River East Art Center

Beautiful location for any of your needs. I went there for a wedding and I couldn’t believe how it was. Really top-​notch place to have your event at!

Go! Great space to attend an event! Large space full of natural light with 2 story ceilings, 1 block away from my home, right on the river.

I’ve been hosting a monthly event — DOSE Market — at the River East Art Center for about 2 years and the team here, David, Marley, Benny + more, has been one of our biggest allies and a huge source of support when it comes to executing an event properly. Anytime we have a need it is addressed so it is always a pleasure working with this stellar team at this gorgeous venue. Would reco REAC to anyone hosting a beautiful event. Thank you, River East — we wouldn’t be DOSE if it weren’t for you!

A nonprofit I’m involved with has had an event here for the past couple of years, and it has always gone smoothly. The space itself is amazing, and each year we’ve had a few different vendors doing a few different things within the space — the fact that it has gone well each time tells me that we’re either incredibly lucky or the management of the venue itself has something to do with it.
I’d add that having been involved in the planning of a variety of events in Chicago over the years, and having been involved in the planning of my own wedding last year (and looking back on each of them), I think people’s expectations and perspective are perhaps a bit compromised when it comes to their own weddings. Meaning only that I think when it comes to our own weddings, maybe things get a little magnified, to us, and others should take our resulting thoughts with a grain of salt.
To me, it says a lot that everybody who has been to an event here (except that one person who didn’t like the art at some show 4 years ago) seems to absolutely love it. From a guest perspective, everything seems to go smoothly for everyone. There is more uniformity of opinion with regard to this place than there is with regard to others. There seems to be a consensus among guests that events at this place go very, very well — and I have a hard time believing that the management of the venue doesn’t deserve some credit for that.
As for the nonprofit I’m involved with, as far as I’m aware, nobody on the planning or attending end has had anything but really great things to say about this venue and about Marley — and I hope we’re back again next year!

Absolutely gorgeous space. I attended Chicago Magazine’s Chicago’s Table event here and was incredibly impressed. This would be an AMAZING wedding venue-​high ceilings with exposed wood beams, beautiful tall white pillars, glass walls… just so many possibilities! Would highly recommend checking this place out if you’re in search of a great venue for an event in Chicago.

Where do I even begin? This is a DREAM space for any kind of Chicago event — especially a wedding. We hosted our wedding reception here over a month ago and our family and friends are still raving about the space — it’s truly unlike anything they’ve seen before!
Set on the Chicago river with a killer city view — the grand, loft like space is warm and inviting due to the exposed wood beams and glass walls that let the natural light flood in. The high ceilings and tall, white pillars that flank the room add extra drama. There is no need to spend extra money on décor because the bones here are just exquisite. The private outdoor patio is perfect for cocktail hour overlooking the water. We even took advantage of the boat nearby and enjoyed a relaxing cruise with our wedding party along the river before cocktail hour began. The space is truly eclectic to say the least.
From beginning to end — the REAC staff treated us wonderfully. They were willing to negotiate and meet our fixed budget. Marley was a gem — I loved her from the moment I met her! And I know how important it is to find someone you connect with in the world of wedding vendors. We were on the same page at all times and no questions went unanswered. I did my research and the recommended list of vendors are the best in the city. I ended up choosing Paramount Events for catering and we were more than thrilled and impressed. (Jodi at Paramount is another AMAZING person — I would work with them a 100 times over– I can’t say enough good things about Paramount Events and how much they rock!!!)
On the night of the reception, our wedding guests were having so much fun on the dance floor that we decided to extend our contracted time limit an extra 30 minutes. With any other venue, this would NEVER be possible. When we mentioned this to the REAC representative on hand, he agreed and coordinated with all of the other vendors to help assure everything would still run smoothly. It was really refreshing to know that they were flexible and able to accommodate our last minute request :)
Again, I can’t say enough about River East Art Center. My husband and I are so happy we chose this unique space for our wedding reception and we thank Marley and the entire staff for making our big day incredible!

