The city of Chicago has a vast array of cultural programming that goes on under the direction of its Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE). For those interested in public art, music concerts for children, or light opera presentations, DCASE can provide a plethora of information. On this site, visitors can look over the Featured Services and Programs for an interactive calendar of...

Like most large American cities, Chicago has been the focus of many visual documentary projects, including such films as "Hoop Dreams" and the various WPA photojournalism efforts of the 1930s and 1940s. In the year 2000, more than 200 photographers "recorded the people of Chicago in every feature of their public and social lives as well as the buildings and landscape they occupied." With the help...

Crain's Chicago Business is the go-to site for the latest information on business matters in the Windy City. They also do a nice job of covering other topics, such as culinary adventures, public policy, and architecture. On its homepage, visitors can read over Headline stories (some are available at no cost, some require registration) or browse a list of the Most Popular stories as well. Visitors...

DNAinfo Chicago features topical news stories, complete with video clips, photos and much more, about Chicago's many community areas and neighborhoods. First-time visitors should click on the Neighborhoods area to find out about reports from Hyde Park, Logan Square, and dozens of other sections of the city. The Just Posted area includes up-to-the-minute news reports and visitors will also find a...

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) provides regional plans for the entire Chicagoland area and they work on housing issues, transit, and much more. The GO TO 2040 Plan is designed to help the seven counties around Chicago plan for "sustainable prosperity through mid-century and beyond." On the site, visitors can look over detailed sections that holistically address topics such as...

From great culinary moments (the birth of the hot dog) to the rise of the skyscraper, Chicago has been privy to a number of important historical events. This award-winning website created by the Chicago History Museum allows visitors to explore the city's diverse past through historical fiction stories and artifacts from their collections. On the site, visitors can click on sections that include...

How does one get to know Chicago? It might be through word of mouth, a compelling website, or through a well-known work of fiction by Nelson Algren or Richard Wright. Another way would be to watch a few segments of My Chicago, a program offered by WTTW, the PBS station that serves the Chicagoland area. The program started in 2014 and it features Chicagoans, well-known or other, talking about the...

For some, the field of anthropology may seem to be most closely associated with the study of rituals and practices in social and cultural worlds that are far removed from our own. The field has always been interested in casting a critical eye upon local worlds as well, and the Center for Cultural Understanding and Change (CCUC) at the Field Museum is very interested in such work. For those who...

Founded in 1972, the Chicago Reporter is an investigative news organization that publishes a bimonthly magazine that ”identifies, analyzes, and reports on the social, economic, and political issues of metropolitan Chicago with a distinctive focus on race and poverty.” On their website, visitors can learn more about their work via blogs, past issues, and a variety of multimedia features. A good...

Established in 1894, the Civic Federation is a non-partisan government research organization "working to maximize the quality and cost-effectiveness of government services in the Chicago region and the State of Illinois." On this site, visitors can learn about the Federation's research programs, the Institute for Illinois' Fiscal Sustainability (IIFS), and updates on Chicagoland governance. The...