spring theater groups
Spring theater groups (from left) are showing new works in Chicago including What the Constitution Means to Me, The Dream King (Marvin Quijada) and The Threepenny Opera (Chamaya Moody, Carl Herzog, Peter Stielstra, Luiza Vitucci, Michael Mejia, Tyler DeLoatch, Isabel Garcia). WBEZ

Spring 2023 art and culture guide: Find nearly 60 concerts, plays and more

Chicago has an abundance of cultural offerings this season. Here are the don’t-miss events in music, theater and opera, dance, art and flowers.

Spring theater groups (from left) are showing new works in Chicago including What the Constitution Means to Me, The Dream King (Marvin Quijada) and The Threepenny Opera (Chamaya Moody, Carl Herzog, Peter Stielstra, Luiza Vitucci, Michael Mejia, Tyler DeLoatch, Isabel Garcia). WBEZ
By Cassie Walker Burke
spring theater groups
Spring theater groups (from left) are showing new works in Chicago including What the Constitution Means to Me, The Dream King (Marvin Quijada) and The Threepenny Opera (Chamaya Moody, Carl Herzog, Peter Stielstra, Luiza Vitucci, Michael Mejia, Tyler DeLoatch, Isabel Garcia). WBEZ

Spring 2023 art and culture guide: Find nearly 60 concerts, plays and more

Chicago has an abundance of cultural offerings this season. Here are the don’t-miss events in music, theater and opera, dance, art and flowers.

By Cassie Walker Burke
WBEZ brings you fact-based news and information. Sign up for our newsletters to stay up to date on the stories that matter.

Chicago culture has come roaring back this spring, and artists are doing everything they can to win back COVID-scattered audiences, from new works to bold casting to tackling provocative themes.

We canvassed the scene and picked the top events across five categories: music, dance, theater and opera, art and, since it’s spring, flower shows.

These aren’t exhaustive lists, but they represent the vibrant arts scene in the region. See something we missed? Tell us on social media #WBEZspring.

Lakecia Benjamin with purple background
Saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin recently released an acclaimed fourth album and will play at the Monterey Jazz Festival tour stop in Chicago on April 14. Wade Payne/Invision / Associated Press

MUSIC: Our concert list includes strong world music performances, knockout jazz and hip-hop shows you’ll want to catch now before the artists get too big for smaller venues.

Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in ‘BUSK’ by Aszure Barton
Hubbard Street Dance Chicago in ‘BUSK’ by Aszure Barton. Courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow

DANCE: The theme this spring is bold new world, and dance companies from Hubbard Street to the Seldoms to Visceral are bringing it. Plus: a night of dance from the city’s Black-led companies that you shouldn’t miss.

Marvin Quijada in The Dream King
Marvin Quijada in The Dream King. Joel Maisonet / Courtesy of Teatro Vista

THEATER: Our list is all about plays that offer reflection on a complicated moment. They tackle modern issues that people care about now, from technology’s impact on human relationships to human rights.

art
April brings a strong slate of exhibitions, including textile portraitist Gio Swaby (left) at the Art Institute of Chicago and work by Ethiopian photographer Aïda Muluneh (right) as part of a citywide public art exhibition on bus shelters and billboards. Gio Swaby, ‘My Hands Are Clean 4,’ 2017. Collection of Claire Oliver and Ian Rubinstein/Courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago. Aïda Muluneh, ‘To Speak in Silence,’ 2022. Photography by David Sampson/Courtesy of Public Art Fund, NY

ART: April is peak art season in Chicago. There’s something for everyone — and a particular focus this year on female artists with a worldview.

women taking photos of cherry blossom trees
A couple of women take photos of cherry blossom trees in Jackson Park in April 2021. The annual blossoming attracts many visitors to the park. Tyler LaRiviere / Chicago Sun-Times

SPRING BLOOMS: The flowers are blooming earlier, we hear. Whether you are just looking to soak up spring or you’re seeking inspiration for a garden, here’s where to find maximum color.

Cassie Walker Burke is WBEZ’s external editor. Follow her @cassiechicago.