What’s New

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team had a rough scheduling matchup in the first week of the 2022 season. They had to play against the Ohio State Buckeyes who are also one of the best college football teams in the country.

Of course, Notre Dame lost despite playing a respectable game and fell in the rankings from five to eight. Ohio State, despite winning, also fell in the rankings from two to three.

That ranking drop is partially because they had a close game (despite it being a quality opponent) and how good the Georgia Bulldogs are. Now, Notre Dame has to work on their own ranking to try and sneak into the four-team playoff at the end.

They are starting behind the eight ball but they have to put that game in the past and learn from it. The schedule lightens up a bit for a few weeks now and it starts with this week’s game against the Marshall Thundering Herd. That should be an easy win for the Irish.

Notre Dame should be able t win this game over Marshall on Saturday afternoon.

Of course, there is truly no such thing as an easy win as you will get destroyed if you treat it that way but Notre Dame should be able to make it look easy because of the talent disparity on both teams. Notre Dame has NFL-level prospects each year and this year is no different.

This is also the first home game for the Irish in 2022 which means that it is the first-ever home game for new head coach Marcus Freeman. It should be an exciting time for him and the rest of the Notre Dame fans in attendance.

Saturday will mark the first time that Notre Dame will ever faceoff against Marshall. That is significant as it is always interesting when two teams that don’t know anything about each other play against one another.

Marshall played against Norfolk State in week one where they destroyed them by a final score of 55-3. That is certainly a blowout game that might give them some confidence but things will be very different for them against the Irish on the road.

Again, this should be an easy win for Notre Dame on thier home field. They are a great team that needs to get both their offense and defense in a rhythm before the schedule gets really hard again.

This game against Marshall should be somewhat telling as far as the rest of the year. If Tyler Buchner is able to play quarterback well enough to get the offense rolling, they will win this game and take the momentum into next week.

Read More

You may or may not be aware that Craigslist closed its Personals section after the passage of SESTA in 2018. 

Contrary to lawmakers’ assumptions, people used Craigslist for totally legitimate reasons, including meeting people in their area, whether for friendship, casual hookups, or dating. 

Now that Craigslist Personals are no more, you may find yourself looking for alternatives in 2022. Well, look no further, as we’re about to share twenty of the best Craigslist Personals alternative websites so you can still meet people in your area online. 

There’s quite a large variety here, so you’ll want to be sure to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have similar issues to the ones that plagued Craigslist (and ended up getting them taken down). So, please take into account the following disclaimer.

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that may have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

That said, many of these sites can be a perfectly safe and easy way to meet people, so let’s get right into it!

1.) Reddit Personals

You’ve probably heard of Reddit. If not, it’s one of the largest communities online where people can post about anything and everything on what’s known as “subreddits.” One popular subreddit, which can serve as a Craigslist alternative, is r/r4r. Known as “Reddit Personals,” the subheading is “Activity Partners, Groups, Dating, Hanging Out, Soulmates, FWBs.” So, you can simply make your own ad here, let people know about yourself and what you’re looking for, and see if you get any kind of response. As Reddit is free, it’s pretty much a no-lose option. 

2.) Adult Friend Finder 

When it comes to Craigslist Personals alternatives for casual hookups, Adult Friend Finder is definitely a top choice. Self-billed as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Community,” this might very well be true as they have more than 100 million people with accounts. Similar to Ashley Madison, there’s a limited free option as well as paid tiers. With a paid subscription you can get access to features such as “Stories,” which gives you a chance to discuss your ideal dating life so that other people can easily see if you might be a match based on your goals or general vibes. 

Want more info about Adult Friend Finder? Check out our full review.

3.) Ashley Madison

It’s highly likely you’ve seen ads for Ashley Madison at some point, at least if you frequent *ahem* certain websites. That’s because Ashley Madison is bold about its purpose, as evidenced by its motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.” In essence, this is a site for connecting adults who are after casual hookups in a discreet fashion. For example, if you’re a paying subscriber, your credit card bill will simply read “Online services.” If you’re intent on taking advantage of all the features offered on the site, then you may want to be subscribe. There’s a handy feature, for example, called “Traveling Man” that lets you reach out to people from an area you’ll be visiting before you actually get there.

Need some more info about Ashley Madison before making a decision? Check out our full review here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar to Oodle and many other Craigslist lookalikes. For example, you have a category called “Casual Encounters” with a number of subcategories. There, you can post a personal ad to let people know what it is exactly that you’re hoping to find. As with Oodle, it appears to be mainly men posting in my area, with some of the female postings looking fairly suspicious. Be sure to use your best judgment, and Locanto could end up being a decent option for you to meet people. 

5.) Tinder 

Tinder likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction, as it’s become one of the most popular “dating” apps around. I put dating in scare quotes because, let’s face it, pretty much everyone knows Tinder’s reputation as an app for casual flings rather than serious dating. Not that that can’t happen, of course. Super popular with millennials and gen Z’ers in particular, Tinder is a fairly simple app. You see profiles of people in your area, then you swipe right if you’re interested or left if you aren’t. Then you’ll get matched up with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on you. From there, you can start messaging and see what happens. There’s a basic free version as well as a paid tier called Tinder Gold that gives you extra features and unlimited swiping. 

