Chicago Public Radio - Arts

Classical Music with a Beer Chaser

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Audio Available
A recent study finds the audience for classical music is shrinking and aging. The National Endowment for the Arts says the number of people at performances has dropped nearly a third since the early 1980s. Some young musicians say the problem is that too many people think classical music is stodgy or even elitist. They’re out to win new listeners by performing for free in unexpected places.

Fans in Gary Mourn Michael Jackson

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Fans of pop music icon Michael Jackson are gathering at his boyhood home in Gary, Ind., on the day of his memorial in Los Angeles.

Gary native Karl Malden Dies at 97

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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For the second time in less than a week, a Hollywood legend with ties to Gary, Indiana has died in Los Angeles. Academy Award winner Karl Malden passed away Wednesday at 97 years old.

Crown Point May Be Ready to Accept Dillinger

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

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One of the summer’s biggest movies opens nationwide today. Public Enemies stars Johnny Depp as outlaw John Dillinger. Parts of the movie were filmed last year in Crown Point, Indiana, about 45-minutes south of Chicago. For years, residents of Crown Point wanted nothing to do with Dillinger because of his escape from the jail there and the allegation that he murdered a local police officer. It seems the movie may be softening that stance but not for everyone.

New Sears Tower Attraction Isn't For the Faint of Heart

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Thrill-seekers will have a whole new way to see Chicago starting Thursday morning.

Preservation Agency Out of Michael Reese Battle

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A state historic preservation agency is pulling out of the fight to save the Michael Reese Hospital on Chicago's South Side. The city plans to tear down all but one building for its Olympic Village.

The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency says it's lost its authority to weigh in on the future of Michael Reese. The campus contains several buildings that famed Bauhaus architect Walter Gropius had a hand in designing.

Spokesman David Blanchette:

BLANCHETTE: We still are disappointed that we are not going to be involved in this process, and we fear for the future of the building.

Blanchette says the property is historic, but the agency can't act on it. The IHPA only had authority through another state agency, the Health Facilities Planning Board. But Blanchette says the planning board told the preservation agency it's not involved in the sale.

The board denies that.

Weis Promises Tighter Security for This Year's Taste

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The head of the Chicago Police Department is promising tighter security for the Taste of Chicago.

Can Chicago be a Hub for Independent Publishing?

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Audio Available
Attendance at the recent Printers Row Lit Fest fest held steady, even with cold winds and rain. Chicago officials see the throngs of people as a sign that the love of books endures, in spite of a weak economy and the explosion of digital media. So city officials and some local publishers have a plan -- let’s turn Chicago into a hub for independent presses.

RELATED: An audio tour of Independent Publishers Group

New Pavilion Opens in Chicago's Millennium Park

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

New Pavilion Opens in Chicago's Millennium Park

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT