Upcoming Events
Architecture, Industry, and Art
Explore Batavia's captivating history in our presentation "Architecture, Industry and Art," delving into the transformation of the Water Street Building and the Batavia area. Led by Kate Garrett, Director of the Batavia Depot Museum, journey through the city's evolution from a modest settlement to a bustling industrial center, shaped by its railroads and the Fox River.
Cost: $10, register here
Gallery Opening Reception
In May we welcome Jeanine Hill Soldner to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Kane County Magazine Gallery.
This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs May10th-June 8th.
Water Street Writers
Water Street Writers is a curated reading series featuring local authors from the suburbs of Chicago. Events are held quarterly in the Dempsey Family gallery. Doors open at 5pm, event begins at 5:30pm. Suggested donations of $5. All proceeds go to the featured authors, your support is much appreciated!
Want to be a reader? Learn how here. Submissions are open to any genre and all kinds of performance.
Sponsored by the Republic of Letters,
Wilson River Band Launch Party: A Benefit for the WSS Clay Lab
Join us at the launch party of the Wilson River Band! We'll have a signature (whiskey) cocktail, open bar, and food- all included in the ticket price! In addition, we'll have a ceramics sale, raffle and the opportunity to donate to expanding the Clay Lab at Water Street Studios. Check in at the Gallery desk, then head to the dock for great music, drinks, dancing and an overall fun night! Meet the band here: Wilson River Band
THANK YOU to Wieland Wallace Inc. for sponsoring this amazing fundraiser.
This is an 21+ event.
Cost: $30 - recommended to buy tickets in advance here.
Fox Valley Arts Ramble
The Fox River Arts Ramble was established in 2018 by Fine Line Creative Center as a way to highlight the diverse creative talents up and down the Fox River. Participating arts locations typically span Aurora to Elgin. Visit Water Street as you ramble between locations for:
Artist Talk with Jeanine Hill-Soldner at 1pm.
Ceramics sale and hands on experience with our Clay Makers.
Shop and talk with our Resident Artist community.
Tours of our historic building.
Gallery Opening Reception
In June we welcome Joel Sheesley and Beth Shadur. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs June 14th-July 7th.
Gallery Opening Reception
In July we welcome Didier Nolet to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Anke Korioth to the Kane County Magazine Gallery. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs July 12th-August 4th.
Gallery Opening Reception
In August we welcome Michael Coakes, William North, and Al DaValle to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Les Allen to the Kane County Magazine Gallery. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs August 9th-September 8th.
Water Street Writers
Water Street Writers is a curated reading series featuring local authors from the suburbs of Chicago. Events are held quarterly in the Dempsey Family gallery. Doors open at 5pm, event begins at 5:30pm. Suggested donations of $5. All proceeds go to the featured authors, your support is much appreciated!
Want to be a reader? Learn how here. Submissions are open to any genre and all kinds of performance.
Sponsored by the Republic of Letters,
Gallery Opening Reception: 15th Anniversary Celebration
In September we celebrate our 15th Anniversary with our Membership Exhibition in both the Dempsey Family Gallery and the Kane County Magazine Gallery. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs September 13th-October 6th.
Gallery Opening Reception
In October we welcome a Woman’s Group Show to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Georgia Schwender to the Kane County Magazine Gallery. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs October 11th-November 3rd.
Winterfest Art Market
Winterfest Art Market is a 3 day makers market put on in collaborations with Batavia MainStreet. Vendors are placed through out Water Street Studios and the Dock with pop-up vendors at our neighbors Hearth & Hammer and music offerings at Kiss the Sky, bringing the whole corner of Water and First Street alive! It is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping started and support local small businesses. See you there!
Friday, Nov 8th, 6-9pm
Saturday, Nov 9th, 10am-5pm
Sunday, Nov 10th, 10am-2pm
Winterfest Art Market
Winterfest Art Market is a 3 day makers market put on in collaborations with Batavia MainStreet. Vendors are placed through out Water Street Studios and the Dock with pop-up vendors at our neighbors Hearth & Hammer and music offerings at Kiss the Sky, bringing the whole corner of Water and First Street alive! It is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping started and support local small businesses. See you there!