6.) Kasual (fka Yumi)

Formerly known as Yumi, Kasual is a nice alternative to Craigslist and the other sites mentioned here because it has a pretty unique premise. Instead of being matched up with other people by swiping or algorithms, Kasual connects you with other people randomly and you can just start chatting right away to see if you might be a fit. Available for iOS (iPhone) and Android, the app comes with a free version that’s pretty complete as is. You can always go for the Premium membership, of course, if you want to unlock more features. All in all, Kasual is kind of a cool alternative compared to Tinder and other dating sites because it’s primarily focused on casual hookups (hence the rebrand) and pairing people randomly. 

7.) Plenty of Fish 

POF, or Plenty of Fish, is a reference to the classic idea that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—put differently, don’t worry about being single or getting broken up with because there are tons of other people out there to meet. POF works as both a website or app, which is nice as some of these are only available as one or the other. As a dating site, it’s pretty typical in that you get matched up based on shared interests. You can also use a video-date feature, which is a nice way to get a feel for someone before you take the plunge with an in-person date. 

8.) Pernals

Logo

This is a great Craigslist substitute because it’s all about personal ads. Pernals gives you the opportunity to create your own personal ad for free. This means you can put exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a serious relationship, casual hookup, even a friend, etc. Pernals advertises itself as a Craigslist alternative, which is relatively uncommon among many of these alternatives reviewed here. Just like Craigslist you have the same types of categories: women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, etc. As of now it’s only available as an app, and you can download it for both iOS or Android. 

9.) Bedpage

Bedpage, as you might guess from the name, is more of a direct Backpage alternative. That said, it also has the same types of categories as Craigslist Personals had: women seeking women, men seeking women, etc. For casual encounters, you’ll want to check out the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. Just be careful, though, because a quick browse in my area revealed some people posting who are definitely scammers. 

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is quite similar to Craigslist. One thing that’s a little frustrating is that you have to sign up to browse the site. Their motto is “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious,” so it isn’t super hard to figure out what most people using this site are looking for. With more than three million users in the U.S., though, there’s a solid chance you might just find someone who’s a good match for you. As always, take care to watch out for scammers. 

11.) Oodle

Oodle is in many ways very close to Craigslist’s old personals page, with the usual categories like “Men Seeking Men,” “Men Seeking Women,” etc. You can use some handy filters on this site, which can help you easily narrow your options down. At least in my area there don’t appear to be a ton of people using Oodle, so it might not be your best bet. Depending on what you’re into, there were more men posting than women, so it might be worth your time or it might not be. 

12.) Ebackpage

Once again, Ebackpage is a clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. You can post and browse personal ads, with all the usual categories under “Dating” and “Adult” for people who are interested in casual encounters. The site doesn’t seem to have a large body of active users, however, so this might not be one of your best options. As with Bedpage and some of these other sites, you’ll need to be careful as there are some scammy looking postings on it. 

13.) Classified Ads

Classified Ads is, well, exactly what it sounds like. This is a solid Craigslist alternative because it’s super similar. Simply select “Personals” on the front page and you’ll see the classic categories: “Men Seeking Women,” “Missed Connections,” etc. There’s not a whole lot to tell you about this site—it’s quite straightforward and either you’ll find some options in your area or you won’t. 

14.) Grindr

Grindr is basically Tinder but specifically for gay men. In other words, there’s a focus primarily on hookups, but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only possibility. If you’re a gay man after casual encounters, this might very well be the only app or site that you need. If you’re not a gay man, however, Grindr won’t be of much use to you. 

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. As you can see on their website, their tagline is “Discreet Hook-Ups.” Like many of these sites, you have the option to post a personal ad so that you can get yourself out there and see if other people respond. You can also browse and see if anyone appeals to you. Unfortunately, you have to sign up in order to browse or post an ad. All in all, this is a decent option and has some positive reviews going for it online. 

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid has been around for ages and it’s survived until today, so it must be doing something right. You can download it for iOS or Android, which is always nice. Another solid aspect of OkCupid is that it doesn’t require a paid membership in order to look for matches or message people. That said, like most dating sites nowadays, you may be tempted to pay in order to unlock certain features. Another plus is that OkCupid tries to be as inclusive as possible, meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. 

17.) FetLife Classifieds

With over 10 million members, FetLife might very well be the biggest social network out there for kinky people. This is a nice draw as many people may feel insecure or ostracized by their kinks. Well, you can pretty much count on finding at least one other person who shares your interests on FetLife, which works as solid Craigslist ad if you want to find your freaky soulmate. 

18.) Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, you likely already know about Kijiji. It’s a platform where you can find just about anything, from pets and cars to services and vacation rentals. That said, it also works as a Craigslist alternative if you go to their “Community” section. There, you can check categories like “Friendship & Networking” and “Missed Connections” to post an ad or see if there are any there. That said, it doesn’t appear that these categories are nearly as active as others, so it might not be your best bet. 

