Chicago '22

Art & Design

A survey of Chicago's art, architecture and design

Full Itinerary | FAQ | Things to Do | Photo Challenges | Cost & Sign-Up | What to Bring | Lodging
Museums & Galleries | Architecture | Audio Tours | Restaurants | Shopping | Things to Do

 

When: Wednesday, March 23 - Sunday, March 27, 2022      

The specific events, tours and appointments for Spring 2022 will be continue to be updated as details are confirmed.

 

The abbreviated itinerary...                               ( or the full itinerary )

 

This is a 4-night-trip.
We depart from Harding Wednesday at 1.15pm, behind the American Heritage building.
We'll then have all of Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Chicago.
We'll depart Chicago early Sunday morning (7am), worship on the bus, and arrive at Harding around 6.30pm .

 

Wednesday, March 23—

Load bus at 1:15p behind the American Heritage building and then drive to Chicago. 

Be ready to load your luggage and self onto the bus by 1.15. 
     As soon as everyone has arrived, we'll depart -- as our goal  to get into Chicago as early as possible.       
The bus departs by 1:30p (with whoever is there, and without whoever isn't)
      Note that the HU bus has limited WiFi, some electrical outlets and a DVD player.
     Hotel rooming assignments and other itinerary details will be distributed and discussed on the ride up.

Stop for dinner around 6.30p.

Arrive downtown Chicago around midnight.
     Since we arrive late, please be respectful of other guests as we arrive -- that is, be respectfully quiet as you settle in. 

 

Thursday —

Meet in hotel lobby at 9am, unless updated meet time is announced.
CTA 3-day passes for Chicago buses and subways will be distributed.

Tour of downtown and Loop Architecture in the morning.

Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio tour in Oak Park in the afternoon.

Likely return from Oak Park to to downtown 5-6pm.     

Evening is free.
        Have you walked the Magnificent Mile?   Walked the Riverfront? 
        Have you seen Millenium Park and Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion after dark?    

 

 

Friday — 

 
Fine Arts Group/Tessa Davidson:

9:15 - Meet in Lobby
9:45am - Robie House exterior
10-11am - Oriental Institute
11-11:30am - Rockefeller Chapel
11:30am - Head to downtown,  to the Millennium Park area
Lunch around 12:30pm
1:45pm -5pm-  Art Institute of Chicago 
5:00pm - Dick Blick visit and then  Dinner? 

Interior Architecture & Design Group/Amy Cox:

Dress is business casual.     
You still need comfy shoes if possible. 

Meet in the lobby at 8:15
9:00 Steelcase showroom at the Mart
11:00 HED architecture firm tour
Lunch and the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC)

Evening is free.

Have you checked out the day-of-ticket outlets for discount show tickets?     
Hot Tix      |      TodayTix    |     BroadwayInChicago 

Have you had your Chicago Pizza fix?     
      Best advice:  order your pizza ahead -- a good deep dish pizza may take 45+ minutes if there is no wait.   
      Options include: Lou Malnati's,   Giordano's,    Uno's    or    Due's  

 

Saturday —

Tours and museums in the morning.

Fine Arts Group/Tessa Davidson:

Options for group visits include: 
Museum of Contemporary Art
Chicago Museum of Contemporary Photography
River North galleries
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral
St. Basil Greek Orthodox Church

Interior Architecture & Design Group/Amy Cox: 

Meet in the lobby at 10:45 or at the Art Institute at 11:00
11:00 Art Institute of Chicago
Possibly the CAC if we don't make it on Friday.

Afternoon and evening are free.

Explore free options including Gallery Walk (Pilsen or River North),   Chicago Cultural Center

 

Sunday —

Depart hotel at 7 a.m. — Everyone is to be in the lobby with their luggage at 7am.
Depart at 7.15am.
Return to Searcy.

Arrive at Harding around 6pm.

 

 

Costs and Signup Info

The Willis Tower (formerly, the Sears Tower). 1973 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. For 25 years, the world's tallest building. Located between Jackson, Wacker, Adams & Franklin. Check out the Sky-Deck and The Ledge!. (map)
Buckingham Fountain. Located about 3 blocks directly east of the Michigan Ave., at the end of Congress Ave. In the summer, after-dusk light and water shows begin on the hour. (map)
Aqua Building. A new (2010) downtown skyscraper designed by architect Jeanne Gang, located at 430 East Waterside Drive, south of the river, 2 blocks east of Michigan. (map)

FAQ

If you've got other questions than these, below, then email me your question: Chicago Trip Question.

Trip Cost, Policies and Sign Up Info

Spring 2022 Trip Cost:

Trip Cost:  $450 
Sign up in Art & Design main office to be added to Art 2400 Special Studies Chicago Trip course. 

Signing Up:
Sign up for the trip in the main office of the Department of Art & Design, on the first floor of the Stevens Art Building.
By signing up, you are enrolling in a section of Art 2400/Special Studies. The course has *no* tuition or credit hours, but does have a $450 class fee.

All participants must meet Harding University touring policies, which include good academic standing and a 2.0 GPA minimum.

Only Art & Design majors, and students registered for Spring 2022 art courses may sign up prior to January 17.
If seats are still available after that date, other university staff and students may be invited to sign up.

January 17:
Last day for “Art & Design Only” seats.
If the bus is not full by this date, we may open up seats to non-art/design majors. Thus, the bus can fill up before you sign up!

Meals: see notes below...

*Refund Policy:
Art 2400 class fee is non-refundable after February 18, 2022 unless approved.  
(why?  Because we’ve already spent your deposit as down-payments on your hotel room and other event entries…and we can’t get it back.)

Assumption of Risk and Release Form:
Before departing on this trip, you must have a signed Assumption of Risk and Release form on file in the Art & Design main office.

