ALL PROGRAMS

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

PAST PROGRAMS

MUSIC

CALENDAR
Qais Essar & Sonny Singh: SANGAT Album Release Concert
Nov 8
Qais Essar & Sonny Singh: SANGAT Album Release Concert
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwali Concert (Sunday)
Oct 26
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwali Concert (Sunday)
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwali Concert (Saturday)
Oct 25
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwali Concert (Saturday)
Echoes of Bollywood: Cinematic Strings and Stories
Oct 11
Echoes of Bollywood: Cinematic Strings and Stories
Khumariyaan in Concert
Jul 19
Khumariyaan in Concert
Ravi Chary and Amit Kavthekar: Sitar and Tabla Recital
May 31
Ravi Chary and Amit Kavthekar: Sitar and Tabla Recital
South Asian Classical Music Talk and Workshop By Alam Khan
May 17
South Asian Classical Music Talk and Workshop By Alam Khan
Alam Khan : A Classical Sarod Concert
May 16
Alam Khan : A Classical Sarod Concert
Arun Ramamurthy Trio Jazz Concert
May 2
Arun Ramamurthy Trio Jazz Concert
Ochin Pakhi: Praner Alap Album Release
Apr 25
Ochin Pakhi: Praner Alap Album Release
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwali Concert
Apr 20
Fareed Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Qawwali Concert
Honoring Zakir Hussain: Concert Film Screening & Special Fundraiser
Apr 18
Honoring Zakir Hussain: Concert Film Screening & Special Fundraiser
The Rababis Ensemble: Film Screening & Music Concert
Apr 12
The Rababis Ensemble: Film Screening & Music Concert
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami & The Saami Brothers Featuring Zeb Bangash
Apr 6
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami & The Saami Brothers Featuring Zeb Bangash
Saraswathi Ranganathan : Carnatic Veena Recital
Mar 8
Saraswathi Ranganathan : Carnatic Veena Recital
Bridging the Divide, Breaking Down Racial Barriers With Music
Mar 8
Bridging the Divide, Breaking Down Racial Barriers With Music
Do The Needful w/ Special Guest Lapgan at Old Town School of Folk Music
Feb 5
Do The Needful w/ Special Guest Lapgan at Old Town School of Folk Music
World Dumpling Festival
Sep 21
World Dumpling Festival
Ragamala: An All Night Celebration of South Asian Classical Music
Sep 20
Ragamala: An All Night Celebration of South Asian Classical Music
Ruhani Raag: Ustad Naseeruddin Saami Live at South Asia Institute (with Saami Brothers)
Sep 13
Ruhani Raag: Ustad Naseeruddin Saami Live at South Asia Institute (with Saami Brothers)
Beyond Boundaries: An Exploration of Music and Movement with Vishnu Ramprasad (navtar), Krissy Bergmark (tabla) and Shalaka Kulkarni (movement and storytelling)
Aug 17
Beyond Boundaries: An Exploration of Music and Movement with Vishnu Ramprasad (navtar), Krissy Bergmark (tabla) and Shalaka Kulkarni (movement and storytelling)
Zakir Hussain, Bela Fleck, Rakesh Chaurasia, Edgar Meyer. Special Guest Arooj Aftab
Jul 22
Zakir Hussain, Bela Fleck, Rakesh Chaurasia, Edgar Meyer. Special Guest Arooj Aftab
Saami Brothers Rivayati Qawwali Concert at South Asia Institute
Jun 23
Saami Brothers Rivayati Qawwali Concert at South Asia Institute
Carnatic-Hindustani Jugalbandi at SAI
May 11
Carnatic-Hindustani Jugalbandi at SAI
Kiran Ahluwalia in Concert
May 10
Kiran Ahluwalia in Concert
THE SA OF EQUALITY: Dhammapada in Dhrupad by Anand
May 9
THE SA OF EQUALITY: Dhammapada in Dhrupad by Anand
A Vocal Concert by Tomal Hossain accompanied by Mir Naqibul Islam on tabla
Apr 27
A Vocal Concert by Tomal Hossain accompanied by Mir Naqibul Islam on tabla
Finally Fridays: SAI Socials
Apr 26
Finally Fridays: SAI Socials
Sitar and Tabla Concert By Pandit Partha Bose & Indranil Mallick
Apr 19
Sitar and Tabla Concert By Pandit Partha Bose & Indranil Mallick
Corky Siegel & Kalyan Pathak : Chamber Blues Duo
Dec 16
Corky Siegel & Kalyan Pathak : Chamber Blues Duo