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar to FetLife in that it’s a site specifically for people who are into BDSM and kinks/fetishes. That said, its site has a kind of old-school vibe to it, and not in a good way. It looks rather clunky and the kind of thing you would see advertised on a porn site rather than the more elegant looking FetLife. It also looks like they take random fake profiles and put your city’s name underneath them on the home page in order to entice you (much like porn site ads often do). So, while you’re free to explore Alt, I would try FetLife first if you’re looking for people to get kinky with. 

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Didn’t Craigslist ban the Personals section? Yes. Nonetheless, people are always adept at bending the rules and finding workarounds. So, although there’s no “Personals” section per se, you can still find people posting in order to meet up on Craigslist. For example, you can try the “Activities” section or the “Missed Connections” section in your area and you might very well see postings by people looking to meet up for casual encounters. 

Final Thoughts 

Although Craigslist Personals were banned, luckily there are plenty of alternatives available. That said, there’s a lot of variety to these options (as you can tell if you read all the reviews above). So, ultimately, whatever you end up choosing to use will depend on what you’re looking for, where you are, etc.

For the most part, if you’re in the U.S. you may want to stick with one of the major dating or hookup apps—Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, AshleyMadison, etc. If you’re in Canada, then you can try Kijiji, but it doesn’t necessarily have a lot going for it as a casual hookup site. 

The main thing is that you use good judgment and stay safe. A lot of Craigslist alternatives are loaded with scammers looking to take advantage of lonely people. It’s sad, yes, but true. Remember to follow basic common sense and never send anyone personal information or money before you’ve actually met them and verified that everything is legitimate. If you’re ever in doubt, you should probably recognize that and listen to your gut!

Ultimately, there are still plenty of ways for people to meet other people online via social media and the above sites. So long as you’re careful, there’s plenty of fun to be had. 

Read More

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

Read More

You may or may not be aware that Craigslist closed its Personals section after the passage of SESTA in 2018. 

Contrary to lawmakers’ assumptions, people used Craigslist for totally legitimate reasons, including meeting people in their area, whether for friendship, casual hookups, or dating. 

Now that Craigslist Personals are no more, you may find yourself looking for alternatives in 2022. Well, look no further, as we’re about to share twenty of the best Craigslist Personals alternative websites so you can still meet people in your area online. 

There’s quite a large variety here, so you’ll want to be sure to read through to find out which site or app may be the best choice for you. Also, you should be aware that some of these pages may have similar issues to the ones that plagued Craigslist (and ended up getting them taken down). So, please take into account the following disclaimer.

While most of these sites are perfectly legitimate, there are a few that may have scams and/or ads for illegal activities. In general, you should always exercise extreme caution. Remember to meet in a public place and always trust your gut.

That said, many of these sites can be a perfectly safe and easy way to meet people, so let’s get right into it!

1.) Reddit Personals

You’ve probably heard of Reddit. If not, it’s one of the largest communities online where people can post about anything and everything on what’s known as “subreddits.” One popular subreddit, which can serve as a Craigslist alternative, is r/r4r. Known as “Reddit Personals,” the subheading is “Activity Partners, Groups, Dating, Hanging Out, Soulmates, FWBs.” So, you can simply make your own ad here, let people know about yourself and what you’re looking for, and see if you get any kind of response. As Reddit is free, it’s pretty much a no-lose option. 

2.) Adult Friend Finder 

When it comes to Craigslist Personals alternatives for casual hookups, Adult Friend Finder is definitely a top choice. Self-billed as “The World’s Largest Sex Dating Site & Swinger Community,” this might very well be true as they have more than 100 million people with accounts. Similar to Ashley Madison, there’s a limited free option as well as paid tiers. With a paid subscription you can get access to features such as “Stories,” which gives you a chance to discuss your ideal dating life so that other people can easily see if you might be a match based on your goals or general vibes. 

Want more info about Adult Friend Finder? Check out our full review.

3.) Ashley Madison

It’s highly likely you’ve seen ads for Ashley Madison at some point, at least if you frequent *ahem* certain websites. That’s because Ashley Madison is bold about its purpose, as evidenced by its motto: “Life is short. Have an affair.” In essence, this is a site for connecting adults who are after casual hookups in a discreet fashion. For example, if you’re a paying subscriber, your credit card bill will simply read “Online services.” If you’re intent on taking advantage of all the features offered on the site, then you may want to be subscribe. There’s a handy feature, for example, called “Traveling Man” that lets you reach out to people from an area you’ll be visiting before you actually get there.

Need some more info about Ashley Madison before making a decision? Check out our full review here.

4.) Locanto

Locanto is very similar to Oodle and many other Craigslist lookalikes. For example, you have a category called “Casual Encounters” with a number of subcategories. There, you can post a personal ad to let people know what it is exactly that you’re hoping to find. As with Oodle, it appears to be mainly men posting in my area, with some of the female postings looking fairly suspicious. Be sure to use your best judgment, and Locanto could end up being a decent option for you to meet people. 

