Starting Memorial Day, May 31, 2010, through Labor Day, September 6, 2010 over 700 Museums will offer free admission to active military personnel and their families. This list organized by the National Endowment for the Arts &  Blue Star Families (a non-partisan, non-profit organization, created by military families for military families) includes The Met, The MOMA, The Whitney, The Guggenheim, not to mention Chicago’s Art Institute & MCA. The complete museum list broken down by state can be found here.

This is a wonderful program that is both good politics, good business & good karma. I would love to see the Art Institute & MCA get together and lead the way by extending it to not only the summer but year round and for as long as America is at war. Our museums in all 50 states have a sum collection of history and culture that is unrivaled throughout the world. A treasure that every military personnel should be welcomed and encouraged to see with open arms.

Chicago is the city of tomorrow, lets have Chicago lead the way.

UPDATE: After speaking with Erin Hogan Director of Public Affairs with the Art Institute to clarify what the difference/change was in ongoing policy she explained that the established policy was active military were free but with Blue Star for the summer families of active military would be free as well. Also the website would be updated to better reflect this policy.

This is great to hear and hope it is a big success.

The kind folks across the pond at The Wizard’s Hat sent me two copies of Issue 03 (The Magic Number) of their illustration zine to give away. “The Wizard’s Hat is an illustration house & zine created by Jeffrey Bowman and Andy.J Miller as the platform for producing collaborative projects under one name. The house focuses itself on self initiated projects involving many of today’s most established illustrators as well as producing its own body of projects based on their love of illustration.”

Illustrations By:
Jim Stoten, Olimpia Zagnoli, Gemma Correll, Will Bryant, Nick Deakin, Nousvous, Robert Loeber, MrGauky, James Gulliver Hancock, C86, HeyHeyHey, Zeptonn vs. Welmoet, Kipi Ka Popo, Edward McGowan, Ashkahn Shahparnia, John Ringhofer, Andy J.Miller, Jeffrey Bowman

Music By:
John Ringhofer,  Half Handed Cloud, Jim Stoten, Jimtheillustrator, Andy J.Miller, ‘Ponstinople Clones’ feat Nick Philpin

Hit me up if you want a copy. First two people will get one.
megonli@badatsports.com

So, it turns out that anyone who “bikes” to the Merchandise Mart gets in free to Artropolis. That would include the Next Fair (which all you good Art minded Chicagoans should be off too anyway) and Art Chicago. This seems to be in relation to the Mart being named the “largest ‘Green Building’ on Earth.” So, bike it Chicago and love America’s green future and international art.

Tree Hugger Excerpt:

For 78 years, Chicago’s Merchandise Mart has been the world’s largest commercial building; It is also now LEED-EB (existing building) Silver. According to Business Week, “The effort required overhauling decades-old practices and technology, from replacing most of the Mart’s 4,000-plus windows and upgrading rusty motors deep in its subbasements to taking better care of dust mops. The reward: At 78 years of age, the Merchandise Mart is now the biggest green building in the world.”

Business Week notes that “the return has been quick: Thanks to the upgrades, utility bills last year fell about 10%, and occupancy rates climbed to 96%, from 77% a decade ago. “We’ve had a wave of interest,” says Christopher G. Kennedy, president of Merchandise Mart Properties and an heir to former building owner Joseph P. Kennedy. “One prospective tenant, who had passed us over, came back because they require a LEED space.

More at Tree Hugger: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/03/merchandise-mart-goes-green.php

and Business Week http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/mar2008/db20080319_978885.htm