TALKS AND SYMPOSIUMS

CALENDAR
Art and AI: Friends or Foes? | Artist Talk
Dec 13
Art and AI: Friends or Foes? | Artist Talk
Of Women by Women: An Evening of Short Films by South Asian Women Filmmakers
Dec 6
Of Women by Women: An Evening of Short Films by South Asian Women Filmmakers
Slow Down, Look Closer: Threading the Unseen & Nest [ ]
Dec 6
Slow Down, Look Closer: Threading the Unseen & Nest [ ]
"Passport to South Asia" - South Asia Institute 2025 Annual Fundraiser
Nov 21
"Passport to South Asia" - South Asia Institute 2025 Annual Fundraiser
CommonSky Close Looking: Vanishing [Path] & Lines that No Longer Hold
Nov 15
CommonSky Close Looking: Vanishing [Path] & Lines that No Longer Hold
Have You Got Something To Say? A Creative Showcase & Feedback
Nov 8
Have You Got Something To Say? A Creative Showcase & Feedback
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship | Invisible Thread: An Immigrant Artist's Creative Journey
Oct 25
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship | Invisible Thread: An Immigrant Artist's Creative Journey
Open House Chicago 2025
Oct 18
Open House Chicago 2025
CommonSky Close Looking: Azimuth of Time & Astrolabe 2.0
Oct 9
CommonSky Close Looking: Azimuth of Time & Astrolabe 2.0
Matwaala Mehfilm: First-Ever South Asian Poetry Film Festival
Oct 4
Matwaala Mehfilm: First-Ever South Asian Poetry Film Festival
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship | Business of art: designing, budgeting and pitching your creative projects
Sep 20
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship | Business of art: designing, budgeting and pitching your creative projects
Artist-led Exhibition Tour of "CommonSky"
Sep 13
Artist-led Exhibition Tour of "CommonSky"
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship | Strategies for success: Building competitive artist applications
Aug 23
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship | Strategies for success: Building competitive artist applications
Living Without the Gods Closing Reception
Aug 16
Living Without the Gods Closing Reception
Ripples of Peace with Indira Johnson and Catherine Schwalbe
Aug 9
Ripples of Peace with Indira Johnson and Catherine Schwalbe
Living Without the Gods: Art, Absence, and Afterlife | Online Webinar
Aug 1
Living Without the Gods: Art, Absence, and Afterlife | Online Webinar
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship Meeting
Jul 26
Immigrant Creatives Mentorship Meeting
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Jun 28
Bridging The Divide: Making and Mending | A Conversation about Arts and Disability
Artist Led Gallery Tour: Living without the Gods
Jun 27
Artist Led Gallery Tour: Living without the Gods
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Jun 7
Bridging The Divide: Art, Healing, and Community Support | How Queerness thrives in Empathy and Expression
Celebrating Chicago’s Asian American Literary Community: A Zoom Reading
May 29
Celebrating Chicago’s Asian American Literary Community: A Zoom Reading
Artist Led Exhibition Tour: Between Memory and Madness (Copy)
May 22
Artist Led Exhibition Tour: Between Memory and Madness (Copy)
Artist Led Exhibition Tour: Between Memory and Madness
May 22
Artist Led Exhibition Tour: Between Memory and Madness
Book Launch: Najma Heptulla in Conversation with Madhuvanti Ghose
May 10
Book Launch: Najma Heptulla in Conversation with Madhuvanti Ghose
Intern Led Exhibition Tour "Of Women By Women"
May 10
Intern Led Exhibition Tour "Of Women By Women"
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May 8
Bridging The Divide: Arts As Resistance Uplifting APIDA Voices
Exhibition Tour "Of Women By Women"
May 8
Exhibition Tour "Of Women By Women"
Exhibition Tour with Shaurya Kumar
Apr 26
Exhibition Tour with Shaurya Kumar
Exhibition Tour with Dr. Arshiya Lokhandwala
Apr 12
Exhibition Tour with Dr. Arshiya Lokhandwala
Bridging the Divide: Confronting Anti-Blackness in Asian American Communities: Reimagining Solidarity
Apr 11
Bridging the Divide: Confronting Anti-Blackness in Asian American Communities: Reimagining Solidarity