5.) Tinder 

Tinder likely doesn’t need a whole lot of introduction, as it’s become one of the most popular “dating” apps around. I put dating in scare quotes because, let’s face it, pretty much everyone knows Tinder’s reputation as an app for casual flings rather than serious dating. Not that that can’t happen, of course. Super popular with millennials and gen Z’ers in particular, Tinder is a fairly simple app. You see profiles of people in your area, then you swipe right if you’re interested or left if you aren’t. Then you’ll get matched up with people who you swiped right on who also swiped right on you. From there, you can start messaging and see what happens. There’s a basic free version as well as a paid tier called Tinder Gold that gives you extra features and unlimited swiping. 

6.) Kasual (fka Yumi)

Formerly known as Yumi, Kasual is a nice alternative to Craigslist and the other sites mentioned here because it has a pretty unique premise. Instead of being matched up with other people by swiping or algorithms, Kasual connects you with other people randomly and you can just start chatting right away to see if you might be a fit. Available for iOS (iPhone) and Android, the app comes with a free version that’s pretty complete as is. You can always go for the Premium membership, of course, if you want to unlock more features. All in all, Kasual is kind of a cool alternative compared to Tinder and other dating sites because it’s primarily focused on casual hookups (hence the rebrand) and pairing people randomly. 

7.) Plenty of Fish 

POF, or Plenty of Fish, is a reference to the classic idea that there are “plenty of fish in the sea”—put differently, don’t worry about being single or getting broken up with because there are tons of other people out there to meet. POF works as both a website or app, which is nice as some of these are only available as one or the other. As a dating site, it’s pretty typical in that you get matched up based on shared interests. You can also use a video-date feature, which is a nice way to get a feel for someone before you take the plunge with an in-person date. 

8.) Pernals

Logo

This is a great Craigslist substitute because it’s all about personal ads. Pernals gives you the opportunity to create your own personal ad for free. This means you can put exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s a serious relationship, casual hookup, even a friend, etc. Pernals advertises itself as a Craigslist alternative, which is relatively uncommon among many of these alternatives reviewed here. Just like Craigslist you have the same types of categories: women seeking women, women seeking men, men seeking women, etc. As of now it’s only available as an app, and you can download it for both iOS or Android. 

9.) Bedpage

Bedpage, as you might guess from the name, is more of a direct Backpage alternative. That said, it also has the same types of categories as Craigslist Personals had: women seeking women, men seeking women, etc. For casual encounters, you’ll want to check out the “Dating” and “Adult” categories. Just be careful, though, because a quick browse in my area revealed some people posting who are definitely scammers. 

10.) Doublelist

Doublelist is quite similar to Craigslist. One thing that’s a little frustrating is that you have to sign up to browse the site. Their motto is “Connect with straight, gay, bi and curious,” so it isn’t super hard to figure out what most people using this site are looking for. With more than three million users in the U.S., though, there’s a solid chance you might just find someone who’s a good match for you. As always, take care to watch out for scammers. 

11.) Oodle

Oodle is in many ways very close to Craigslist’s old personals page, with the usual categories like “Men Seeking Men,” “Men Seeking Women,” etc. You can use some handy filters on this site, which can help you easily narrow your options down. At least in my area there don’t appear to be a ton of people using Oodle, so it might not be your best bet. Depending on what you’re into, there were more men posting than women, so it might be worth your time or it might not be. 

12.) Ebackpage

Once again, Ebackpage is a clear Backpage/Craigslist copy. You can post and browse personal ads, with all the usual categories under “Dating” and “Adult” for people who are interested in casual encounters. The site doesn’t seem to have a large body of active users, however, so this might not be one of your best options. As with Bedpage and some of these other sites, you’ll need to be careful as there are some scammy looking postings on it. 

13.) Classified Ads

Classified Ads is, well, exactly what it sounds like. This is a solid Craigslist alternative because it’s super similar. Simply select “Personals” on the front page and you’ll see the classic categories: “Men Seeking Women,” “Missed Connections,” etc. There’s not a whole lot to tell you about this site—it’s quite straightforward and either you’ll find some options in your area or you won’t. 

14.) Grindr

Grindr is basically Tinder but specifically for gay men. In other words, there’s a focus primarily on hookups, but that doesn’t mean that that’s the only possibility. If you’re a gay man after casual encounters, this might very well be the only app or site that you need. If you’re not a gay man, however, Grindr won’t be of much use to you. 

15.) HealthyFling

HealthyFling, like Ashley Madison, emphasizes discretion. As you can see on their website, their tagline is “Discreet Hook-Ups.” Like many of these sites, you have the option to post a personal ad so that you can get yourself out there and see if other people respond. You can also browse and see if anyone appeals to you. Unfortunately, you have to sign up in order to browse or post an ad. All in all, this is a decent option and has some positive reviews going for it online. 

16.) OkCupid

OkCupid has been around for ages and it’s survived until today, so it must be doing something right. You can download it for iOS or Android, which is always nice. Another solid aspect of OkCupid is that it doesn’t require a paid membership in order to look for matches or message people. That said, like most dating sites nowadays, you may be tempted to pay in order to unlock certain features. Another plus is that OkCupid tries to be as inclusive as possible, meaning there’s pretty much something for everyone on there. 

