Art Encounter is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating, empowering, and connecting people of all ages and backgrounds through interactive encounters with visual art. Our broad range of programs foster community, creativity, and a greater understanding of ourselves and the world around us. 

What’s NeW:
PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Night Visions is back this spring!
Dive into Evanston’s thriving local art scene as we meet exceptional local artists in their studios. Register for our last session of the season on Thursday, May 23 featuring stained glass artist Rita Shimelfarb.

Art and Gastronomy in Madrid
Join us in this September for an unforgettable trip to Madrid, featuring exclusive visits to local artist studios, guided tours of world famous museums, live art and dance performances, day trips to Segovia and Toledo, and much more. Registration is due on May 18! Learn more here.

Members Appreciation Party
We’re celebrating our members this June with a special reception at the Noyes Cultural Arts Center in Evanston, home of Art Encounter’s headquarters. Learn more about our outreach work while visiting our offices and view an exhibition of work by our monthly Artist Critique Group. RSVP here!

What’s NeW:
COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Grant for New Traveling Artworks
We believe that viewing and discussing original artworks is the best way to understand the creative process, which is why we bring real pieces of art to our programs in public schools, senior residences, and more. Thanks to a grant from the Arts Works Fund, we're currently updating and diversifying our collection with new pieces, helping us create curriculum that better reflects the populations we serve while also supporting outstanding local artists. Stay tuned for updates!

Partnership with Epilepsy Foundation
We've recently formed a new partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago, a not-for-profit offering education, advocacy, and case management to people living with epilepsy, their families, and their communities. Art Encounter teaching artist Val McCune has been leading monthly workshops for the organization's ongoing Creativity Hour, engaging participants in a variety of creative projects. Read more in our spring newsletter!

What’s NeW:
Murals

2024 Murals Underway
Our 2024 mural season is well under way! Follow EMAP on instagram to see our new projects unfold, including pieces by artists POSE, Damon Lamar Reed, and Max Sansing. To learn more, check out our spring newsletter. And to catch up on last year's projects, read our full 2023 Mural Season Recap.

Updated Mural Pages
We're proud to have worked with some of the best muralists from the Chicago area and beyond as well as dozens of dedicated community partners in our Evanston Mural Arts Program. We recently revamped our website to better showcase all that we've done so far. Visit our new pages to view more photos of past murals organized by year, catch highlights about each project by artist, explore our interactive google map, and more!