▁not - for - pro fit ▁arts ▁organization ▁focused ▁on ▁further ing ▁cultural ▁communication ▁between ▁Europe ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁It ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁and ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁East ▁Village , ▁what ▁is ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁Chicago ' s ▁more ▁art istic ▁communities ▁along ▁Mil w au kee ▁Avenue ▁in ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁old ▁Polish ▁Dow nt own . ▁The ▁organization ▁is ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁organ izing ▁the ▁Chicago ▁International ▁Document ary ▁Festival . ▁ ▁Building ▁The ▁structure ▁housing ▁the ▁Society ▁was ▁originally ▁designed ▁as ▁a ▁neighborhood ▁bank ▁by ▁the ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁of ▁Whit ney ▁& ▁Williams . ▁It ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁and ▁purchased ▁along ▁with ▁adjacent ▁lots ▁for ▁the ▁Society ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁It ▁was ▁officially ▁opened ▁on ▁November ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁The ▁Society ▁currently ▁oper ates ▁two ▁gall eries ▁within ▁the ▁building , ▁with ▁exhib its ▁r anging ▁from ▁painting , ▁sculpt ure , ▁graphics ▁and ▁phot ography ▁to ▁three - dimensional ▁install ations , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁gallery ▁tal ks , ▁work sh ops ▁and ▁lect ures ▁by ▁visit ing ▁artists ▁and ▁sch ol ars . ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Home page ▁ ▁Category : Ar ts ▁organizations ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁Category : 1 9 8 1 ▁establish ments ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Category : Ar ts ▁organizations ▁based ▁in ▁Illinois ▁Category : Culture ▁of ▁Chicago ▁Category