17.) FetLife Classifieds

With over 10 million members, FetLife might very well be the biggest social network out there for kinky people. This is a nice draw as many people may feel insecure or ostracized by their kinks. Well, you can pretty much count on finding at least one other person who shares your interests on FetLife, which works as solid Craigslist ad if you want to find your freaky soulmate. 

18.) Kijiji

If you’re in Canada, you likely already know about Kijiji. It’s a platform where you can find just about anything, from pets and cars to services and vacation rentals. That said, it also works as a Craigslist alternative if you go to their “Community” section. There, you can check categories like “Friendship & Networking” and “Missed Connections” to post an ad or see if there are any there. That said, it doesn’t appear that these categories are nearly as active as others, so it might not be your best bet. 

19.) Alt.com

Alt.com is similar to FetLife in that it’s a site specifically for people who are into BDSM and kinks/fetishes. That said, its site has a kind of old-school vibe to it, and not in a good way. It looks rather clunky and the kind of thing you would see advertised on a porn site rather than the more elegant looking FetLife. It also looks like they take random fake profiles and put your city’s name underneath them on the home page in order to entice you (much like porn site ads often do). So, while you’re free to explore Alt, I would try FetLife first if you’re looking for people to get kinky with. 

20.) Craigslist

Wait, what? Didn’t Craigslist ban the Personals section? Yes. Nonetheless, people are always adept at bending the rules and finding workarounds. So, although there’s no “Personals” section per se, you can still find people posting in order to meet up on Craigslist. For example, you can try the “Activities” section or the “Missed Connections” section in your area and you might very well see postings by people looking to meet up for casual encounters. 

Final Thoughts 

Although Craigslist Personals were banned, luckily there are plenty of alternatives available. That said, there’s a lot of variety to these options (as you can tell if you read all the reviews above). So, ultimately, whatever you end up choosing to use will depend on what you’re looking for, where you are, etc.

For the most part, if you’re in the U.S. you may want to stick with one of the major dating or hookup apps—Tinder, Adult Friend Finder, AshleyMadison, etc. If you’re in Canada, then you can try Kijiji, but it doesn’t necessarily have a lot going for it as a casual hookup site. 

The main thing is that you use good judgment and stay safe. A lot of Craigslist alternatives are loaded with scammers looking to take advantage of lonely people. It’s sad, yes, but true. Remember to follow basic common sense and never send anyone personal information or money before you’ve actually met them and verified that everything is legitimate. If you’re ever in doubt, you should probably recognize that and listen to your gut!

Ultimately, there are still plenty of ways for people to meet other people online via social media and the above sites. So long as you’re careful, there’s plenty of fun to be had. 

Read More

Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky riffs on the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty, and interviews politicians, activists, journalists and other political know-it-alls. Presented by the Chicago Reader, the show is available by 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays at chicagoreader.com/joravsky—or wherever you get your podcasts. Don’t miss Oh, What a Week!–the Friday feature in which Ben & producer Dennis (aka, Dr. D.) review the week’s top stories. Also, bonus interviews drop on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. 

Chicago Reader podcasts are recorded on Shure microphones. Learn more at Shure.com.

Chicago Reader senior writer Ben Joravsky discusses the day’s stories with his celebrated humor, insight, and honesty on The Ben Joravsky Show.

Read More

If art fairs like EXPO and Frieze are about making a splash with Instagrammable booths and recouping onerous exhibition fees, what are smaller-scale alternative ones for? MdW, an alternative art fair first held in Chicago in 2011 and now back after a decade-long hiatus, proposes a simple yet radical purpose: for the art community to convene in person and support one another’s work.

Public Media Institute (PMI) decided to bring the fair back in 2019, during a meeting of artist-run spaces organized by Hyde Park Art Center, ahead of their 2020 blockbuster exhibition, “Artists Run Chicago 2.0.” The pandemic delayed their initial plan to hold the fair in 2020, though the extra time allowed them to slow down and bring in additional planning partners. 

The first three iterations of MdW (pronounced Midway) were organized by a slate of artist-run Chicago spaces: Threewalls, Roots & Culture, Document, and PMI. For this year’s version, PMI worked with seven organizing partners from throughout the midwest to plan the three-day event, which runs from September 9-11 at Mana Contemporary. In addition to the fair, titled MdW Assembly, the partners also put together two new companion programs: MdW Drifts (road trips to midwestern art hubs) and MdW Atlas (a daily online publication).

MdW Drifts interactive map screen shot Credit: Courtesy Public Media Institute

“The model has been more anarchic than it was before,” says PMI managing director Nick Wylie. “The Assembly at the MdW fairs in the past was like: people sitting on a panel, presenting slides, and people watching and listening. There was a big consensus from the organizing partners that it’s been so long since people have really seen each other, or interacted, that they didn’t want people just sitting watching a screen, which we’ve done all pandemic.”