Friday, Nov 8th, 6-9pm
Saturday, Nov 9th, 10am-5pm
Sunday, Nov 10th, 10am-2pm
Winterfest Art Market
Winterfest Art Market is a 3 day makers market put on in collaborations with Batavia MainStreet. Vendors are placed through out Water Street Studios and the Dock with pop-up vendors at our neighbors Hearth & Hammer and music offerings at Kiss the Sky, bringing the whole corner of Water and First Street alive! It is the perfect time to get your holiday shopping started and support local small businesses. See you there!
Friday, Nov 8th, 6-9pm
Saturday, Nov 9th, 10am-5pm
Sunday, Nov 10th, 10am-2pm
Gallery Opening Reception
In December we celebrate our Resident Artists & School of Art Instructors in a group exhibition. Come and see the works of the people who mean so much to us. The community gallery will host the Chicagoland 4x5 exhibition. The event is free to attend but donations are greatly appreciated and go to supporting our mission.
Exhibition runs Dec 13th-January 7th.
WDCB Presents: Jazz in the Gallery
Come join us for an evening of smooth tunes and good vibes at Water Street Studios! The talented Shawn Maxwell Quartet will be gracing us with their incredible jazz music, all for a great cause. Get ready to groove, sip on some drinks, and support the arts. Don't miss out on this special event - mark your calendars now! This event is brought to you by WDCB!
Tickets $30.00
Get your tickets here
Taylor Swift Listening Party: The Tortured Poets Department
UPDATE: Wow! Due to overwhelming response, this event is now sold out! You can still celebrate Record Store Day with our Arts District neighbors. Hearth and Hammer is releasing a Tortured Poet custom candle and serving up Swiftie inspired drinks by Viator Coffee (8 am - 11 am). Or join Kiss the Sky for live music by Noah Gabriel at 8:30 am and the School of Rock at 6 pm.
Water Street Studios invites all Swifties to celebrate National Record Store Day with a listening party for the debut of Taylor Swift’s new album, The Tortured Poets Department, releasing just the day before! Please join us for bracelet making, cookie decorating, arts & crafts, photo station and of course listening to Taylor’s new album. This is an all-ages event.
Date: Saturday, April 20, 2024, 2-4pm.
Cost: $20 in advance, $25 at the door. SOLD OUT
Gallery Closed: Private Event
We are closed to the public for walk-ins today due to a private event in the Gallery. School of Art classes will still run.
Gallery Opening Reception
In April we welcome Richard Deveau and Javier Chavira to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Joe Milosevich to the Kane County Magazine Gallery. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs April 12th-May 5th.
Community Gallery "Telling Her Story" Opening Celebration
Now hanging on the second floor! We are pleased to announce 90+ artists from Batavia and the surrounding communities are represented in this exhibition. Participating artists submitted work themed around a woman or women they find inspiring, whether it be a family member or friend, person from history or even Mother Nature. Included is a collaborative mirror wall and a new Emerging Artist feature. Come meet many of the artists at the Opening Celebration on April 6th!
Exhibition runs March 16th-June 16th
This event is FREE to attend. Cash bar will be in the first floor gallery. While you’re here, make sure you stop by the Dempsey Gallery on the first floor for meet and great with exhibiting artists Jaime and Michael Foster.
Mix & Mingle with Jaime & Michael Foster
Grab a mimosa from our cash bar and meet the artists behind the current exhibition “Fragile Tension”, Jaime & Michael Foster. This will be a casual, meet and greet style event, perfect to peruse the art and learn more about it from the artists themselves.
This event is FREE to attend. Cash bar for drinks and snacks. While you’re here, make sure you stop by the second floor for the Opening Celebration of the Community Gallery show “Telling Her Story”.
Gallery Closed: Holiday
We are closed to the public today. Enjoy the holiday with those that mean the most to you!
Bar Evolution Pop-up Show: Rebirth
Join The Batavia Public Art Initiative at the reception for our latest pop-up show, Rebirth, Saturday, March 16th from 4 – 6 pm at Bar Evolution Batavia! Appetizers provided, cash bar.
Can't make the party? The works of 14 talented artists will be on display March 5th - May 5th.
"Rebirth" explores the concept of new beginnings and starting afresh; a theme often associated with growth, transformation, and renewal. This is your opportunity to showcase the beauty and power of rebirth and its significance in our lives.