Lodging:

Participants sleep 4-to-a-room in the group's hotel.

Participants who have special rooming needs may contact Greg Clayton about the possibility and the cost of any available alternatives. 
Any such requests need to be made at least a month prior to the trip.

March '22 Hotel:  Hampton Inn Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
                            160 E. Huron Street, Chicago, Illinois 60611 
                            1 - 312 - 706 - 0888  

 

 

What do I need to bring?

Spring in Chicago is colder than here — the average temperature in late March is in the low 50's; in April the average high is 59; in May the average high is 70. In late February, Chicago's average high is 38, and average low is 28.
We hope, of course, to be above average in all things.

Current weather predictions include....                   March '22 Forecast: Highs ~50 ,     Nightime Lows: ~35-4            No Rain forecast                                                                                ( Ten-day Chicago forecast )

 

— One large suitcase/duffel and a carry-on (backpack, etc.)
— Very comfortable walking shoes.
— Phone, iPod or MP3 player for audio walking tours.
— digital camera (with plenty of memory cards, batteries and charger)
— sketch pad and pencils, etc.
— jacket or windbreaker in case of rainy weather      (check forecast)
— NOTE: if you will be visiting professional offices (Interior Designers, Graphic Designers), bring clothes appropriate for a professional setting  rather than standard campus/touring clothes.
— Keep your Harding student I.D. with you... some tours and museums require it for student-rate entry. If you don't have your I.D. in such cases you pay for full priced admission.
— Spring 2022  -- keep a copy of your Covid Vaccinations and/or recent Covid Tests.  Hopefully this is not needed, but bring what you have.     
If you have NOT been vaccinated, it is recommended (but not required) that you get a covid test on Tuesday or early Wednesday before departure from Searcy.  There may be sites which will require either proof of vaccination or a negative test -- though these expectations continue to change.       

 

 

 

(even if we're staying in a hostel rather than a hotel, bedding and towels are provided — you don't need to bring your own.)

Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House. 1909. Located in Hyde Park, south of downtown Chicago. (map)
Georges Seurat's Post-Impressionist masterpiece, Sunday Afternoon on the Island of Grande Jatte. 1884. At the Art Institute.

 

We're staying at the HiChicago Hostel on Congress Avenue, about 1 block from Michigan Ave. (which is Chicago's "Main Street") You can explore some of the hostel's amenities here.
If you've not stayed in a hostel, but have seen the movies, don't worry. This is one of the best hostels in the U.S. However, don't expect it to feel like the Hilton (which is just a few blocks a way). The hostel is a somewhere between a college dormitory and summer camp — its a great choice for a short stay. We'll be right in the middle of Chicago with easy access to most anything we can want, at a price we can manage.

Getting Around

Our hostel is located at the south edge of Chicago's Loop, on Congress Ave., about a block west of Michigan Ave.

Grant Wood's American Gothic, 1930, at the Art Institute.
Alexander Calder's 53' tall Flamingo, 1974 in Federal Plaza at Adams & Dearborn,near the center of the Loop.
The first Chicago project for Spanish architectural superstar Santiago Calatrava, the Chicago Spire. This 150 story, 2000' tall super skyscraper was to be completed in 2012*... but has not yet been built. It's site is located at 400 North Lake Shore Drive, near Navy Pier. (TheChicagoSpire.com) * ...or will it? explore the financial drama

 

What meals do I have to get myself?

Our hotel for the 2022 trip includes hot breakfasts.  
Since you have paid for these breakfasts in your trip fee, we do encourage you to take advantage of them.  

Other meals and food will be at your expense.
While there are a lot of options available, you'll usually need to spend more than you would in Searcy — and with all of Chicago's diverse restaurants and cafe's, you'll want to.

From Wednesday through Sunday evening you'll have  4 lunches and 4 dinners to cover. If you eat for $12/meal, that's $96. 
You may get some meals for less but you can certainly spend more for some meals.  

 
Breakfasts are available for free at our hostel until 9 a.m.
The usual selection? Cereal, fruit, bagels, muffins, milk, coffee, juice. ( alternative places to ea The best way to find places to eat is to ask around. Folks at the front desk (1st floor lobby) or information desk (hostel's 2nd floor common room) are usually very informed and very helpful. See notes on near-to-hostel restaurants and other interesting options.

 

Do I need to get permission to be out of my dorm?

No...but...

The Art & Design Dept will send a list of trip participants to the Dean 's office, which then gets sent to the dorm managers. (or so we're told)
You should, however STILL let your dorm parent know that you are going on the Art & Design Dept's Chicago Trip — leave them a note or whatever is appropriate at your dorm.

Frank Lloyd Wright home in Oak Park.
Claude Monet's Haystack series, Stacks of Wheat, End of Day, 1890 at the Art Institute.

 

What is there to do?

Everything.
          Next question.

 

The issue is not what is there to do, but which things do I most want to do, where can I do them, and when can I find time?

Navy Pier, Musicals, Plays, Comedy, Blues, (non-art) Museums, Walks...

Art Museums, Art Galleries, Public Art

Architecture

Shopping — including the Apple Store, Dick Blick, Utrecht, Pearl's, American Girl, Macy's

Places to Eat — especially near the hotel.

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Photo Challenges

We're not going to Chicago to tour, we're going to study — visual studies and professional studies.
That means looking and seeing a whole lot more than a tourist ever notices — and documenting what you discover.
You'll be given some photo challenges — images and sites to look for, architectural details and other Chicago experiences to capture.
After we get back, we'll each present some of our photos and sketches -- or other creations — in a "Small Works from the Big City" exhibit in a couple of weeks.

Take a look at the lists and challenges — see which one's you might use to open your eyes a bit wider in Chicago.

Guided Tours, Walking Tours & Audio Tours

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