MdW AssemblyOpening reception Fri 9/9, 5-8 PM. Open hours Sat 9/10, noon-9 PM, and Sun 9/11, 1-5 PM, with evening programming Saturday (6-9 PM), Mana Contemporary Chicago, 2233 S. Throop, and Co-Prosperity Sphere (Saturday night), 3219 S. Morgan, mdwfair.com 

Instead of a formal programming schedule, there will be five open program areas that fair participants can tap into as they see fit: the Agora, a seating area meant for informal conversations; a printing area, complete with a Risograph, that will function like a “live analog Twitter;” a screening room; a cafe; and an unraised “stage” area where performances will take place. 

The programming will take place on Mana’s second floor, which will also house pavilions designed by each organizing partner, showcasing projects from their states. Public Space One, an organizing partner from Iowa City, will unveil an off-the-grid stand-alone WiFi network, the Iowa Itinerant Internet (iii), “which will be loaded with digital art and artifacts from Iowa artists for sharing with anyone in range of the base station.” 

Over 50 artist-run projects will take over Mana’s fourth floor, not with traditional fair booths, but with presentations on walls, tables, and other makeshift arrangements.  About half of the participants are Chicago-based, with the other half from the greater midwest. Rogers Park gallery Roman Susan will be announcing their nonprofit transition through a spoof on a trade show booth, with live screen printing on recycled or reclaimed tote bags. Art collaborative Red Line Service will be serving food to people with lived experiences of homelessness.

It’s a fitting time for MdW to return. Several like-minded events have come to a close in recent years. Open Engagement, a conference on socially-engaged art founded by Jen Delos Reyes, ended in 2018. Earlier in 2022, Common Field, which has held convenings for independent art organizations since 2013, announced that it would be closing this year. The last Creative Time Summit was in 2019. 

While PMI has long championed community-based art, the lessons learned the past few years have made the new MdW even more focused on the importance of cooperation and the power of artist-run projects. Early on in the pandemic, PMI launched The Quarantine Times, a publication that commissioned work from the Chicago creative community, helping to redirect funds at a crucial period. They also started Community Kitchen, an ongoing project that provides jobs for food service workers by offering free meals to the community. 

WQRT Indianapolis community radio station manager Oreo Jones teaching sound principles to youth as part of the station’s Big Car Collaborative project. Credit: Courtesy MdW Fair

“It feels important to be able to share strategies and ways that we have all worked to shift towards mutual aid models or ways that our networks have been aiding in emergency response networks, if that’s cultural emergency or pandemic emergency,” Wylie says. “These are conversations I think people are wanting to have and have been having in Zoom conferences and stuff.”

This is part of the power of artist-run organizations: they are often not beholden to boards or corporate sponsors. At a time when the art world, like many other fields, is rightly critiquing problematic, and often unjust, structures—from pay disparity to censorship to exploitative labor practices, among other issues—smaller, more independent projects are free to reimagine their world. Not only can they show art that may not have obvious market value;they can work in different communities, not just downtown or in centralized art hubs, they can hand over programming to the community, they can raise funds or provide services to those in need, they can use their expertise to build housing, organize against state surveillance, grow food. The possibilities for transformation are endless.

So while Wylie notes that the pandemic is certainly not over—they are taking COVID precautions and masks are recommended inside Mana—they are looking forward to cautiously gathering and connecting in ways that can be hard to do online. “In the past MdWs a lot of people went and saw all these projects and platforms and opportunities to have a thriving practice that’s not local to one city,” he says. “You can drive your work to Milwaukee and show with these people that you met at the fair. Enduring relationships were sort of forged in these last MdW iterations. I think that that’s just having space and time for people to gather and make those connections, as simple as that sounds. But if that’s the only goal that we achieve, that’s core to what we want to do.”

Read More

If art fairs like EXPO and Frieze are about making a splash with Instagrammable booths and recouping onerous exhibition fees, what are smaller-scale alternative ones for? MdW, an alternative art fair first held in Chicago in 2011 and now back after a decade-long hiatus, proposes a simple yet radical purpose: for the art community to convene in person and support one another’s work.

Public Media Institute (PMI) decided to bring the fair back in 2019, during a meeting of artist-run spaces organized by Hyde Park Art Center, ahead of their 2020 blockbuster exhibition, “Artists Run Chicago 2.0.” The pandemic delayed their initial plan to hold the fair in 2020, though the extra time allowed them to slow down and bring in additional planning partners. 

The first three iterations of MdW (pronounced Midway) were organized by a slate of artist-run Chicago spaces: Threewalls, Roots & Culture, Document, and PMI. For this year’s version, PMI worked with seven organizing partners from throughout the midwest to plan the three-day event, which runs from September 9-11 at Mana Contemporary. In addition to the fair, titled MdW Assembly, the partners also put together two new companion programs: MdW Drifts (road trips to midwestern art hubs) and MdW Atlas (a daily online publication).

MdW Drifts interactive map screen shot Credit: Courtesy Public Media Institute

“The model has been more anarchic than it was before,” says PMI managing director Nick Wylie. “The Assembly at the MdW fairs in the past was like: people sitting on a panel, presenting slides, and people watching and listening. There was a big consensus from the organizing partners that it’s been so long since people have really seen each other, or interacted, that they didn’t want people just sitting watching a screen, which we’ve done all pandemic.”