A few weeks have passed since our wedding there, and we really have mixed feelings about REAC.
First of all, you cannot deny that it is a gorgeous space and we could not be happier with how it looked. That’s about where our satisfaction ends though. As you can see here, nearly every reviewer has only attended, thought it looked nice, enjoyed the food or lights brought in by the people throwing the bash, and gave it five stars. Only one or two of these actually may have dealt with management.
In reality, we found that management to be at best extraordinarily inattentive and at worst downright rude. This venue is not cheap ($ 7,500 for a Friday event, $ 10,000 for Saturday) – a fee which essentially includes nothing but an empty room as everything from cooking equipment to speakers, décor to furniture (I mean chairs, tables, everything) have to be contracted for with outside vendors (of which you’re only allowed to choose from a non-​negotiable list) and brought in on your dime. However, like most people, we were blown away when we first saw the site and decided we had to have our wedding there regardless – a decision we’re still happy with as everybody couldn’t stop raving about how great the space looked.
Once we made that decision, however, we spent several weeks trying to get someone to get us a contract to sign. No out of office e-​mail, no returned calls, nothing. As this is like kryptonite to a couple watching venues get snapped up, we went there unannounced, found the office was in fact not empty, and were provided a contract on the spot. Sadly, it had several mistakes in it and then had to be redone – taking another few weeks – and contained a number of annoying little extras like the requirement that we purchase our own liability insurance on top of what I’m sure is their own very extensive coverage. Fine, it is what it is.
The big issue came though when we tried to schedule a Thursday rehearsal before our wedding. After much cajoling, we were told that we maybe could come in if nobody booked the space. It was clear this was all we were going to get, so we just hoped for the best.
Fast forward to two weeks out. To that point, things had pretty much proceeded as before – anytime we needed something we’d call, and call, and e-​mail, and eventually just stop by to get the answer. It was pretty incredible how nobody seemed to care – whatsoever – about what service we were provided. Anyway, we call to see if we can nail down a time to come in Thursday, and eventually find out that the space was booked. Regardless, we ask whether we could just come in early, maybe before setup started, and do a quick walk through. At the very least we asked if we could just show our wedding party the site from the mezzanine above. We were told that this couldn’t happen via e-​mail. So, as had become custom, I went to the office unannounced and met with Manager One. After a brief conversation, I was told that we could come in for a brief window, stay out of everyone’s way, and show the space to our party. Truth be told, after that interaction, Manager One (who was the one previously failing to return any of our calls or e-​mails) was more responsive.
About a week or so later though Manager Two – who I didn’t even know existed – writes me the following after apparently having given a good talking-​to to our wedding planner (after she mentioned the window offered by Manager One):
«I’m not sure if you were privy to the conversation I had with your planner but let me just review the finer points.. .. the atrium is 100% off limits. As I told [planner], if you wish to come in before 2 pm and briefly view the space from the mezzanine then your (sic) welcome to do so. You may even conduct a small rundown of your walk through in one of the upstairs hallways by the galleries. But I can absolutely not give anyone from your event access to the atrium.. .. I do hope everyone is on the same page about this. Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks.»
Now, I may be a sensitive Sally, but that struck me a bit snippy, particularly for what we were paying for nothing but a room and bad service, and suggests that the two managers seem to be on anything but «the same page.» I didn’t argue, however, as despite this nastygram we still were getting a chance to show the space to the party. Fast forward a day, and Manager One reverses course again, and now we can’t even look at the space from the balcony.
It ended up okay as the Peninsula (which gets good reviews for being not only beautiful, but having pretty freaking good customer service) provided us a $ 400/​hr ballroom, with signage and refreshments, for free and with one promptly returned phone call. The wedding was spectacular, and I believe neither One or Two were even in the building. Seriously though, is this all we get for forking over $ 7500 for an empty room we were insuring, and filling with equipment and staff provided by their selected providers?

I am in the events industry and i have come across practically every venue in the city — this one really is memorable! It has the feel of a timber loft with lots of wood and glass to keep the space light and bright. It’s vaulted ceilings and open 2-​story main room with views of the river make it truly breathtaking for an event space.

