The 4th Annual Conference of the Catholic Art Institute, October 30 in Chicago

On October 30, the Catholic Art Institute, a Chicago-based Catholic Arts organization, will host another landmark conference bringing together today’s leading artists and scholars, to rediscover the power of Beauty in the modern world. This year, the Institute welcomes Scottish composer and conductor Sir James MacMillan as the keynote speaker; also presenting will be Alexander Stoddart, Sculptor in Ordinary to King Charles the III, as well as James McCrery, II AIA, NCARB award winning architect and Principal of McCrery Architects.

The theme of this year’s conference theme is “Art & Virtue,” and the event will take place at Chicago’s Athenaeum Theater. located at 2936 N. Southprt Avenue. The theater is a beautiful art deco building that seats 1100 attendees. Two basic ticket types will be available; ones for the presentations only, and another that include lunch, an elegant three course dinner and open bar, followed by a panel discussion with the conference presenters. Ticket prices start at $48 for tickets without catering and $275 for tickets that include lunch, dinner, and the panel discussion. VIP tickets are also available to include a thirty minute reception with the speakers. For details and to purchase tickets, please visit:
http://www.catholicartinstitute.org/conference2022 .

Sponsorship ads and tables are available for reservation. For details and to reserve your ad or table, please visit:
https://www.catholicartinstitute.org/sponsorships .

Additionally, the conference will begin with a Solemn High Mass featuring selections Sir James MacMillan, in Chicago’s historic St. John Cantius Church, a parish known for bringing beauty into Christian worship.

“Return to Beauty”: Catholic Art Institute Conference in Chicago, October 24

On Sunday, October 24th, the Catholic Art Institute, a Chicago-based community of artists, will host a major conference bringing together leading artists and scholars to rediscover the power of Beauty in the modern world.

The conference, entitled “Return to Beauty,” will feature Sohrab Ahmari, columnist for many publications including the New York Post and The Catholic Herald, and author of several books including The New Philistines and The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in an Age of Chaos. His presentation will be titled “Liminality, Communitas, and Beauty” in reference to cultural anthropologist Victor Turner’s defense of the Tridentine Mass.

Also presenting is renowned art historian, author, and Vatican tour guide Elizabeth Lev, whose recent books include the acclaimed How Catholic Art Saved the Faith. Her presentation, “Returning to Wonder – Lessons from the Giants of Italian Art,” will discuss why Christians initially became involved with art, and how they employed human creativity to underscore key Christian beliefs.

Filmmaker and podcaster Cameron O’Hearn, whose visionary work Mass of the Ages has garnered over a half-million views on YouTube, will also present. His talk, “Beauty Will Save the World”, will discuss how art changed the course of his life, and how artists can change the world by reminding us of our purpose.

This ground-breaking event opens with a Solemn High Mass featuring Renaissance choral music in the baroque splendor of Chicago’s historic St John Cantius Church, a parish well known for bringing beauty into Christian worship.

Conference presentations will take place at the The Drake Hotel, accompanied by a sumptuous lunch buffet, a four-course dinner banquet, culminating in a panel discussion with the speakers, moderated by art critic for The Federalist, William Newton.

“Beauty has been denigrated in today’s culture as a result of the prevalent utilitarian ideology. This unfortunately relegates those with artistic gifts to the periphery or worse, and tells them their gifts are useless,” says organizer and CAI President Kathleen Carr, who is also an award- winning fine artist. “This conference will shine a light on the necessity of Beauty in the modern world and offer an opportunity for fellowship, networking and a path to restoration.”

Everyone is welcome to attend: for tickets and details, please visit www.catholicartinstitute.org/conference2021

Inquires or requests for interviews can be directed to kcarr@catholicartinstitute.org