Bar Evolution Batavia
27 North River Street
Batavia, IL 60510
Gallery Opening Reception
Announcing Second Fridays in the Arts District
Water Street Studios has teamed up with our neighbors Kiss the Sky and Hearth & Hammer to create the Batavia Arts District! Come see us the Second Friday of each month for an immersive experience for the senses.
Water Street Studios
Gallery Opening Reception, 6-9pm
Jaime & Michael Foster: Fragile Tension
Barry Messer: Xenomorphs
Cash Bar
Resident Artist and Clay Lab open to shop and talk
FREE to attend. Donations greatly appreciated to support this and future events like it.
Kiss the Sky
Shoop Dogs band performance 6:30-8:30pm
A female lead 4-piece band performing classic rock, blues, and modern rock with a powerful combo of soulful vocals and energetic guitar solos.
Addie Cakes providing free mini cupcakes to show attendees (while supplies last!)
Connecting doors to Water Street Studios will be open!
Hearth & Hammer
Extended hours, open until 7pm
Barry Sweets pop-up, a women-owned small business offering baked goods made from spent brewery grains to reduce waste.
Annie Hex Tarot Readings
Fernando’s Street Kitchen food truck out front from 6-9pm
Gallery Opening Reception
In February we welcome Eric Rippert and Joseph Mayernik to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Randal Stringer to the Kane County Magazine Gallery. This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs Feb 9th-March 3rd.
Water Street Writers
Water Street Writers is a curated reading series featuring local authors from the suburbs of Chicago. Events are held quarterly in the Dempsey Family gallery. Doors open at 5pm, event begins at 5:30pm. Suggested donations of $5. All proceeds go to the featured authors, your support is much appreciated!
February’s featured authors are Heather Zenaty, Chris Gerrib, Vince Vieceli, and John Grenier!
Want to be a reader? Learn how here. Submissions are open to any genre and all kinds of performance.
Sponsored by the Republic of Letters,
Gallery Closed: Batavia City Council Retreat
The main gallery is reserved for the Batavia City Council Retreat. School of Art classes will still run. Clay lab will remain open for subscribers and open studio hours.
Reserve the gallery for your next event here.
Gallery Opening Reception: Water Street Studios Artists’ Collective
January Second Friday has been postponed to the fourth Friday, January 26th due to inclement weather. Mark your calendars and come out to see the Water Street Studio’s Artists’ Collective Exhibition! This event is open to all and free to attend! Donations are greatly appreciated and go to support or mission.
Exhibition runs Jan 12th-Feb4th.
Sounds of the Studio: The Luis Alcantar Trio
Join us for live music as a part of our Sounds of the Studio Series! On Thursday, December 28th from 7-10pm we welcome The Luis Alcantar Trio to Water Street Studios. Tickets are $30 each and include one drink from the bar. Fancy Nancy's delicious charcuterie cups will be available for purchase and the Water Street bar will be selling drinks. All proceeds go to support our mission of making the arts accessible to the Fox Valley area and beyond.
Click HERE to get your tickets.
Second Friday: Resident Artists & School of Art Instructors, Chicagoland 4X5
This month we celebrate our Resident Artist and Instructor community in addition to welcoming the Chicagoland 4x5 show.
Winterfest Art Market
Kick off your holiday shopping at this three day market, featuring hand crafted art and goods created by local artists and makers.
This year the event will span the entire northwest corner of the building, including the Dock at 150 1st Street, Hearth & Hammer, Kiss the Sky, an outpost location at Sturdy Shelter Brewing, and of course, Water Street Studios! Music, food, and interactive activities will all be available.
Live music schedule, brought to you by Kiss the Sky.
12pm- The Luxure Trio an accomplished, sophisticated Jazz ensemble whose influences run the gamut from Amad Jamal to Vince Guaraldi and Wayne Shorter
Winterfest Art Market
Kick off your holiday shopping at this three day market, featuring hand crafted art and goods created by local artists and makers.
This year the event will span the entire northwest corner of the building, including the Dock at 150 1st Street, Hearth & Hammer, Kiss the Sky, an outpost location at Sturdy Shelter Brewing, and of course, Water Street Studios! Music, food, and interactive activities will all be available.