I come here every year for the Aces UP! charity poker tournament and I think the place is fantastic. Staff is very friendly. The event is great too love the outdoor area right on the river too.

My favorite event space in the city! We had our wedding reception there this month, and they (and their list of fab vendors) helped me execute everything smoothly. Beautiful space, cocktails on the veranda were amazing. Perfect evening!

Lovely. The River East Arts Center is in the space that was formerly known as the North Pier. I haven’t been here in years, but a holiday party in the space got me to visit the other night.
The space is lovely. Clear stairs leading down to the reception area. An interesting collection of work lining the walls. Huge timber exposed posts and glass walls separate each of the galleries. And the high ceilings lend a feeling of festiveness to the place no matter what the occasion. Even the lighting is good– at least I thought it was good as all of my colleagues looked great in their holiday finery!
The food was great (although know they work with a variety of caterers) as were the drinks. And given that the space is wide open– there is plenty of flow for a cocktail party or a sit down dinner.
Valet parking can be had along Illinois (again separately contracted) or if you are cabbing it– it is easy to grab a cab along here.
The art was light on the night we were here– but the space on it’s own is lovely and perfect for that special party or event!

In my opinion, this should be the benchmark for all multi-​gallery venues, hands down.
A fellow artist (who’s a member of the Chicago Artist’s Coalition) had asked me to be her guest in attending the 2010 Chicago Art Open… an event displaying @ 300 pieces of art by it’s various members. Of course, I gratefully accepted her invitation. Never having been to the REAC, I was as anxious to check out the venue itself as I was to see the artwork that hung from it’s walls inside.
As we wandered around the second floor, we had a great time discussing various painting techniques used by the featured artists, and enjoyed the challenge of figuring out the «secrets» they used to create some of the more abstract colors and textures on display. Eventually, we found ourselves divulging our own little creative secrets and how we’ve incorporated them to present our individual styles to the world. In every gallery I’ve ever been to, I’ve always been able to find beauty and inspiration. My experience here today was certainly no exception.
Pros: Great lighting and high ceilings with distressed timber posts add warmth to your visit… and all glass walls separating the individual galleries allow visitors to see the artwork inside, even if it’s after hours and the business is closed.
Cons: The Chicago Art Open hasn’t found the right people to docent this event and so, rarely has it’s doors open. For this reason alone, I’m taking one star away from an otherwise five star review. Still, it was well worth the trip.

This is one of my favorite event spaces in the city! I’ve been to two very different events here and both were fantastic.
I love the layout of the space. So open but so versatile. I can imagine that during the day, the lighting is wonderful.
My only complaint is that during the last event I was at, the acoustics were just terrible. And maybe it was the setup of the space for that particular event, or the sound system they used, but it was impossible to hear anything the musicians or the emcees played or said. Oh well, not sure it was so important anyway!

I attended an awards dinner for my husband’s company this past weekend at River East Art Center. The space is a-​m-​a-​z-​i-​n-​g! Inside, there is exposed brick, wood pillars and an enchanting glass stair case. I was a little leary walking down those stairs in heels with a few glasses of wine in me. We had dinner downstairs and it was set up like a wedding reception!
The space is very open but the acoustics are done well. The background noise wasn’t overly loud and I could hear people I was conversing with. Great spot to host an event. I hope next year’s patent award dinner is at River East Art Center!

The River East Arts Center is in the lengthy loft building formerly known as North Pier. This was the setting of the Inspiration Corporation’s ‘One Inspired Evening’ fundraiser/​auction event. Most of my time was spent with a bunch of cool Unilocalers assisting at the coat check. When I did get to walk around a bit, I could see this was a fine place to hold a big event such as this. The high ceilings and exposed wood structural elements create an artsy atmosphere, and Kelly S’s «blank canvas» comment is spot on here. Although there were hundreds of people in the crowd, there was still room enough to wander and look at artworks, mingle, or just people-​watch. The glass staircase is nice to look at, but it always throws me off a bit when I walked down the stairs.

