Delve into Ancient Egypt's Books of the Dead, essential guides for navigating the afterlife. This talk explores their purpose, evolution, and the intricate mythology within, revealing the profound meaning of death for Egyptians. Discover the roles of gods and goddesses who guided souls through the underworld as ancient Egyptians prepared for eternity.

This inaugural Public Sculpture walk is a dynamic outdoor art experience that brings inspiring sculpture to the heart of our community. Featuring works by renowned artists, this event transforms Chicago Avenue into an open-air gallery, enriching the cultural fabric of our city.

The Freeport Art Museum is turning 50, and we’re celebrating this incredible milestone with a night to remember!

Join us for a special evening honoring five decades of arts, culture, and community impact. The celebration begins with live entertainment during cocktail hour at the Arts Plaza, followed by a dinner and awards ceremony at our future downtown home, where we will recognize those who have made a significant impact on the museum.

Early Ticket Purchases through July 1st are $75/person or $525/table of eight
Ticket price increases July 2nd and will be $100/person or $700/table of eight

We’re thrilled to announce that this event is sold out!

If you’d like to be added to our waiting list,
please contact Stacy at the museum (815) 235-9755.
She’ll be happy to assist you in case of any cancellations.

As part of the Art in Every Stitch: A Quilt Show programming, join us for our Bed Turning Event on September 4th from 4:30–6:00PM. Gather around as featured artists lift and “turn” quilts from a stacked bed, sharing the personal stories, techniques, and inspirations behind each piece. Guests are encouraged to bring their own quilts to add to the “bed pile” and share its history in this warm, community-centered tradition.

Paint the Port 2025 is happening on Friday, August 22nd! This annual community street paint party has become a cherished tradition in Freeport, bringing people of all ages together to transform downtown into a vibrant tapestry of color and creativity.

This year, proceeds from Paint the Port will continue to support the maintenance and upkeep of the Freeport Arts Plaza, ensuring it remains a dynamic space for community engagement. In addition, we are thrilled to introduce the inaugural Downtown Sculpture Walk—a new public art initiative that will bring inspiring sculptures by both renowned and emerging artists to the heart of our city. Chicago Avenue will be transformed into an open-air gallery, enriching Freeport’s cultural landscape and making art more accessible to all.

A Moving Sound

Fusing traditional influences with a global sensibility, award winning ensemble A Moving Sound from Taiwan, built a worldwide following through their joyous mix of original music and dance. Featuring the distinctive timbres of the erhu (Taiwanese fiddle) and zhong ruan (lute), and the transcendent vocals of Mia Hsieh, A Moving Sound has devised a unique and compelling style that is all their own - a Taiwanese whirlwind that veers between the meditative and the exuberant with irrepressible spirit.

Join us for a special workshop blending Tai Chi principles with the creativity of dance, led by Mia Hsieh of A Moving Sound—our final touring group from the Arts Midwest World Fest Series!

Through guided movement, Mia will introduce Tai Chi concepts like Yin & Yang, spiraling, and energy flow, leading into an exploration of personal expression and connection. This joyful, meditative practice invites you to listen to your body, move with intention, and flow with the rhythm of energy.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to move, connect, and celebrate the beauty of Eastern movement traditions!

Cost for the class is $5 per person and space is limited.

Join us for an Artist Talk with Judith Meyer as she delves into her exhibition, The Irrepressible Being of Nature, on view at the museum from February 14 to March 15. Judith will share insights into her creative process, the influences behind her work, and the inspirations she draws from nature, social issues, global events, myths, and her personal beliefs. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the artist herself and gain a deeper understanding of her compelling and thought-provoking pieces.

The Freeport Art Museum is proud to present the stirring paintings of Judith Meyer. Her works are inspired by nature, social issues, global events, myths, and personal beliefs. Her striking manner of integrating traditional landscape formats with diverse and unexpected elements create poetic and surreal visions.

This exhibition is on view from February 14th to March 15th and is dedicated to the memory of Judith’s friend Kathleen Kline.

This is an event you won’t want to miss! Gather your friends, secure your tickets, and join us for a fun evening that supports the arts in our community.

Perfect combinations of cheese from Baumgartner’s Cheese Shop, along with other sweet and savory treats, will elevate your tasting experience of fine wines, whiskey, and other spirits expertly presented by distinguished distributors from Cork & Keg Liquors.

General Admission: $40 per person
VIP Admission: $75 per person

VIP Perks:

• Enjoy an extra hour of indulgence with early entry at 6PM

• An exclusive curated spirits tasting

• Delight your taste buds with a selection of light appetizers

All FAM Members enjoy a special $5 off on purchased tickets!

