On Friday, May 15, Athenaeum Center welcomes Allysa Allgood to the Paradiso, closing out this season of our Strictly Chicago Series. This season’s lineup of local Chicago artists captured the depth of musical talent this city has to offer, and Alyssa Allgood is a shining example. She is a celebrated
Athenaeum Center for Thought & Culture is now accepting audition appointments for its upcoming production of Dante 360, an immersive theatrical experience returning to the Historic Main Stage this November. As one of Athenaeum Center’s signature original works, Dante 360 blends classical storytelling with contemporary performance, bringing Dante Alighieri’s Divine
On Saturday, April 18, Nathan Graham brings his sound to the Strictly Chicago Series at Athenaeum Center, continuing the 2026 lineup with an artist whose work reflects the depth and lived experience of this city’s musical tradition. Raised in Chicago and shaped by years performing in its blues clubs and
When Athenaeum Center presented Entangled Beauty: Conversations on Quantum Science in Fall 2025, it brought together science, art, philosophy, and spiritual reflection. It created a shared space for inquiry and meaning. Months later, the Entangled Beauty series at Athenaeum Center stands as one of the clearest expressions of that mission in
Athenaeum Center’s Fall 2026 Season unfolds as a journey shaped by mentorship, mercy, and courageous guidance. Together, we enter stories where unlikely companions walk beside us, where steadfast witnesses illuminate the dark, and where loss becomes the threshold of renewal. Each work in this season points toward a deeper truth:
This April, Roger Deakins comes to Chicago, returning to the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture following a series of sold-out appearances in 2024 and 2025. He returns for Team Deakins: Film and Culture Festival, a two-day program of film screenings, live conversation, and emerging filmmakers. More than a festival,
On Friday, January 30, Athenaeum Center welcomes Half Gringa to the Paradiso, launching a new season of our Strictly Chicago Series with an artist whose work reflects the depth and patience of this city’s creative life. Half Gringa is the project of Chicago-based songwriter, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Isabel Olive, whose
At the heart of the Athenaeum Center’s Entangled Beauty: Conversations on Quantum Science conference stands a performance unlike any other: Beyond Reality: Quantum Artistry. Choreographed and directed by Sandra Kaufmann, and supported by the Joan and Bill Hank Center for Catholic Intellectual Heritage at Loyola University Chicago, this interdisciplinary work
What can performances from homegrown musicians tell us about the soul of a city? This fall, the Strictly Chicago concert series at Athenaeum Center invites audiences to find out. From jazz to folk to indie rock to holiday swing, Strictly Chicago brings together four unique performances that honor the city’s
“Midway upon the journey of our life, I found myself within a forest dark, for the straightforward pathway had been lost.”
And so we all begin—in darkness.
Join Dante on his most famous journey through the depths of hell, levels upon levels of purgatory, finally discovering the light and glory of paradise. You will find terror in the wild beasts he meets along the way; and only moments later great hope at the strong woman, Beatrice, who leads him always upwards.
This contemporary staged performances of one of the most epic stories of the western world is an immersive, multi-dimensional production that leads you into Dante’s universe. Returning to the stage for the 4th year, this year’s production.
It’s heaven. It’s hell. But above all, it’s worth the trip.
November 8–10, 2024