What a COOL place for an event!
I volunteered to work the Unilocal coat check at Inspiration Corporation’s ‘One Inspired Evening’. It gave me a chance to check out a really neat venue and see how the space is used.
I really like the open, airiness. High ceilings and lots of natural light. The décor is very minimal and is pretty much a blank canvas… so, the options are endless. Two floors, wood floors, and glass railings add to the openness.
The downtown location over looks part of the river and is steps away from Navy Pier. It would be a perfect location for a private event after the many conventions held at the Pier. Taxi cabs galore and right on a major bus route as well.
I would definitely recommend River East Arts Center to anyone planning an event of any kind.

Really?! This is what passes for art in this city?
The space itself, which used to be a food court, is gorgeous. Very metro chic, upscale, all that rot. Very «we don’t know anything about art, but openings are so chic and great ways to pick up the arty chicks.» Free wine is always nice. And charming staff roaming around with tasty hors d’oeuvres is also nice. The room itself is beautiful, and would be a nice space for some sort of event.
But the art — a few sparse, overly chic and pretentious galleries? Kitschy, overly literal and badly done art. Talentless painting, soulless sculptures and messy mosaics.
There were a few «artists studios» downstairs. Now, I’ve seen REAL artist’s studios, and ohhh, even had one myself *back in the day* and these are either the most anal retentive artists I’ve ever seen OR no one is makin’ any art down here. I’m going with the latter. The «artists studios» had windows you could look in, as if to observe the artist animal in their natural habitat. Very weird and voyeuristic.
One guy, who called himself the «master of color» (dude — self titled is not impressive) had a violin that was PAINTED and had some sort of a weird mime face painted on it. «Art» like this makes the babyjesus cry. He seemed to be the «master» of several mediums, painting, glass, drawing, sculpture and writing his name really large on all his art in a slightly affected manner.
The exhibit I actually liked best was an accidental installation. It was a totally bare «artist studio» with nothing but a pile of apparently shattered glass in the middle of the floor. Peacefully violent. A statement on chaos in the middle of calm? Maybe a hope for peace in the middle east because the glass was broken in the middle of the floor! That must be it! Thought-​provoking, to be sure, but I doubt it was meant to be that way.
Anyway, that was my favorite thing besides the wine.
But overall, sorry, not impressed.

River East Arts Center is just one of those perfect venues… with adequate nooks and crannies to avoid the chaos of a large event. Stunning layout, design and flow. Glass staircases, large atrium, expansive sight lines.
I have attended two events at this location, and both were executed beautifully. Exposed brick provides a stellar backdrop for unique art installations and displays. Just the right balance between funky and sophisticated. The kind of place one could wander and get lost in, happily.
I imagine holding a wedding here would be just about as ideal as one could dream of. Albeit, pricey. Parking down the street runs the normal downtown price tag. (mucho). Very close to Navy Pier…

Stunning venue… if I needed a place for an event and I had the dough, this would be on my list.
I attended a charity event for Inspiration Corp here last night and it was run very well. The coat check was upstairs in its own gallery and the staff was very friendly. Another gallery held the wine/​dine packages and the free tiles we were given, plus tables to sit at. In fact, tables were scattered everywhere and it was nice to be able to find a place to rest my weary feet (that’s what I get for my love of ultra high heels). The downstairs is where the art for the auctions for the event were set up, as well as bars and food table. The set up was pretty good. Also, the glass staircase, and the back fountain wall were lovely.
I didn’t get to see t he entire venue, because it was just so vast, but I definitely intend to go back.

Ooo la la. If you’re looking to plan a fabulously elegant event (wedding, corporate party, fundraiser) look no further than the River East Art Center. My own upcoming wedding is in South Florida, but if I was getting married in Chicago this would be my spot of choice (and believe me, I think I’ve been to a wedding/​event at every venue in town).
Next on to do list: MCA first fridays and checking out a few of those galleries housed inside this gorgeous contemporary venue, which can fit up to 1500 people.