Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean Chicago slows down, and that’s especially true on the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) campus. We invite you back to SAIC to reminisce and take in all that your school has to offer during Alumni Reunion.
SAIC Alumni Reunion will offer opportunities for all alums to reconnect and network, see current student work, get back into the classroom, hear from faculty, explore campus, and celebrate in the Sullivan Galleries. There will be social gatherings, studio time, presentations, opportunities to meet with career advisors, and the chance to curate your own unique experience. So, bundle up and join us at SAIC for an exciting, immersive, and nostalgic time in Chicago.
Registration Fee: $45/person
Thursday, February 13
Alumni Welcome Hub
12:30–6:00 p.m.
The LeRoy Neiman Center, 37 S. Wabash Ave., 1st floor
Make this your first stop when you arrive on campus for Alumni Reunion. Check in for your reunion activities, pick up exclusive Alumni Reunion swag, ask questions, and warm up with a cup of coffee.
Campus Tour
1:00 p.m.
The LeRoy Neiman Center, 37 S. Wabash Ave., 1st floor
Gather for a guided tour of SAIC’s campus. Walk through familiar corridors, see what has changed and what is just as it was when you were a student.
Alumni Career Advising
2:00–5:00 p.m.
Career and Professional Experience (CAPX), Lakeview Building, 116 S. Michigan Ave., 14th floor
Is it time for a career conversation? From professional strategies and revamping your professional materials to advice on a midcareer reboot or a sounding board for your next venture, CAPX is here for career advice for where you are now. Sign up for your one-on-one appointment.
It Takes Practice: Naming and Strengthening Your Unique Artistic Practice with SAIC Performance Faculty Member Erica Mott
4:00–6:30 p.m.
Sharp Building, 37 S. Wabash Ave., room 1215
Every artist knows the word practice, but what does this mean in the ebbs and flows of work and life needs post-graduation? Could our artistic work have points of convergence with the other demands of our lives and might those demands actually hold hidden resources that could directly strengthen our practice? Join SAIC Adjunct Assistant Professor and performance artist, Erica Mott in this participatory workshop where we will conduct a deep dive into the components of a thriving artistic practice; identifying your unique skills and the resources at your fingertips that might ignite and support your continued creative growth.
Welcome Party
7:00–10:00 p.m.
Sullivan Galleries, 36 S. Wabash Ave., 7th floor
Drinks, dancing, and art. Come kick off Alumni Reunion at SAIC's Sullivan Galleries to the music of Funkadesi!
Friday, February 14
Alumni Welcome Hub
8:00–11:00 a.m.
The LeRoy Neiman Center, 37 S. Wabash Ave., 1st floor
Make this your first stop when you arrive on campus for Alumni Reunion. Check in for your reunion activities, pick up exclusive Alumni Reunion swag, ask questions, and warm up with a cup of coffee.
Alumni Community Breakfast
9:30–11:00 a.m.
Sharp Building, 37 S. Wabash Ave., room 327
Reconnect and reminisce with your classmates over breakfast.
Campus Tour
11:00 a.m.
The LeRoy Neiman Center, 37 S. Wabash Ave., 1st floor
Gather for a guided tour of SAIC’s campus. Walk through familiar corridors, see what has changed and what is just as it was when you were a student.
Hear Below: Listening to Chicago Underground
12:30 - 1:30 p.m.
112 S. Michigan Avenue, lobby
Hear Below: Listening to Chicago Underground will explore Chicago’s pedway system with our ears. We will stop and listen to a variety of unique sound environment, get a little history along the way, and conclude with a conversation at the end of the soundwalk. By experiencing the hustle and bustle of this rather ordinary of conveyances, the Pedway, reveals what urban critic Jane Jacobs calls "the seemingly mysterious and perverse behavior of cities". Led by Eric Leonardson and Christophe Preissing and presented by NON:op Open Opera Works and Midwest Society of Acoustic Ecology. More information here.
Continuing Studies Monoprint Workshop with Angela Azmitia (MFA 2018)
1:00–4:00 p.m.
Columbus Drive Building, 280 S. Columbus Dr., room 203
Monoprinting is one of the most approachable and adaptable forms of printmaking. Participants will work with water-based inks to produce a selection of unique prints. Requiring very little specialized equipment, monoprinting provides an entry point to printmaking for those new to the discipline. Expect the opportunity to experiment with a number of different approaches to image-making. Open to all levels of experience. Space is limited for this workshop.
Alumni Career Advising
2:00–5:00 p.m.
Career and Professional Experience (CAPX), Lakeview Building, 116 S. Michigan Ave., 14th floor
Is it time for a career conversation? From professional strategies and revamping your professional materials to advice on a midcareer reboot or a sounding board for your next venture, CAPX is here for career advice for where you are now. Sign up for your one-on-one appointment.
CAA Annual Artist Interviews
4:00–6:30 p.m.
Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave., 2nd floor grand ballroom
Organized by the College Art Association’s (CAA) Services to Artists Committee, the Annual Artist Interviews feature esteemed artists who discuss their work with a colleague. This year, Arnold Kemp, dean of graduate studies, and Sheila Pepe, will be interviewed by Huey Copeland and John Corso Esquivel, respectively. Free and open to SAIC alumni.
Inside Practice: Every house has a door and ATOM-r
6:00–8:00 p.m. (doors open at 5:45 p.m.)
Fullerton Hall, Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Avenue
This program presents the methods of two Chicago-based performance groups. SAIC faculty and Every house has a door director Lin Hixson and dramaturg Matthew Goulish (with guests) present a performance-lecture regarding their newest work, Carnival of Animals. ATOM-r, perform a work-in-progress of the forthcoming The Tenders: A Last Dance. Followed by talkback with members of the collective, including Mark Jeffery and Judd Morrissey (SAIC faculty) and Abraham Avnisan (MFA 2015).