LITERARY

CALENDAR
Translating South Asia: An evening in Chicago
Nov 10
Translating South Asia: An evening in Chicago
Our Special Stories: A Book Wordshop for Big Kids and Pre-teens
Sep 20
Our Special Stories: A Book Wordshop for Big Kids and Pre-teens
Book Launch: Najma Heptulla in Conversation with Madhuvanti Ghose
May 10
Book Launch: Najma Heptulla in Conversation with Madhuvanti Ghose
Salt Pruning: A Poetry Collaboration (Book Launch and Q & A)
Jan 25
Salt Pruning: A Poetry Collaboration (Book Launch and Q & A)
Translating South Asia: An evening in Chicago
Oct 29
Translating South Asia: An evening in Chicago
THE LUCKY ONES: A Literary Soundscape (Book Launch with Music Presentation)
Jul 20
THE LUCKY ONES: A Literary Soundscape (Book Launch with Music Presentation)
Nur Melange: A Ghazal Anthology Book Launch and Reading
Jul 6
Nur Melange: A Ghazal Anthology Book Launch and Reading
SAI Film Screening & Book Launch: Remembering Mrinal Sen with Kunal Sen
Jun 8
SAI Film Screening & Book Launch: Remembering Mrinal Sen with Kunal Sen
Spoken Dialogues: Poetry Readings From Testimonies On Paper
Jun 17
Spoken Dialogues: Poetry Readings From Testimonies On Paper
TAKING ROOT: Poetry Event with the Guild Literary Complex
May 20
TAKING ROOT: Poetry Event with the Guild Literary Complex
Dipika Mukherjee: Dialect of Distant Harbors Book Launch
Oct 15
Dipika Mukherjee: Dialect of Distant Harbors Book Launch
Azra Raza: Reading Poetry to Read Ourselves
Jul 16
Azra Raza: Reading Poetry to Read Ourselves
Online Talk: Oliver Craske Discusses “Indian Sun: The Life and Music of Ravi Shankar”
Feb 19
Online Talk: Oliver Craske Discusses “Indian Sun: The Life and Music of Ravi Shankar”
Early Indians: A Conversation with author Tony Joseph
Sep 13
Early Indians: A Conversation with author Tony Joseph
Azra Raza: Book Reading
Feb 15
Azra Raza: Book Reading

