Community Calendar

The Human Rights Authority is the investigative branch of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, a state agency that is dedicated to advocating for the rights of citizens with disabilities in Illinois. The Human Rights Authority investigates alleged violations of the rights of persons with disabilities by providers of services. The agency is unique in its use of citizen volunteers to conduct these investigations and make corrective recommendations. As such, Regional Authorities are always seeking to fill vacancies as they occur as well as maintain a pool of potential volunteer members for times when the need arises.

If you feel that you, or someone you know, has had their rights violated by a disability service provider or if you would like to volunteer to participate in the Northwest regional board, located in Champaign, please visit the website at gac.il.gov or call the statewide intake at 1-866-274-8023.

DeKalb County Residents are invited to attend the 2024 DeKalb County TRIAD Senior Safety & Prevention Fair to be held at Northwestern Medicine's Kishwaukee Health & Wellness Center, located at 626 Bethany Road in DeKalb, on Friday, September 20th from 9 AM – 11:30 AM.

The event will open with light refreshments. Then, at 9:30 AM, Darryl Dunham, an investigator with The First National Bank of Omaha, and Shari Hanson, Information & Assistance Supervisor and Senior Health Insurance Coordinator for Elder Care Services, will speak on the topics of “Scams & Fraud,” and “Medicare” in the facility’s auditorium. Many area organizations, including law enforcement agencies, senior service agencies, & governmental agencies, will have information tables set up in the lower level of the venue that attendees can visit between 10 AM – 11:30. All attendees will have an opportunity to win an Emergency Preparedness Kit, courtesy of Family Service Agency.

For questions about this event, please contact Kate Sullivan at (815)758-8616 ext.1201, or ksullivan@fsadekalbcounty.org.

The Next Picture Show is excited to welcome back one of the most popular events on our calendar! Our Farms & Barns exhibition will run from September 5th through October 19th. This juried exhibition of 2- and 3-D pieces features talented artists who capture the rich essence of our farm region and Midwestern charm. Our show highlights old buildings, wide-open pastures, livestock, creeks, farm equipment, and, of course, the beauty of patina in working spaces. Sponsored by the Lee County Farm Bureau.

This unique visual and literary art invitational focuses on farmland, rural landscapes, and the aesthetics, psychological, and emotional content of these themes.

The exhibition features works by renowned artists Dan Brinkmeier, Barry Roal Carlsen, Ellen Holtzblatt, Tom Linden, Stuart Roddy, and Mark Weller. Their pieces capture the beauty and complexity of rural life.

In addition there will be a number of works by members of the local Momentum Art Guild.

Complementing the visual art, the exhibition includes poetry from Daniel Smith's Poems from the Winter House. Smith's poetry, rooted in a rural heritage, reflects quietly on his love for a spouse, a farm, and a way of life.

Curb Appeal: The International Hand-Painted Sign Collection of Brad Arsenault

On Display: September 9th – October 18th
Reception: Friday, October 4th, 6:00-8:00PM
Collector Talk: Friday, October 4th, 7:00PM

Brad Arsenault began his career in international development as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon in Central Africa more than 30 years ago, where he first encountered the vibrant art form of hand-painted signs. His humanitarian and international development work over the past 25 years across Asia and Africa deepened his appreciation for these unique pieces of visual communication.

Through his collection, Arsenault showcases the artistry and cultural significance of hand-painted signs, celebrating their role in everyday life and their rarity in the age of modern printing technology. Arsenault’s collection of hand-painted signs varies widely in passion and artistry, each work offering a unique take into the vibrant world of commercial art around the globe. While the pieces were created to attract customers to various essential services, these signs are more than just functional—they are cultural artifacts shaped by local resident artists. With the rise of modern printing technology, hand-painted signs began disappearing by the wayside.

The signs convey universal themes: physical well-being, hard work of expertise and local knowledge, and the importance of physical attractiveness as a source of dignity and pride. This collection serves as a tribute to the creativity and functionality of these handcrafted works, capturing the essence of ‘curb appeal’ to draw clients into a particular craftsperson to support a critical need.

The NIU Art Museum presents three fall exhibitions: "Seeing Each Other: Portraits in Time and Place," "Hold Still: Portraits from the Permanent Collection" and "Homage to Humanity: Portrait Prints by Sidney Chafetz" Aug. 28-Oct. 19 in the Art Museum Galleries.

"Seeing Each Other: Portraits in Time and Place" is a group exhibition featuring both experienced and emerging artists. Each entry explores the time-honored tradition of portraiture in artmaking in a unique way, often finding universal narratives and concerns within intimate and personal imagery.

"Hold Still: Portraits from the Permanent Collection" demonstrates how portraiture, like still lifes or landscapes, has been a pillar of art genres since time immemorial. The NIU Art Museum combed through its permanent collection to assemble an exhibition of portraits including Japanese actor prints and Andy Warhol Polaroids. Gritty and idealized, there are images of individuals, groups, the self and even animals.

"Homage to Humanity: Portrait Prints by Sidney Chafetz" features portrait prints by Jewish American artist Sidney Chafetz (1922-2013) and how he devoted his life to education and the arts. An avid reader, Chafetz employed his talents as a printmaker to depict his social and literary heroes. In this exhibition, the NIU Art Museum gathered many of his portraits into a cultural hall of fame.

Artists’ Ensemble Theater presents the screwball comedy ‘The Angel Next Door’ by Paul Slade Smith, Sept. 5-22 at Rockford University’s Cheek Theatre. Performances are on Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 7, at 4 p.m.; Saturday(s), Sept. 14 & 21 at 4 & 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

It is 1948 and husband-and-wife playwrights, Charlotte and Arthur, have just completed their next sure fire Broadway smash. But… there are problems. Because of course there are. And it will take all of Charlotte and Arthur’s wiles to untangle the complications in this screwball comedy.

A lovestruck novelist, the actress he adores, a vain leading man, the married playwrights, and an eccentric (and very cranky) housekeeper all collide in a perfect storm of comic chaos.

Stage Coach Players presents the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning rock musical "Rent," Sept 19-29. Loosely based on Puccini's opera "La Boheme," it moves a timeless story of struggling young artists and star-crossed lovers a hundred years forward to modern-day New York City's East Village.

Mendelssohn Performing Arts Center presents a performance of Franz Schubert’s "Trout" Quintet by Rachel Handlin, Thomas Bandar, Michael Beert, Matthew Jahnke & Nicole Lee on Friday, Sept. 20. One of the greatest musical testaments to friendship, this youthful masterpiece is filled with charming melodies, instilling joy in both performer and listener.

The Human Rights Authority is the investigative branch of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission, a state agency that is dedicated to advocating for the rights of citizens with disabilities in Illinois. The Human Rights Authority investigates alleged violations of the rights of persons with disabilities by providers of services. The agency is unique in its use of citizen volunteers to conduct these investigations and make corrective recommendations. As such, Regional Authorities are always seeking to fill vacancies as they occur as well as maintain a pool of potential volunteer members for times when the need arises.

If you feel that you, or someone you know, has had their rights violated by a disability service provider or if you would like to volunteer to participate in the Northwest regional board, located in Champaign, please visit the website at gac.il.gov or call the statewide intake at 1-866-274-8023.