Live music schedule, brought to you by Kiss the Sky
1pm- Noah Gabriel playing mostly original material influenced by Chris Whitley, Ben Harper, and Lucinda Williams
3pm- Roxy & Olivia Acoustic playing and interpreting a variety of artists including Fleetwood Mac and Dolly Parton, as well as more current artists like Modest Mouse and Paramore
Winterfest Art Market
Kick off your holiday shopping at this three day market, featuring hand crafted art and goods created by local artists and makers.
This year the event will span the entire northwest corner of the building, including the Dock at 150 1st Street, Hearth & Hammer, Kiss the Sky, an outpost location at Sturdy Shelter Brewing, and of course, Water Street Studios! Music, food, and interactive activities will all be available.
7pm- Chase Flanagan playing current indie and post punk music covers. Brought to you by Kiss the Sky
Artist Talk - John Stanicek and Michael Glascott
Learn more about the art and the artist! Michael Glascott will speak first in the Kane County Magazine gallery at 1pm followed by John Stanicek in the Dempsey Family gallery at 2pm.
This event is FREE to attend but donations are appreciated and go towards supporting our mission. Snacks and drinks available for purchase, complimentary coffee.
Batfest: Craft, Candy, Seek & Find
Stop by between 10 am - 12 pm during Batavia MainStreet's Batfest! We'll be hosting a FREE paper bag monster craft, handing out candies, and having a self-guided pumpkin seek-and-find activity throughout 160 S. Water Street.
Parents - this is the perfect stop if you want to have your kiddos enjoy the fun of downtown trick-or-treating but would like a little more play than candy.
Closed: Private Event
We are closed today for a private event. Reserve the gallery for your next event here!
Clay Day
Help us expand our clay lab by joining us for our first Clay Day! Shop ceramics made by our clay lab subscribers, watch demos in wheel throwing and hand building or join an interactive session. Grab a drink from the bar and a raffle ticket while you explore the gallery. Sign up for a class during Clay Day and get 10% off your registration.
$10 entry fee. Additional fee for interactive sessions.
Community Drop in Day
This month Resident Artists and Instructors Emy Krauspe and Carly Palmer will lead you through process based art projects inspired by the Pop Art movement! The art projects are appropriate for all ages, bring your friends and family!
This event has a suggested donation of $5 to help support this and future similar programming.
RSVP not required but appreciated! RSVP here.
Community Drop in Day
Have you been to Community Drop-in Day yet? This month Resident Artists and Instructors Emy Krauspe and Carly Palmer will lead you through process based art projects inspired by the work of Andy Warhol! The art projects are appropriate for all ages, bring your friends and family!
This event has a suggested donation of $5 to help support this and future similar programming.
RSVP not required but appreciated! RSVP here.
Lecture: Andy Warhol-The American Dream
Andy Warhol - The American Dream
Diana Martinez will share the background of Andy Warhol and his journey as a first-generation immigrant from Carpatho-Rusyn roots, to living in industrial tenements in the outskirts of Pittsburgh, to an Iconic Superstar in NYC. Martinez will explain his prolific journey and how he manifested into the American Dream. In addition, she will give you an inside sneak peek into the blockbuster Warhol exhibition coming this summer to the McAninch Arts Center and Cleve Carney Museum of Art. Bio
Diana Martinez is the Executive Director of Warhol: Portfolios in Pop, and Director of the McAninch Arts Center. Diana has over 25 years in entertainment industry and has directed over 40 musical theatre productions and has been at the helm of iconic Chicago Area Entertainment organizations like Pheasant Run Theatre, the Paramount Theatre in Aurora and The Second City in Chicago. Diana served on the board for the Chicago Cultural Council for two terms and has her BFA from the University of Illinois. Currently she serves on the Board of the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau, is Chair of Arts DuPage, serve on the board of the DuPage Foundation, and life-long resident of Glen Ellyn.
This event is FREE to attend! Let us know you’re coming here.
Artist Talk - Jeff Stevenson
Meet Jeff Stevenson. With more than 30 years of experience as a practicing artist, writer, professor, and curator, Stevenson is currently the Director and Curator for the Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park and the Visual Arts Gallery at Governors State University. His current exhibition Manhood: Hard to earn, easy to lose is made up of oil portraits combined with other objects, and explores the cultural constructs around masculinity and the limitations placed on the human experience by societal demands and rules.
Come by for further insights into Stevenson and his representational works!
Coffee and cookies will be served. This event has a suggested donation of $5 to help support this and future similar programming.
RSVP not required but appreciated! RSVP here.