Events this week

More free events in Chicago:

• We are treated to another new spoken word series, Story Lab Chicago. Scott Whitehair is the curator of this gathering for new voices and new stories, which debuts Wednesday, January 19, at 7:30 PM at the Black Rock Pub, located at 3614 N. Damen Avenue.

• Author Brenda Marshall will read from her new historical novel, Dakota, Friday, January 21, at 7:30 PM at Women and Children First Bookstore, located at 5233 N. Clark Street. Read a review of the novel with an author interview.

• The Chicago Cultural Center hosts an opening reception for the exhibit, “Off the Beaten Path: Violence, Women, and Art,” also on Friday night, from 5:30-7:30 PM. The exhibit includes works by 29 international artists and will travel to countries including Norway, France, Mexico, and South Africa.

• Worth noting: The Art Institute of Chicago offers free admission Wednesdays from now through February 4, and the Museum of Science and Industry is free every weekday for the month of January.

Cheers!