FILM SCREENINGS

CALENDAR
Matwaala Mehfilm: First-Ever South Asian Poetry Film Festival
Oct 4
Matwaala Mehfilm: First-Ever South Asian Poetry Film Festival
Saving Mes Aynak Film Screening
Jul 12
Saving Mes Aynak Film Screening
Film Screening: Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 parts
May 18
Film Screening: Ben and Suzanne, A Reunion in 4 parts
Honoring Zakir Hussain: Concert Film Screening & Special Fundraiser
Apr 18
Honoring Zakir Hussain: Concert Film Screening & Special Fundraiser
The Rababis Ensemble: Film Screening & Music Concert
Apr 12
The Rababis Ensemble: Film Screening & Music Concert
SAI Screenings: Songs of the Sufi
Jul 13
SAI Screenings: Songs of the Sufi
SAI Screenings: Before You Were My Mother
Apr 6
SAI Screenings: Before You Were My Mother
SAI Screenings: 'Indus Blues' (2019) by Jawad Sharif
Feb 10
SAI Screenings: 'Indus Blues' (2019) by Jawad Sharif
Shades of Blue: Vol. 2 - An All Building Open House Performing Arts Festival
Sep 9
Shades of Blue: Vol. 2 - An All Building Open House Performing Arts Festival
Karsh Kale : A Special South Asia Institute Fundraiser Event
Sep 1
Karsh Kale : A Special South Asia Institute Fundraiser Event
Film Screening and Talk: Partition, South Asian Cinemas and Manto
Oct 8
Film Screening and Talk: Partition, South Asian Cinemas and Manto
Film Screening | Ravi and Anoushka Shankar Live in Bangalore
Mar 5
Film Screening | Ravi and Anoushka Shankar Live in Bangalore
Film Screening | Tenth Decade: Live in Escondido
Jan 29
Film Screening | Tenth Decade: Live in Escondido
Chicago Film Premieres: Sangeet Ratna and Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival from India
Dec 11
Chicago Film Premieres: Sangeet Ratna and Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival from India
Film & Discussion | Raga: A Journey into the Soul of India

Nov 20
Film & Discussion | Raga: A Journey into the Soul of India

Immigrants & Identity
Feb 5
Immigrants & Identity

THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE

CALENDAR
Satrangi Naach Night
Oct 5
Satrangi Naach Night
South Asians on the Mic, Vol. 4
Aug 8
South Asians on the Mic, Vol. 4
Satrangi Naach Night: Queerness in South Asian Classical Arts
May 10
Satrangi Naach Night: Queerness in South Asian Classical Arts
South Asians on the Mic, Vol. 3
Dec 14
South Asians on the Mic, Vol. 3
Open House Chicago 2024
Oct 19
Open House Chicago 2024
The Elephant in the Room by Priyanka Shetty
Oct 11
The Elephant in the Room by Priyanka Shetty
Satrangi Naach Night: A Queer & Trans Family Affirming Evening of Community Circle Dances
Sep 29
Satrangi Naach Night: A Queer & Trans Family Affirming Evening of Community Circle Dances
South Asians On The Mic Vol.2
May 31
South Asians On The Mic Vol.2
Next to Normal
May 17
Next to Normal
South Asians On The Mic
Mar 9
South Asians On The Mic
American Desi Family: A Comical Urdu/Hindi Play
Jan 27
American Desi Family: A Comical Urdu/Hindi Play
Open House Chicago at SAI
Oct 14
Open House Chicago at SAI
Story Circle With Jitesh
Jul 14
Story Circle With Jitesh
Satarangi: A Desi Queer Open Mic and Storytelling Event
Jun 16
Satarangi: A Desi Queer Open Mic and Storytelling Event
Suitcase Stories: An Immigrant's Journey of Losing One Home and Finding Two
May 27
Suitcase Stories: An Immigrant's Journey of Losing One Home and Finding Two
Danced Dialogues: Poetry and Dance Performance
Apr 15
Danced Dialogues: Poetry and Dance Performance
Unveiled: Written & performed by Rohina Malik
Jun 11
Unveiled: Written & performed by Rohina Malik
Kiss of the Spider Woman: Collaborative Performance by Amin Gulgee
Apr 9
Kiss of the Spider Woman: Collaborative Performance by Amin Gulgee

WORKSHOPS

CULTURAL CONNECTIONS

CALENDAR
Cultural Connections: Saraswathi Ranganathan and Juan Díes
Jun 10
Cultural Connections: Saraswathi Ranganathan and Juan Díes
Navigating Borders
Oct 22
Navigating Borders
Cultural Connections: East Meets Middle East (EMME)
Oct 7
Cultural Connections: East Meets Middle East (EMME)
Cultural Connections: Heart of Afghanistan x Qais Essar
Sep 24
Cultural Connections: Heart of Afghanistan x Qais Essar