SPECIAL THANKS TO CORK & KEG LIQUORS FOR BEING THIS YEAR’S EVENT PARTNER!

2024 BIPOC EXHIBITION
Opening reception: Friday, October 25th at 5pm

GREÑAPUNK BY EDDAVIEL is a collection of work exploring the African heritage as Afro-Caribbean in the past-present-future, a space where myths, politics and the future merge to create a new universe. Greñapunk is a show where every art form converges to talk about being Afro (Greña) in the future. The artist, Eddaviel, is from the Dominican Republic and has worked with films, advertising, publishers, galleries, museums, universities and cultural centers around the world.

PERSEVERANCE BY DICE WHITE Dice is a 20-year-old artist from Rockford, Illinois, whose current success is a testament to the human spirit surmounting the impact of a mother addicted to drugs, his own psychological distress, and the challenge of homelessness. Dice has found a life in creating art that is boldly expressive, colorful, and complex.

FAM is co-hosting the Opening Reception with CURRE (Citizens United for Rights, Respect, and Equity). CURRE is a community organization that was established in 2020 with the aim of fostering strong and equitable communities. They focus on key areas including community development, police and community relations, communications, political awareness. Recently, they have added Youth Leadership to their target areas. Through their efforts, they have helped coordinate various activities such as community block parties, informational meetings to educate the community on important issues, and most recently, a family outdoor movie night.

This exhibition is made possible by grants from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois and Healing Illinois through a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Freeport/Stephenson County

Join us on Saturday, September 28th for the Latin pop music of LADAMA as part of Arts Midwest World Fest. Saturday’s concert is the capstone for their weeklong residency in Freeport, where LADAMA will offer workshops in local schools and other community locations.

LOCATION: Masonic Temple Ballroom

TIME: 7:00 p.m.

TICKET PRICE: $10 — Art Museum Members receive a discount
Children under 12 are Free!

Join us for an engaging reading and discussion with Daniel Smith for his book Poems from the Winter House on Saturday, September 7th at 1:30 PM at the Freeport Art Museum.

Poems from the Winter House is the literary companion piece to our Midwest Lands Exhibition. This work is deeply rooted in rural heritage, reflecting on Daniel's love for his spouse, a farm, and a way of life.

Daniel Smith, a former dairy farmer, resides with his wife, Cheryl, on a small farm in the Driftless Region of Southwestern Wisconsin. In addition to writing, Daniel works in agribusiness and counsels farm families in crisis.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear Daniel share his heartfelt poetry and insights into rural life. Join us for an afternoon of literary exploration and meaningful conversation

Join us on Friday, September 6th, from 4 pm to 5 pm for an artists talk and 5-7 PM for the opening of the Midwest Lands Exhibition at the Freeport Art Museum. This unique visual and literary art invitational focuses on farmland, rural landscapes, and the aesthetics, psychological, and emotional content of these themes.

The exhibition features works by renowned artists Dan Brinkmeier, Barry Roal Carlsen, Ellen Holtzblatt, Kurt Kamholz, Stuart Roddy, and Mark Weller. Their pieces capture the beauty and complexity of rural life. Also featured are artworks by local members of the Momentum Art guild.

Complementing the visual art, the exhibition includes poetry from Daniel Smith's Poems from the Winter House. Smith's poetry, rooted in a rural heritage, reflects quietly on his love for a spouse, a farm, and a way of life. There will be reading by Daniel Smith on Saturday, September 7, from 1:30 pm to 3 pm.

Don't miss this evocative and thought-provoking exhibition that celebrates the Midwest's landscapes and way of life. Join us for an evening of art, poetry, and community.

We hope that you will join us for our annual Paint the Port street paint party in Downtown Freeport on Friday, August 23rd! This vibrant event brings together our community to celebrate art, creativity, and local culture.

Squares are $15 online ahead of the event - everything you will need to create your masterpiece will be provided. You can purchase your square the day of the event for $20, but inventory will be limited.

Proceeds from Paint the Port are used to develop and maintain the Arts Plaza and Splash Pad.

FAM’s Regional Juried Exhibition offers both established and emerging artists the opportunity to debut work created in the last two years. This year, the museum received 220 submissions from over 65 artists living in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The regional show continues a tradition of displaying some of the finest and most recent works by Midwestern artists showcasing a wide range of ideas and forms.

This exhibition is sponsored by FAM Gold Member, Winter Construction.