Saturday, February 15
Alumni Showcase, Powered by PechaKucha 20x20
2:30–5:00 p.m.
Exchequer Restaurant and Pub, 226 S. Wabash Ave.
PechaKucha 20x20 is a compelling and quick presentation format where speakers show 20 images, each for 20 seconds, and talk along with the images. Join fellow alums for this opportunity to share stories and show work, or simply come to enjoy the presentations. Light refreshments will be served.
If you are interested in presenting, please email alumni@saic.edu for details and sign-up instructions. Please note that presentation slots are limited.
Come Early and Stay Late
Here are highlights of just some of the happenings taking place during the week of Alumni Reunion. Click the links below for more information.
Tuesday, February 11
6:00 p.m.
Visiting Artist Program
Distinguished Alumni Lecture featuring Emil Ferris (BFA 2008, MFA 2010), author of My Favorite Thing Is Monsters
The Art Institute of Chicago
Rubloff Auditorium, 230 S. Columbus Drive
More information can be found here.
Wednesday, February 12
2:00–5:00 p.m.
Alumni Career Advising
CAPX, Lakeview Building, 116 S. Michigan Avenue, 14th floor
Is it time for a career conversation? From professional strategies and revamping your professional materials to advice on a midcareer reboot or a sounding board for your next venture, CAPX is here for career advice for where you are now. Sign up for your one-on-one appointment.
Wednesday, February 12–15
College Art Association (CAA) Annual Conference
Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Avenue
The CAA Annual Conference brings together more than 5,000 art historians, artists, designers, and visual arts professionals in all stages of their careers. CAA 2020 includes a full program of workshops, distinguished speaker panels, opportunities to network, and a celebrated Book and Trade Fair. Select panels and workshops during the conference are free and open to SAIC alumni; a schedule of these free events can be found here. Please note that separate registration is required for general CAA Annual Conference attendance.
Thursday, February 13
6:00 p.m.
Conversations at the Edge
Gene Siskel Film Center
164 N State Street
Film screening and discussion featuring Lori Felker (MFA 2007), Intrusions and Interruptions
More information can be found here.
Sullivan Galleries
33 S. State Street, 7th floor
Free and open to the public Tuesday–Saturday, 11:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Spaces With(in)
Spaces With(in) is an exhibition showcasing artwork by graduate Art Therapy students and the individuals they work with at their internship sites. Artwork in the show reflects the various voices, practices, and intersections of art therapy. The exhibition represents a culmination of the work of students in the Master of Arts in Art Therapy and Counseling program. More information about the program can be found here.
Post-Bacc Annual
This exhibition features the work of students completing the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio.
We Don’t Want Your MTV
Utilizing artists’ video from SAIC’s Video Data Bank’s significant collection—dating from the late 1960s to the present day—We Don’t Want Your MTV considers the influence of television on a generation of artists who came of age during the legendary music program’s reign, starting in 1981. An exhibition and screening program will feature artists’ videos that can be seen as both a response to, and provocation of, mainstream television and commercial music videos, and all that they represent. Artists include Max Almy, Sadie Benning, Ximena Cuevas, Jenny Holzer, Miranda July, Tracy and the Plastics, Sterling Ruby (BFA 2002), and Martine Syms (BFA 2007).
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Avenue
SAIC alums will have complimentary access to the Art Institute of Chicago throughout Alumni Reunion weekend. Please visit the Alumni Welcome Hub in the LeRoy Neiman Center to pick up your museum pass.
Open daily, 10:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.–8:00 p.m.
Travel Information
Hotel Accommodations
We recommend the following conveniently located hotels for your stay in Chicago:
Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago
100 W. Monroe St.
312.236.1234
Silversmith Hotel
10 S. Wabash Ave.
312.372.7696
Transportation and Parking
Airport Transportation
From O'Hare
By train: Take the CTA Blue Line train to the Monroe Street stop. The fare is $5.00.
By taxi/rideshare: Taxis or rideshare options from O'Hare take approximately 45 minutes, and the cost ranges from $40 to $50.
From Midway
By train: Take the CTA Orange Line train to the Washington/Wabash station. The fare is $2.50.
By taxi/rideshare: Taxis or rideshare options from Midway take approximately 30 minutes, and the cost ranges from $40 to $50.
Transportation within Chicago:
The CTA is recommended for getting around town since parking and traffic can be unpredictable.
Parking:
SpotHero: For discount parking near campus, visit SpotHero's SAIC parking page where you'll be able to find and reserve parking for a reduced rate.
Questions? Email support@spothero.com or call 312.566.7768.
Accessibility and Accommodations
Persons with disabilities requesting accommodations should visit saic.edu/access.
Handshake
This year SAIC joined the college career network Handshake. This platform is excellent for both students and alums and requires an SAIC email to create an account.
For Alumni Reunion, we ask that you sign up for CAPX advising sessions through Handshake.
Join Handshake to
● Search for jobs, internships, and employment opportunities
● Schedule advising appointments with CAPX advisors
● Receive personalized career recommendations and connect with employers
● Sign up for programs and workshops
Log into Handshake and start building up your profile here.
Learn more about Handshake here.
More questions? Give CAPX a call at 312.499.4130 or send an email to careers@saic.edu.
Contact Information
SAIC Alumni Reunion on Social Media
Follow SAIC Alumni on Facebook and Instagram throughout the weekend and join the conversation by using #SAICalumni and #SAICreunion2020.
Please email alumni@saic.edu with questions or for more information.
Update your contact information here.
