Chicago's Independent Art Scene: A Deep Dive into Artist-Run Spaces
According to a report by Artribune, Chicago's vibrant art community is largely fueled by artist-operated venues. Among the city's architectural highlights are the Willis Tower, completed in 1973 and standing 108 stories tall, and the Art Institute of Chicago, which showcases iconic works such as Grant Wood's American Gothic and Edward Hopper's Nighthawks. The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is currently featuring Duane Linklater: mymothersside, running until September 3, 2023. Mana Contemporary is home to 250 artists and exhibitions, including Jonas Mekas's Open Archives. Key artist-run spaces include 4th Ward Project Space and 6018|North. During the pandemic, the Hyde Park Art Center awarded $8,000 grants to these spaces. Noteworthy artists include Nick Cave and Theaster Gates, while the Renaissance Society, established in 1915, promotes emerging talents under Myriam Ben Salah.
Key facts
- Willis Tower built in 1973, 108 stories, 442 meters tall.
- Art Institute of Chicago's Modern Wing designed by Renzo Piano.
- MCA Chicago hosts Duane Linklater: mymothersside until September 3, 2023.
- Mana Contemporary has locations in Chicago, Jersey City, and Miami.
- Mana Contemporary houses 250 artists in studios.
- Jonas Mekas, Open Archives exhibition supported by Fondazione Monira.
- Convictions exhibition curated by Rodrigo Lara.
- Kate Sierzputowski is director of programming at Expo Chicago.
- Barely Fair is an international fair at 1:12 scale produced by Julius Caesar.
- Hyde Park Art Center provided $8,000 unrestricted grants to artist-run spaces.
- Rebuild Foundation founded by Theaster Gates in a former bank built in 1923.
- Poetry Foundation has a library of 30,000 volumes of experimental poetry.
- Renaissance Society founded in 1915, Myriam Ben Salah appointed executive director in 2020.
- Edra Soto's The Franklin is a project space in her garden in East Garfield Park.
Entities
Artists
- Anish Kapoor
- Grant Wood
- Edward Hopper
- John Simpson
- Pablo Picasso
- Constantin Brâncuși
- Francis Bacon
- Joseph Cornell
- Eva Hesse
- René Magritte
- Gerhard Richter
- Duane Linklater
- Jonas Mekas
- Rodrigo Lara
- Kate Sierzputowski
- Tricia Van Eyck
- Vincent Uribe
- Edra Soto
- Nick Cave
- Theaster Gates
- Kerry James Marshall
- Alberto Aguilar
- Margot Bergman
- Dawoud Bey
- Krista Franklin
- Maria Gaspar
- B. Ingrid Olson
- Barbara Kasten
- Ebony G. Patterson
- Celeste Rapone
- Tyson Reeder
- Alice Tippit
- Diane Simpson
- Federico Del Vecchio
- Myriam Ben Salah
- S. Y. Lim
Institutions
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago
- Mana Contemporary
- Expo Chicago
- Fondazione Monira
- Julius Caesar
- Barely Fair
- 4th Ward Project Space
- 6018|North
- Roman Susan
- Prairie
- LVL3
- The Franklin
- Hyde Park Art Center
- DePaul Art Museum
- National Museum of Mexican Art
- Corbett vs. Dempsey
- Whitney Museum
- Rebuild Foundation
- South Side Community Art Center
- Poetry Foundation
- Renaissance Society
- Flip project
- Istituto Italiano di Cultura
- Palais de Tokyo
- Kunsthal Charlottenborg
- Stedelijk Museum
- ICA Milano
- 1646 The Hague
- SAIC (School of the Art Institute of Chicago)
- Artribune
Locations
- Chicago
- United States
- Lake Michigan
- Willis Tower
- Navy Pier
- Millennium Park
- Hyde Park
- Edgewater
- Pilsen
- Wicker Park
- East Garfield Park
- South Side
- Jersey City
- Miami
- New York
- Naples
- Italy