MdW AssemblyOpening reception Fri 9/9, 5-8 PM. Open hours Sat 9/10, noon-9 PM, and Sun 9/11, 1-5 PM, with evening programming Saturday (6-9 PM), Mana Contemporary Chicago, 2233 S. Throop, and Co-Prosperity Sphere (Saturday night), 3219 S. Morgan, mdwfair.com 

Instead of a formal programming schedule, there will be five open program areas that fair participants can tap into as they see fit: the Agora, a seating area meant for informal conversations; a printing area, complete with a Risograph, that will function like a “live analog Twitter;” a screening room; a cafe; and an unraised “stage” area where performances will take place. 

The programming will take place on Mana’s second floor, which will also house pavilions designed by each organizing partner, showcasing projects from their states. Public Space One, an organizing partner from Iowa City, will unveil an off-the-grid stand-alone WiFi network, the Iowa Itinerant Internet (iii), “which will be loaded with digital art and artifacts from Iowa artists for sharing with anyone in range of the base station.” 

Over 50 artist-run projects will take over Mana’s fourth floor, not with traditional fair booths, but with presentations on walls, tables, and other makeshift arrangements.  About half of the participants are Chicago-based, with the other half from the greater midwest. Rogers Park gallery Roman Susan will be announcing their nonprofit transition through a spoof on a trade show booth, with live screen printing on recycled or reclaimed tote bags. Art collaborative Red Line Service will be serving food to people with lived experiences of homelessness.

It’s a fitting time for MdW to return. Several like-minded events have come to a close in recent years. Open Engagement, a conference on socially-engaged art founded by Jen Delos Reyes, ended in 2018. Earlier in 2022, Common Field, which has held convenings for independent art organizations since 2013, announced that it would be closing this year. The last Creative Time Summit was in 2019. 

While PMI has long championed community-based art, the lessons learned the past few years have made the new MdW even more focused on the importance of cooperation and the power of artist-run projects. Early on in the pandemic, PMI launched The Quarantine Times, a publication that commissioned work from the Chicago creative community, helping to redirect funds at a crucial period. They also started Community Kitchen, an ongoing project that provides jobs for food service workers by offering free meals to the community. 

WQRT Indianapolis community radio station manager Oreo Jones teaching sound principles to youth as part of the station’s Big Car Collaborative project. Credit: Courtesy MdW Fair

“It feels important to be able to share strategies and ways that we have all worked to shift towards mutual aid models or ways that our networks have been aiding in emergency response networks, if that’s cultural emergency or pandemic emergency,” Wylie says. “These are conversations I think people are wanting to have and have been having in Zoom conferences and stuff.”

This is part of the power of artist-run organizations: they are often not beholden to boards or corporate sponsors. At a time when the art world, like many other fields, is rightly critiquing problematic, and often unjust, structures—from pay disparity to censorship to exploitative labor practices, among other issues—smaller, more independent projects are free to reimagine their world. Not only can they show art that may not have obvious market value;they can work in different communities, not just downtown or in centralized art hubs, they can hand over programming to the community, they can raise funds or provide services to those in need, they can use their expertise to build housing, organize against state surveillance, grow food. The possibilities for transformation are endless.

So while Wylie notes that the pandemic is certainly not over—they are taking COVID precautions and masks are recommended inside Mana—they are looking forward to cautiously gathering and connecting in ways that can be hard to do online. “In the past MdWs a lot of people went and saw all these projects and platforms and opportunities to have a thriving practice that’s not local to one city,” he says. “You can drive your work to Milwaukee and show with these people that you met at the fair. Enduring relationships were sort of forged in these last MdW iterations. I think that that’s just having space and time for people to gather and make those connections, as simple as that sounds. But if that’s the only goal that we achieve, that’s core to what we want to do.”

Read More

The Chicago Bears have to wait until Sunday afternoon to get their season going against the San Francisco 49ers. It is a tough draw for the Bears in the first game as San Francisco has one of the best rosters in the entire National Football League. The quarterback will be the key for them.

The 49ers’ biggest threat in the division (NFC West) opened the 2022 NFL season on Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills. That is the defending Super Bowl Champion Los Angeles Rams who revealed their banner ahead of the game.

Many people believe that these are the two overall rosters that compete with the 49ers at the top of the league. The difference is that each of them has an elite quarterback as we are not sure what to make of San Francisco’s situation as of yet.

Buffalo won this big game, however, to get started in what might be a magical season for them. Every NFL fan was watching and enjoying the game but the Chicago Bears fans might have noticed something odd about one of Los Angeles’s players.

Thursday Night Football made the Chicago Bears look smart in one area.

Allen Robinson signed with the Rams to be one of Matthew Stafford’s primary targets. With Cooper Kupp lining up on the other side of the field as him, you would think that things would be much better for Robinson in that situation.

It is early but this game made it look like the Bears made a strong decision by letting him go. He did not have a good year with Chicago in 2021 and it seemed like Matt Nagy was the primary reason for his struggles.

