May 11, 2026—China's van Goghs

1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN
DOCUMENTARY & DISCUSSION


Join us for featured presentation of award nominated documentary, “China’s van Goghs.” An intimate portrait of peasant-turned oil painter transitioning from simply making copies of iconic Western paintings to creating their own authentic works of art, emblematic of the journey that China is going through, from ‘Made in China’ to ‘Created in China.”

Total run time: 1hr 25min

April 27, 2026—How Artists Depict Divinity...and Fail
LECTURE & DISCUSSION

1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN

In a culture that insists on giving the ineffable a face, the history of art is littered with bold attempts to picture the unpicturable, with some degree of success and many more failures. This Art In Focus lecture traces a winding path through biblical texts, painted altarpieces, carved idols, and even the modern cathedral of the cinema, asking what happens when human imagination reaches for the divine and comes up short. Across centuries and cultures, artists have fashioned gods in their own image, revealing less about heaven than about earthly longing, limitation, and the persistent desire to see what cannot, perhaps should not, be seen. What does it mean to depict divinity?

Join us for an inspiring afternoon of live art with Anthony Bianco!

Watch creativity come to life on April 23 at 1pm in the Bachman Gallery at South Shore Arts. Don’t miss this chance to experience the magic of painting in real time!

Spotlight Series Symphony Chorus

Sunday, March 29, 2:30pm
Theatre at the Center
1040 Ridge Road, Munster

See flyer for more information.

We are thrilled to partner with Hebron Parks & Recreation to offer regular public hours at the Stagecoach Inn and Panhandle Depot on Saturdays between 10a-2p.

The Stagecoach Inn was constructed in 1849 by James McCune for use as a way station along the stagecoach route between Detroit and St. Louis.

Serena Ard from the Westchester Township History Museum presents from her years of extensive research concerning the Bailly family.

Citywide Storytelling Event

Date: March 25

Time: 3:30 - 7:00 PM
Location: Gary Public Library and Cultural Center 

220 W 5th Avenue, Gary

Do you remember the first time you saw The Jacksons perform? Their historic performance at Roosevelt High School is widely acknowledged as a breakthrough moment for The Jacksons. Michael was only 8 years old. 

Gary, come and share your personal memories, photographs, and reflections connected to the Jackson family and growing up in Gary during the early years of their rise to fame. And post fame - What were the moments that made you proud to be from Gary? Was it the first time you saw Michael moonwalk? Was it their legendary appearance on Ed Sullivan, or was it their first time on Soul Train?

Local experiences remain part of the broader narrative surrounding Michael Jackson’s story. Gary is a part of that story.

This event, sponsored by Capital B news will feature clips of early Jackson performances, news events, music, food and YOU. 

This event is all ages and free and open to the public

We are thrilled to partner with Hebron Parks & Recreation to offer regular public hours at the Stagecoach Inn and Panhandle Depot on Saturdays between 10a-2p.

The Stagecoach Inn was constructed in 1849 by James McCune for use as a way station along the stagecoach route between Detroit and St. Louis.

We are thrilled to partner with Hebron Parks & Recreation to offer regular public hours at the Stagecoach Inn and Panhandle Depot on Saturdays between 10a-2p.

The Stagecoach Inn was constructed in 1849 by James McCune for use as a way station along the stagecoach route between Detroit and St. Louis.

Learn more about From a Bailly Point of View and Selections from the Permanent Collection during this free guided tour. No two tours are ever the same and there's a good chance you will hear additional stories that don’t appear on the exhibit labels.

From a Bailly Point of View

Through April 25, 2026

Though Joseph Bailly looms large in the memory of Porter County as its first nonnative settler, the lives and work of three generations of Bailly women—Marie, Rose, and Frances—truly shaped the Bailly homestead and public perception of the family legacy.

The PoCo Muse believes objects tell stories, and our new featured exhibit, From a Bailly Point of View (expanded from a 2018 exhibit of the same name), looks closely at artifacts from our Bailly Family Collection to shed new light on their legacy in Porter County.

We don't require an RSVP for this tour series, although we ask that you arrive a few minutes before the start time as a courtesy to other attendees.

March 9, 2026—Water Lilies—Monet’s Later Years

LECTURE & DISCUSSION
Join us for a presentation on the later years of Claude Monet’s life. Claude Monet is often criticized for being overexposed, too easy, too obvious, or worse, a chocolate box artist. His last works, the enormous water lily canvasses are among the most popular art works in the world. Yet there is nothing tame, traditionalist, or cozy about these last paintings. These are his most radical works of all. They turn the world upside down with their strange, disorientating and immersive vision. Monet’s water lilies have come to be viewed as simply an aesthetic interpretation of the garden that obsessed him. But they are so 
much more.

February 23, 2026—Ways of Seeing: Part One by John Berger 
DOCUMENTARY & DISCUSSION


Join Art in Focus for a presentation of John Berger’s highly influential BBC documentary series, “Ways of Seeing – Part one.” The first part "questions the assumptions usually made about the tradition of European paintings" The first episode in the series draws on Walter Benjamin's The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, and the idea that the reproduction of art such as paintings separates the piece's modern context from the context of which the piece was created.

DOCUMENTARY & DISCUSSION

The Center for Visual & Performing Arts
Bachman Gallery
1040 Ridge Rd
Munster, IN

Join David Lee Csicsko for an artist talk and discussion on both art history and his recent commissioned mural for CARE FOR FRIENDS in Chicago.

Project Empty BowlFriday February 6th, 4–7pm

The Center for Visual and Performing Arts

1040 Ridge Road, Munster, IN

$35 Adult Donation

Includes one bowl of soup and a hand-made ceramic bowl to take home.

$10 Soup Only Donation (per person)

Paper bowls provided.

Additional servings of soup $10

All donations are collected at the door.The event will feature beautifully crafted ceramic bowls made by local potters and fresh soup prepared by 1040 Catering. All proceeds support the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. Enjoy live music throughout the event. A canned food donation bin will be available to support the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana.

Sponsored by

FREE EVENT—January 26— Water Lilies – Monet’s Later Years

LECTURE & DISCUSSION

The Center for Visual & Performing Arts
1040 Ridge Rd
Munster, IN

Join us for a presentation on the later years of Claude Monet’s life. Claude Monet is often criticized for being overexposed, too easy, too obvious, or worse, a chocolate box artist. His last works, the enormous water lily canvasses are among the most popular art works in the world. Yet there is nothing tame, traditionalist, or cozy about these last paintings. These are his most radical works of all. They turn the world upside down with their strange, disorientating and immersive vision. Monet’s water lilies have come to be viewed as simply an aesthetic interpretation of the garden that obsessed him. But they are so much more.

ART 101: KICKING OFF YOUR ART CAREER is a free workshop for emerging artists sponsored by South Shore Arts and the Substation 9 Artists-in-Residence. The event will feature different speakers who will participate in a panel discussion. They will address a range of topics such as writing an artist statement and artist bio, submitting to group shows, photographing your art for juried show submissions, writing exhibition proposals, and applying for grants.

Saturday, January 24, 2026, 1:00 - 3:00

At Substation 9, 435 Fayette, Hammond, IN

FLAT RATE: $10 PER PERSON

CHILDREN 6 & UNDER: FREE WITH EACH PAYING ADULT.

ATTENDEES CAN REGISTER ONLINE OR PAY AT THE DOOR.