West Chicago groups hosting family art night Friday

For a second time this year, several West Chicago organizations are banding together to sponsor a family art night in downtown.

Families are invited to enjoy live music, meet with local artists and contribute to a community art project during the event, which runs from 5 to 9 p.m. at Gallery 200's new temporary space at 103 W. Washington St.

It's just a taste of what's to come in 2017, when family art nights will be launched on the last Friday of every month.

Sponsors include the West Chicago City Museum, the Mexican Cultural Center of DuPage, the city, local businesses and schools and Gallery 200, which is run by the local nonprofit People Made Visible.

The group's executive director, Sara Phalen, said the gallery moved to the bigger location along Washington Street in September and has been generating a lot of attention and positive feedback.

"We're really trying to make it a more encompassing arts and cultural center," she said.

Art made by West Chicago Elementary District 33 preschoolers will be on display at the gallery in an effort to draw more families to the event. Visitors will have a chance to add their own touches to a community mural being facilitated by local artist Anni Holm until 8 p.m. and enjoy music from local band More Than Molecules from 7 to 9 p.m.

Just down the road, at 200 Main St., visitors are welcome to attend a closing reception for a Mexican Independence pop-up art exhibition from 6 to 9 p.m.

"We thought it would be a nice way for families to end the month on a high note and come and do something all together," Phalen said, adding that she hopes the family nights will help with organizers' efforts to draw more people into Gallery 200 and the City Museum.

In July, a similar family art night that included mariachi music and mural painting drew about 250 people.

Phalen said there are plans for every family art night event to include some sort of interactive art component, to give people of all ages a chance to make their own creations. She also envisions live music at each event and hopes the art nights start creating "a continuation of cultural programming throughout the year that really thrives in West Chicago."

"It's just a wonderful way to bring the community together," she said. "We've always found that art is a great medium for sharing, even if you don't speak the same language or don't have similar life circumstances."