CLL: Community Classes

Winter 2026 Classes
All Community classes are open to both CLL members and non-members!

These classes do not require a CLL membership to attend; however, they require registration and may have an additional fee when noted in the listings below.

ONGOING CLASSES

Mindfulness Meditation

Every Monday and every Friday, 11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free

Sign-up through the CLL office; the Zoom link will be sent from the facilitator, Regan Burke.

Bridge Group

2nd and 4th Monday of every month, 1:00–4:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free
This group is currently full. Contact Linda Daly if you are interested in being put on the substitute list.

Canasta

Thursdays
1:30-3:00 p.m. (In person)
Register for Canasta

Monthly Lunch Meet Ups

Fridays
12:00-2:00 p.m. (In person)

Each month we select a neighborhood restaurant to meet at for lunch! This is a great way to connect with others and discover what might be your new favorite restaurant. Each person is responsible for their own check. Please email Dave Dalton to be notified of the upcoming restaurants and dates.

Foreign Affairs Perspectives

December 9
1:00-2:00 p.m. (On Zoom)
Cost: Free
This is a member-led small group discussion based on articles from the magazine Foreign Affairs. Group members are required to subscribe to the magazine. For each discussion, one group member selects an article from the magazine, develops questions about the article, and moderates the discussion. Each member is expected to moderate one or two discussions during each term.

Monthly Book Group

December 9
2:30-3:30pm (Zoom)
Cost: Free
All are welcome to join us for lively and thought-provoking discussions led by Alan Bath.

Midweek Meditation

Wednesdays
11:00-11:30 (In-Person)
Cost: Free

Join CLL Director Annette Mileski on Wednesdays for 30 minutes of mindful restoration, meditation, and gentle movement. All are welcome.

Film Series

2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month
2:00-4:00 p.m. (in-person)
Cost: Free

Join us to enjoy a current film!
Register to receive a list of this month’s movie selections.

Dates for Autumn:
September 10 and 24
October 8 and 22
November 12 and 26
December 10

Art and Conversation

Thursdays
11:00-12:30 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free

Art and Conversation is not a class but a celebration of fellowship and creativity. Surprise yourself. Be free. Have fun! We invite people to make new friends while indulging in lively discussions and making art. Bring a piece you are working on or start a new one! You don’t have to be talented, just interested and interesting. We can provide some basic materials but you can also bring some from home.

Fiber Friends

Second and Fourth Friday of each month
2:00-3:30 p.m. (In person)
4th Floor lounge of Gratz Center
Cost: Free

Interested in learning how to knit or crochet? Or do you already know how, but would love to sit and stitch with a group? Have we got a space for you! Heather Groh will be facilitating this group every other week and all skill levels are welcome. She will be able to help you get started with some simple patterns if you are new to the craft and will provide support if you are feeling a bit stuck in your stitching.

Autumn meeting dates:

October 10 and 24
November 14 (no meeting on November 28)
December 12

JANUARY CLASSES

Mindfulness Meditation

Every Monday and every Friday
11:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free

Sign-up through CLL office; the Zoom link will be sent from the facilitator, Regan Burke.

Bridge Group

2nd and 4th Monday of every month
1:00–4:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free
This group is currently full. Contact Linda Daly if you are interested in being put on the substitute list.

Let’s Play Mahjong!

Tuesdays
1:00-2:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free

Improv

Tuesdays, January 6-March 10
1:00-2:30 pm (In-person, 10 weeks)
Cost: $65 for CLL Members, $80 for non-members

Are you looking for a way to shake up the brain cells a bit? Well, good news! We are offering an improv class that is designed to get you moving and engaging your neural pathways as you learn to let go of your self-consciousness, communicate in new ways, and create interesting characters with your classmates. No prior experience needed.

Ron Tolisano is a Chicago resident who has been involved in the improv community for the past ten years. He has a BA from Western Ill. Univ. and an MSW from Loyola University, Chicago. He has taken classes at Second City and Annoyance Theatre. He currently teaches improvisation at the Chicago Cultural Center and at the Harold Washington Library Center-Chicago Public Library.

Foreign Affairs Perspectives

2nd and 4th Tuesdays
1:00-2:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free

This is a member-led small group discussion based on articles from the magazine Foreign Affairs. Group members are required to subscribe to the magazine. For each discussion, one group member selects an article from the magazine, develops questions about the article, and moderates the discussion. Each member is expected to moderate one or two discussions during each term.

Winter Meeting Dates:
January 13 and 27
February 10 and 24
March 10 and 24

Monthly Book Group

Second Tuesday of the month
2:30-3:30 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free

All are welcome to join us for lively and thought-provoking discussions each month, led by Alan Bath.

