Upcoming Events
Closed to the Public: Private Events
We are closed to the public today for a private event rental.
Host your next birthday party, shower, wedding or meeting at Water Street Studios! Visit our Private Event Rental page for more information.
Gallery Closed for Maintenance
In January 2025 the Dempsey and Kane County Magazine galleries will be closed to the public for scheduled maintenance. School of Art classes will continue to run. Pardon our dust!
Ed's Studio: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Ed Dlugopolski to Benefit Water Street Studios
In January, Water Street Studio's main gallery will be closed due to scheduled maintenance, however, we are hosting a special Second Friday exhibition right around the corner! Join us for the grand opening of Ed's Studio: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Ed Dlugopolski to Benefit Water Street Studios. Thanks to our friends at Batavia Enterprises Inc, Water Street Studios will be hosting a satellite gallery to showcase the works of Edward Dlugopolski, an artist and art educator who lived in Batavia, Illinois for nearly 40 years. Joyce Dlugopolski has graciously donated over 200 beautiful acrylic and charcoal works of art that have been carefully cataloged and priced to sell by friends of the late artist. All purchases will benefit Water Street Studios and our mission to make art accessible in the Fox Valley. This satellite studio will be open January 10th-12th. Friday 12-9 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12-4 pm at 139 First Street, Batavia (just around the corner from Water Street Studios). The gallery reception will be on Friday from 6-9 pm. Complimentary beverages and snacks will be served.
View a sampling of Ed’s work here and join us in person to see the entire body of work!
January 10th, 12pm -9pm, Gallery Reception 6-9pm
January 11th, 12-4pm
January 12th, 12-4pm
139 First Street
Batavia, IL 60510
Wilson River Band
Join us for an encore performance of the Wilson River Band! The Wilson River Band in 2023 formed as six individuals who have passionately played music their entire lives. Their goal is to present a different type of band that can play all kinds of venues and events. With their diverse experience, they deliver songs in a variety of genres. Their members are experts on their respective instruments. Vocals and harmonizing are the priority. They have two lead vocalists who between them can sing the widest of vocal ranges enabling them to cover a wide variety of songs. Most all the members sing which lends variety to our shows. They play music from the late 50s to the present, although their concentrations are in the 60s through the 80s. They cover classic rock, pop and some country.
This is the second show Wilson River Band has played with Water Street- in fact they launched their new band at Water Street Studios as a fundraiser to expand our ceramics offering! We are grateful to this band to their continued support. Tickets are $20 and we encourage advance purchase as they will likely sell out!
Get your tickets here.
Gallery Opening Reception
In November we’ve added a gallery opening and will welcome the works of Rebecca MacLachlan and Angela Wilson to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Joan Bredendick 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 February 14th-March 8th
All in for Art: A Benefit for Water Street Studios
Join us for a benefit at Water Street Studios!
Your ticket includes heavy apps and dessert, an open bar, dance floor with a DJ, a wine pull, and your chance to play with "funny money" at Casino games. No additional funds are needed- you can play until your "money" runs out...and we'll have awards for the players with the most money at the end of the evening!
Cocktail attire is encouraged. Tickets are sold in advance- just check in at the door.
You can park on Water Street, at the Batavia Library or at the public lot at Flinn Street (behind the Water Street building). Entry to the show is through the main Water Street doors at 160 S. Water Street- follow the signs and balloons! Doors to the Dock will be locked.
Get your tickets here
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,
Holiday Townhall and Open House
You're invited! Save the date for our upcoming WSS Holiday Townhall and Open House. Please join us to hear from the Board and staff about what's going on in the Water Street Community and celebrate the seasons with your WSS family!
❄️RSVP's are appreciated! We hope you can make it. Send in your RSVP here
❄️Make sure to save a spot on your calendar for our upcoming All in for Art fundraiser in February on Saturday, February 22nd. Purchase your tickets here
As always, we thank you for your ongoing support! ❤
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.
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
In November we’ve added a gallery opening and will welcome the works of Michael Barnes to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Carly Palmer 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 November 15th - Dec 8th.
