October is Arts DuPage Month (ADM), a unified celebration of arts and culture in DuPage County. The endeavor is an innovation of Arts DuPage, a DuPage Foundation initiative, and was created to help residents and visitors discover the impact of the arts in our lives. Now in its fourth year, ADM beckons art lovers (both established and potential) to experience the vibrant arts and entertainment scene that thrives in our region.
A detailed listing of art adventures can be found at artsdupage.org, a comprehensive online guide to the creative happenings in area. By filtering on Arts DuPage Month (found under “Featured Events”), you can locate indoor and outdoor activities close to home: Naper Settlement, Naperville Park District, and North Central College are all set with programs, from “Ghost Stories in the Park . . . in the Dark” to “Howlin’ at the Moon.”
You will also see listings for events in neighboring towns: museums, galleries, and theaters are now open and offer in-person experiences. The smash-hit musical “Forever Plaid” is on stage at Drury Lane in Oak Brook Terrace, and the Tony Award-winning “Kinky Boots” rocks Paramount Theatre in Aurora. The work of world-renowned multimedia artist and Chicago resident Tony Fitzpatrick opens at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art on October 16. Hungry for more? A world of leisure pursuits is only a click away!
While many are eager to get back to arts and entertainment, some may not have incorporated the arts into their lives. David J. Skorton, M.D., president and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges, states that arts and humanities “are essential to our welfare — even our survival. The arts can not only help heal our bodies during these difficult times, they help heal our souls.”
On a larger scale, the arts are a fundamental component of a healthy community, strengthening it socially, educationally, and economically. When you support the arts, you are not only doing something rewarding for yourself, but you are also contributing to the vitality of DuPage County. By attending a museum, theater, or gallery, you help ensure the future of the entity and the employees who work there.
For your own benefit and for the sake of the region, Arts DuPage encourages you to go on an ADM expedition. Invite friends or family members to join you as you explore what could be your next new passion.
