Buy tickets here

Benefit for Step Up for Mental Health

An evening of Acoustic Blues starring Lynne Jordan and her friends Corky Segal, Lil' Ed, Toronzo Cannon, Matthew Skoller and Deitra Farr, Liz Mandeville & Margaret Murphy-Webb with special guest star Emcee Janet Ulrich Brooks.

BUILD is committed to serving Chicago’s youth who are facing the greatest risks.

We are partnering with this dynamic group that effects real change in the toughest communities in our city.

The Event is on November 4th, in the back room of Uncommon Ground on Devon Ave, from 7:30pm.

More about Build Chicago

Build changes lives by providing safe and constructive alternatives to youth who are invoved with gangs, the justice system, or risky behaviors.

By offering both individualized as well as community-based programming, BUILD opens doors for youth who may have given up, helping them take charge of their lives, futures, and communities.

BUILD’s Peace Leagues bring together ex-gang members, police, and neighborhood kids to create positive alternatives to street life and to build trust. Intensive mentoring provides troubled youth with the support and opportunities to develop goals and hold themselves accountable.

The Youth Leadership Council, Restorative Justice Initiative, and Inward Healing Camping Trips are just some of the ways BUILD ensures that court- and gang-involved youth invest in their futures.

Watch our MBK Community Challenge video!

Monday September 9th, back at Uncommon Ground on Edgewater and incredible line up of songs, performances, readings and comedy.

Have a bite to eat and a local brew while watching some of Chicago’s top performers give their time for free for this vital health center.

Making healthcare affordable and accessible for women and trans people across Chicago.

buy tickets here

Spring Benefit for ICIRR (Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights)

An evening of song, stories and emotion, hosted by President and Founder of the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) in Chicago, Carlos Tortolero.

Carlos Tortolero is the Founder and President of the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) in Chicago. He founded the museum in 1982 and the museum opened its doors in 1987. From 1975-1987, Tortolero worked as a teacher, counselor, and administrator in the Chicago Public School System. 

He is a recipient of an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Arts from Columbia College (Chicago), 2016 and an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters in 2017 from the University of Illinois (Chicago).

He was recently named one of Mayor Lightfoot’s Co-Chairs for her Arts & Culture Transition Team. He has served on numerous boards including the University of Illinois, the American Alliance of Museums, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs, the Smithsonian Latino Center, the Illinois Humanities Council, Enrich Chicago, and Choose Chicago. He has won numerous awards for his work including the Ohtli Award which is the highest honor given by the Secretary of Foreign Relations of Mexico and is given to individuals “Who have distinguished themselves in the services of the Mexican community outside of Mexico."  He was named by the Chicago Sun-Times as one of the 200 most prominent Illinoisans in 200 years of history and was awarded the City of Chicago’s highest honor in the arts – The Fifth Star Award. He has received the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance’s National Cuatro Festival Award. He was awarded the Chicago History Museum “Making History” Award in June 2018. He was also honored with a Mexican American Legal Defense Education Fund (MALDEF) Lifetime Achievement Award. Tortolero is a Co-Founder of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance.

Tortolero has written for several books as well as numerous articles for national and international publications.  He has also made presentations across the U.S. and in Mexico, Puerto Rico, France, Spain, Sweden, and in Argentina. He has also served on several national search committees including the Smithsonian American Museum of Art Director position, (2016-17). He has taught classes at University of Illinois at Chicago, The School of the Art Institute, and Northwestern University. Tortolero has a B.A. in Secondary Education and History from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a M.A. in Bilingual Education Supervision from Chicago State University.

We are delighted to partner with Strides for Peace who are working towards a Chicago where all can thrive and live free of the fear of gun violence.

We are putting together another inspiring evening of stories, performances and song to delight and challenge you.

Pre-sale tickets are available now for only $20 (full price is $25) or $10 for industry people (code INDUSTRY14 at checkout).

Tickets here.

Our second Green Benefit to raise money for the Natural Resource Defence Council and fight for the future of our planet.

Back at Uncommon Ground in Edgewater, with very special guest Emcee Steve Scott.

Tickets available for pre-order @$20 below (save $5)

A benefit evening to raise funds and awareness of the work of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (Chicago).

We have a stellar line up of artists and performers from across the Chicagoland scene and are delighted to have Comic Mona Aburmisham as our star Guest Emcee.

BUY TICKETS HERE!

As the nights grow colder we are focussing on Homeless in our city.

About 5,000 people have no bed every night.

Many more are without permanent shelter.

Our ninth event is to raise awareness, help and funds for allchicago, whose mission is to make homelessness history.

Our seventh event is back at Uncommon Ground in Edgewater (1401 W Devon Ave) to raise money for the rights of and celebrate the culture of the Latinx community.

MALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund) is a national legal civil rights organization, whose mission is to promote the civil rights of all Latino living in the United States. MALDEF opened its doors in 1968 in San Antonio, Texas, following coordinated efforts by Latino lawyers and community activists from throughout the southwestern United States to create a legal organization to serve the Latino community. 

Our Guest Emcee is supremely talented Laura Crotte.

Tickets are available from here.

Proceeds to pioneering work of Equality Illinois

An evening of music, theater and variety to benefit the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Starring an amazing line up of Chicago Talent...

Andrea Salloum and the Kidworks Touring Theatre Co will be showing us how we can green our lives and the legendary Nan Zabriskie from the Green Theatre Alliance will be showing us how to green our theatres!

Our host is Fran Guinan, we have music from Foiled Again (Rob Lindley, Anne Smith, Allison Bazarko-Kirk), the amazing Donica Lynn and Heather Townsend.

We are cooking up an amazing night in UIC Village.

Special guest Irvine Welsh, writer of Trainspotting and the sequel Porno (on which Trainspotting 2 is based) will be with us for the evening. Fresh from her success in the acclaimed production of In the Heights, Isabel Quintero will be performing, plus Ross Lehman, Donica Lynn, Ronald King, Bill Massolia from Griffin Theatre, Coco Sho-Nell, Keely Vasquez and hosted by Avi Roque

In celebration of Black History Month, we are delighted to partner with NAACP (Chicago Southside Branch) to bring you a wonderful evening of music, poetry, acting and more.

More details to follow. But we are really excited to be at The Promontory in Hyde Park with excellent food and cocktails. And as a special deal all our attendees can stay for the DJ dance party afterwards for free!

Get your tickets now! And spread the word.