice. On Friday, the CSO pays tribute to her with performances by the Chicago Jazz Orchestra and three vocalists, including Ann Hampton Callaway.

A critically acclaimed stage production by Albany Park Theater Project makes its television debut on WTTW Thursday night.

A Chicago artist makes photo-realistic paintings you have to see to believe. We take a look at the artist’s self-taught beginnings in her suburban kitchen and how her hard work paid off. 

From New York to Chicago, the influential photographer and teacher focused on “the drama of objects.”

The star of "The King and I," now on stage at the Lyric Opera, talks about her Evanston roots and performs songs from the production.

From his studio in Bronzeville, Kerry James Marshall creates large-scale canvases that are prized in museums around the world. A 1997 winner of a MacArthur "genius" grant, Marshall spoke with “Chicago Tonight” at the opening of his career retrospective at the Museum of Contemporary Art. 

Epic yet intimate Rodgers and Hammerstein revival earns an opening night standing ovation at the Civic Opera House.

Meet the onetime stay-at-home mom who painted everyday kitchen objects before emerging as a sought-after artist.

Internationally renowned composer and percussionist Kahil El’Zabar, who has played alongside Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder and Paul Simon, joins a discussion about inclusion among modern composers of color. On Friday, he performs with Fulcrum Point New Music Project.

Tattoo artist-turned-painter George Klauba was briefly onshore in Cuba while the revolution was underway. For years now, he has focused his artistic energy on remembering a moment in history and putting his dreamlike impressions on canvas.

The red-hot guitar player with a soulful voice recorded for Chicago’s Alligator Records, played on one of The Doors greatest hits – and once shot a computer that didn’t agree with him.