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
BatFest Trick-or-Treating and Craft
Stop by Water Street during the BatFest downtown business trick-or-treating. We’ll have a simple craft and candy for little ghosts, ghouls, and goblins.
Find the full event details here.
Gallery Opening Reception
In October we welcome the works of Praxis 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.
Art of the Fox Mural Series Reveal Party
Join Water Street Studios and The Conservation Foundation in the unveiling of 10 new murals on the east side of the Jeffrey D. Schielke Government Center in Batavia, IL. The event includes free family entertainment and the opportunity to meet the featured mural artists!
Water Street Writers
*Rescheduled from Aug 11th
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,
Art of the Fox Mural Series: Artist Workday
Come to see the Art of the Fox Mural artists in action!
WSS at the Children's Tent: Batavia Farmers Market
Find us at the Batavia Farmers market! We’ll be in the children’s tent with a fun activity.
North River Street, between Spring and Wilson St.
Batavia, IL 60510
15th Anniversary Celebration: Gallery Opening Reception and More!
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!
In honor of our 15th anniversary, please help us raise funds to:
Provide opportunities for emerging Artists to show in the Community Gallery
Support our quality art education outreach programs to neighbors in need
Fund the production of public art installations throughout Batavia
Provide award-winning galleries open free to the public every weekend
Exhibition runs September 13th-October 6th.
Gallery Opening Reception
In August we welcome Michael Coakes and William North 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.
Gallery Opening Reception
In July we welcome Didier Nolet to the Dempsey Family Gallery and Anke Richert-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.
SECOND FRIDAYS IN THE ARTS DISTRICT
At Water Street Studios: Open 6-9pm
Dempsey Family Gallery: Didler Nolet, “Searching for Light”
KC Magazine: Anke Korioth, “In the Echo of my Life”
The Community Gallery (Upstairs): Summer Memories
Clay Maker’s Exhibit (South Classroom)
Cash Bar (Select Beer, Wine and Cocktails)
At Kiss the Sky: Open until 8:30pm
Music by Sydney Williams
Free cupcakes courtesy of AddieCakes and Kiss the Sky
At Hearth & Hammer
Dope Sandwich food truck
Sunbeam Plants DIY air plant bar ($15 per guest)
Community Gallery "Summer Memories" Artist Celebration
Join us on Saturday, June 29th from 1:00-4:00pm at Water Street Studios for the “Artist Celebration” and opening of the “Summer Memories” exhibit in our Community Gallery! This gallery is located on the second floor nestled amongst the Resident Artist studios. ☀️
This exhibit is inspired by the playful and nostalgic energy of Summer. Take your own summer break and join in on the fun for this day! All ages are welcome. Our Community Gallery shows us that bringing together creativity and connection will inspire community!
This exhibit features 30+ artists, 50+ artworks, and several community collaborations! We will have rock painting with @bataviaparksfoundation, ice cream cone art from our outreach efforts with Mercy Housing, sun-themed tile art from the New Horizons Preschool, historic photos shared from @bataviadepot, a chance to learn more about the @bataviapublicart, a throwback special summer music playlist, an old-fashioned donation-based lemonade stand to support Water Street Studios, and SO much more!
New to Water Street Studios? Ask for a tour! We’d be happy to show you what we are all about. Make sure to take in the artwork in our downstairs galleries featuring Joel Sheesley And Beth Shadur, and check out the @waterstreetstudiosceramics!
Support our artists and support Water Street Studios - it’s a win-win! See you there! ☀️
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.
Fox River 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.
Wilson River Band Launch Party: A Benefit for the WSS Clay Lab
This event is now SOLD OUT! Thank you for the overwhelming support! You can still help us reach our fundraising goal in the following ways.
Participate in our silent auction for the chance to take home an original collaborative piece by ceramics instructor Jeremy Foy and our talented Clay Makers. Silent auction closes 6/7/24 at 8:30pm.
Make a donation or share our fundraising page here.
Join us at the launch party of the Wilson River Band! We'll have a signature (whiskey) cocktail, open bar, and hors d'oeuvres - 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 SOLD OUT
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
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.
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