Winter Meeting Dates:
January 13 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
February 10 The Bookshop, A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss
March 10 The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu

Stop the Bleed

Tuesday, January 13
12:00-1:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members

A life-threatening injury can happen anywhere, and the person next to a victim may very well be the one most likely to prevent fatal bleeding. This class, presented by the 18th District Chicago Police Department, will help you become an immediate responder by learning how to assist with injuries and accidents.

The Great Ideas Men’s Group

Every other Wednesday
10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: Free

A discussion group that provides a safe and supportive environment for men to discuss and work through challenges of current topics that are facing the world at large. Before each meeting we will read an article from “Foreign Affairs” magazine and then discuss it as a group.

Winter Meeting Dates:
January 7 and 21
February 4 and 18
March 4 and 18

Midweek Meditation

Wednesdays
11:00-11:30 (In-Person)
Cost: Free

Join CLL Director Annette Mileski on Wednesdays for 30 minutes of mindful restoration, meditation, and gentle movement. All are welcome.

Film Series

2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month
2:00-4:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free

Join us to enjoy a current film! Register to receive a list of this month’s movie selections.

Dates for Winter:
January 14 and 28
February 11 and 25
March 18 and 25

Art and Conversation

Thursdays
11:00-12:30 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free

Art and Conversation is not a class but a celebration of fellowship and creativity. An art studio collaborative where people make art and new friends.
We invite people to make new friends while indulging in lively discussions and making art. Bring a piece you are working on or start a new one! We can provide some basic materials but you can also bring some from home.

Matters of Health

Thursdays
11:30-12:30 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: Free

Our lifestyle affects our health, and our health affects our lifestyle. So, what impacts our ability to age in the best way possible for each of us? This weekly series will provide participants with resources to answer this and other questions about aging well. Each week will feature a presenter who will be discussing healthy aging in one of these categories: physical health, mental health, social health, spiritual health, or financial health.

As a participant, you register for the whole series and will receive the full list of topics and a weekly email listing the topic and presenter for that week. Then you may choose which sessions to attend. Sessions are not recorded, but any distributed materials may be sent electronically as well.

Fiber Friends

Fridays
2:00-3:00 p.m. (In person)
Cost: Free

Get Together and Go Out!

Fridays
3:30 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and nonmembers, museum admission will be paid individually

Let’s meet up and talk informally about cultural possibilities, fun upcoming events, concerts, art exhibits, and more! Following the discussion, we will head out to explore the city!

Winter 2026 dates:
January 9 and 23
February 13 and 27
March 13 and 27

Beyond the Headlines: Understanding Today’s News

Thursdays, twice a month
1:00-2:00 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: $40 for CLL Members, $60 for Non-CLL Members

Sally Sachar will dig deep into public policy and current events and how they are being covered in today’s media landscape. This fascinating class is sure to produce conversation. Sally spent nearly 30 years in Washington, DC working in public policy and leading nonprofits in education and health. After moving to Chicago, she founded the Ibis Collaborative, which leads public policy and current events discussions with older adults locally and nationally. A former presidential appointee, she held senior roles at the U.S. Department of Labor, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Associate Assistant Secretary for Policy. She also runs a consulting firm focused on strengthening nonprofits and small businesses.

Winter 2026 dates:
January 8 and 22
February 12 and 26
March 5 and 19

FEBRUARY CLASSES

Broadway’s New Direction

with Jean Klingle

Tuesday, February 3
3:00-4:00 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: Free for CLL Members, $10 for nonmembers

Broadway is doing big things and adding exciting new experiences to showgoing.

The recently closed “Sunset Blvd” opened its second act with the male lead taking a three-minute walk outside on 42nd Street – rain, shine, or cold - while singing the title song. His walk was relayed by video to a giant screen in the theatre.

Video is popping up in many innovative ways to add impact to new productions. Movie stars like George Clooney and Robert Downey, Jr. are taking on the challenge of Broadway. Classic plays and musicals are being rethought and restaged. Outsider artists like director Jamie Lloyd are bringing new thinking to the art form.

In this class we will look at these new directions and others while exploring what the future holds for “The Great White Way.”

Eastern Religions with Susan Quaintance

Wednesdays, February 4-25
1:30-2:30 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: $20 for CLL Members, $40 for nonmembers

The religions of the East present a world view that is distinctly different than those of the West. We'll begin our introductory exploration of a few of them -- Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism -- by considering the questions that any religion tries to answer, and the hallmarks of (almost) every faith system. We'll only scratch the surface, and leave much unsaid . . . but that will also teach us something about the East

Susan Quaintance, OSB, has cherished being a part of the Center for Life and Learning community — whether as Program Coordinator, Director, or friend — since 2014. Still keenly interested in issues affecting older adults, she is currently Director of Heart to Heart Ministry, a program designed to help seniors remain independent in their homes, at St. Gertrude Catholic Parish in Edgewater. She also serves as subprioress for her religious community, the Benedictine Sisters of Chicago. For twenty-three years she taught English and Theology at St. Scholastica Academy in Rogers Park, and she has facilitated retreats, days of reflection, and discernment processes for adults all over the country.