With that, he better hope that he is better going forward otherwise the Bears are going to look smarter and smarter. Allen Robinson made one catch in the entire football game. Although it was good for 12 yards which is a lot for one reception, that can’t be it for him in a game.

It wasn’t completely his fault, however, as he was out there for most of the game but was only targeted twice. He caught the first one and the second one was on the last play of the game that went incomplete. That is something that the Rams and Robinson need to fix together.

Following the game, Rams head coach Sean McVay explained why that was the case by blaming the lack of rhythm in the offense. That may or may not be true but the same issue occurred last year with the Bears.

Matthew Stafford is the best quarterback that Robinson has ever had throw to him in the NFL and it isn’t close. Blake Bortles, Mitch Trubisky, Mike Glennon, Andy Dalton, and a year-one version of Justin Fields don’t even come close to comparing.

To replace Robinson, Darnell Mooney will now officially be the number one guy for the Bears. As Fields continues to develop, he needs the right weapons to grow with him and it is looking more and more like Robinson’s departure was a good thing.

Read More

If you’re looking for music that pulls no punches, head over to Subterranean (2011 W. North) this weekend for Dreary North Fest, three nights of extreme music running the gamut from difficult noise and grindcore to experimental hip-hop and “postapocalyptic metal” (as Reader senior writer Leor Galil describes the wonderfully named band Urine Hell in his preview of the festival). It’s not for everyone, but if you know, you know. Tonight’s lineup boasts grind from the Virginia band Suppression (in the last performance slot of the evening, which organizers estimate as 12:50 AM), Chicago hip-hop duo Angry Blackmen (9:40 PM), and a dizzying array of more bands, starting at 2:30 PM. Dreary North continues Saturday and Sunday (2 PM until the wee hours both days). More information is available at the organizers’s Facebook page and advance tickets are available at Subterranean’s website. (SCJ)

And “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” may not resonate with everyone either, but if you know, you know. The National Museum of Mexican Art certainly knows, as they host a Selena Tribute Concert tonight at Pritzker Pavilion (201 E. Randolph). The free evening dedicated to the queen of Tejano music features performances from singers Jennifer Peña and Sarah La Morena, Selena impersonator Karla Perez, Mariachi Perla de Mexico with Tessa Lopez, and drag performance by Ivanna Rubio, Venus Carangi, Angelicia Diamond, Illana’s Illusion, and Luna La Catrina. The presentation starts at 6 PM, and more information is available at the National Museum of Mexican Art’s website. (SCJ)

The singer Selena performed her last televised concert at Houston’s Astrodome in 1995.

Code of the Freaks, Chicago director Salome Chasnoff’s 2020 collaboration with the late writer Susan Nussbaum and scholars Alyson Patsavas and Carrie Sandahl, enjoys its world theatrical premiere tonight at the Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N. State). The documentary studies the often discriminatory practices of mainstream filmmaking and Hollywood productions which choose ableism over featuring human stories and disabled creators. Reader contributor Colleen Morrissey previewed Code of the Freaks and spoke to Nussbaum and Chasnoff for us in May. Tonight’s 6:30 PM screening will be followed by a discussion with Chasnoff, and then a 9 PM screening of Tod Browning’s 1932 film Freaks (which inspired Code of the Freaks’s title). You can also catch the documentary tomorrow or Sunday at 2 PM. Advance tickets and more information are available at the Film Center’s website. (SCJ)

It’s the closing weekend for “All That Light,” the survey show focused on ten years of the Artists-in-Residence program shepherded by the University of Chicago’s Arts + Public Life initiative along with the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture. You can check out the exhibition at its two gallery locations (Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield, and Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th) during regular hours through Sunday (noon-7 PM today through Sunday for Arts Incubator; Logan is 9 AM-9 PM today and tomorrow, 11 AM-9 PM on Sunday). The Logan Center for the Arts also hosts tonight’s All That Light performance showcase, featuring exhibition participants AJ McClenon, Amina Ross, Aquil “AQ” Charlton, avery r. young, LeRoy Bach, and Yaw Agyeman. The free performance (registration requested at Eventbrite) starts at 7 PM, and is preceded by a 6 PM tour of the Logan Center’s portion of the show with curator Tracie D. Hall. More information is available at the Arts + Public Life website. (SCJ)

Shattered Globe Theatre kicks off its season with the local premiere of Stew, Zora Howard’s 2021 Pulitzer Prize finalist about the women of the Tucker family, whose collective attempt to make the title dish ends up peeling back onionlike layers of conflict and comradeship in their shared history. Malkia Stampley directs a cast that includes Velma Austin, Demetra Dee, Jazzma Pryor, and Jasmine Cheri Rush. Previews begin tonight at 8 PM at Theater Wit (1229 W. Belmont); the show runs through 10/22 (Thu-Sat 8 PM, Sun 3 PM). Tonight, tickets are pay what you can; other performances run $25-$45, with discounts for students and seniors. Visit sgtheatre.org for info and reservations. (KR)

Read More