Artificial Intelligence and Art Part 2

Thursdays, February 5 and 12
2:30-3:30 p.m. (Zoom)
Cost: $20 for CLL Members, $30 for nonmembers

Building on our course this past October explore AI’s role in reshaping artistic tradition, this sequel course turns from theory to practice, examining how today’s most experimental creators harness algorithms, choreography, data, and immersive environments to reimagine expression. We will engage deeply with the evolving dance between human intention and computational imagination. Together we investigate how algorithmic aesthetics, ethical design, and poetic experimentation may shape the next horizon of cultural creativity. All are welcome (it is not necessary to have attended the October course).

Hugh Leeman is an artist and bilingual instructor. He lectures regularly at Johns Hopkins University and Duke University. Leeman's lectures focus on the historical power of art to influence beliefs and behaviors. He is the managing editor of Roborant Review, which publishes a diversity of perspectives in contemporary art writing. His art has been shown at museums in the United States and Mexico.

CLL Member Memorial Service

Wednesday, February 11
11:00-12:00 p.m. (Hybrid)
Cost: Free for CLL and Non-members

CSO Dress Rehearsal

Wednesday, February 18
10:00-12:30 pm (In-Person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members

This rehearsal will be held at the Chicago Symphony Center. Tickets will be available to be picked up from the CLL Office and we will meet at the CSO the day of the concert.

MARCH CLASSES

Looking at Art

Mondays, March 2-16
2:30-4:00 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and non-members

Join CLL Volunteer Jackie O’Keefe to explore ideas, concepts, history and interpretations of paintings as seen in Realism, Impressionism, and Abstract art. By looking at paintings carefully we describe what we see, drawing an interpretation of the “story” seen in the work, and consider how line, color and shape would support an interpretation.

Art Deco: At Home and Abroad

Thursdays, March 5-26
2:30-4:00 p.m. (In person)
Cost: $40 for CLL Members and $60 for non-CLL members

Art Deco! It’s synonymous with the glamour, exuberance, and prosperity of the 1920s but also with the hope for a better future during the dark days of the Great Depression. Its manifestations range from the angular setbacks of the Chicago Board of Trade to the modernized classicism of the former main Chicago Post Office to the aerodynamic curves of the glass block walls of the Frank Fisher Apartments, also in Chicago. From Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann’s elegant modern cabinets inspired by traditional French forms to the skyscraper bookcases of Paul Frankl to Kem Weber’s airplane chair. From jewel-encrusted Cartier brooches to simple Bakelite bracelets.

This modern approach to decoration now known as Art Deco reached the peak of its popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, but its roots can be traced back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It soaked up features of numerous earlier styles and design movements—Art Nouveau, the Glasgow School, and Cubism to name but a few—and it affected almost every aspect of design in Europe, the United States, Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
This class explores the history of this international design movement and its impact on architecture, furniture, the decorative arts, fashion, jewelry, graphics, and industrial design throughout the world.

Kathleen Murphy Skolnik teaches art and architectural history at Roosevelt University classes on architecture and design of the late 19th and early 20th century at the Newberry Library. She is the co-author of The Art Deco Murals of Hildreth Meière and a contributor to Art Deco Chicago: Designing Modern America. From 2008 to 2016 she was the editor of the Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine and currently serves on the Board of the International Hildreth Meière Association and the Advisory Board of the Art Deco Society of New York.

Oscar Preview Party

Monday March 9
3:00-4:30 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: Free for CLL Members and Non-members
Join Matt Helms for the annual CLL Oscar Preview Party. This in-person party will be a celebration of this year’s nominees and all things related to the Academy Awards!

Mitchell Park Domes and Milwaukee Public Market

Wednesday, March 18
10:00-6:30 p.m. (In-person)
Cost: $45 for CLL Members, $65 for non-CLL Members

Join us for a day trip to Milwaukee! The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory is a living plant museum with a permanent collection of over 1,800 plant species that represent plant life from across the globe. The conservatory, also known as the Domes, is located in Mitchell Park in Milwaukee, and as well as the main Domes campus, which includes six propagation greenhouses.

We will begin the day by meeting at Fourth Church to take a coach bus to our first stop, The Milwaukee Public Market, Milwaukee's iconic food & event destination! Lunch will be on your own to choose from unique, high quality selections of artisan and ethnic products, freshly-made prepared foods, and many restaurants. Then, we are off to the Domes for a one-hour guided tour with time on your own to explore the conservatory.

< Back to CLL main page