Celebrating 25 Years!

For a quarter century, Arts of Life has been advancing the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership.

We hope you will join us for our 2025 celebrations!

Meet Our Artists

We were founded with the idea that the studio belongs to its artists. The guiding principle behind our studio is to give people an opportunity to shape and be a member of an artistic community; a community that changes with the growing needs of the artists and one that is a contributing member of the larger society.

Join Our Studio

Arts of Life offers artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities an alternative career path designed to help enrich their lives as working artists. 

CPA _FriendsFromEdisto,SC_2020_acrylic_20x16

Chris Austin

sharks_and_ostriches

Laura McManus

AG_Goodnight_2022_acrylic-panel_36x42

Amanda Gantner

DK_Light-bright_acrylic-canvas_2023_24x20

David Krueger

CZ_back-in-wonderland_marker-paper_2023_19x24

Christina Zion

SLP_Gutless-City_2023_colored-pencil-pen-paper_19x24

Susan Pasowicz

Upcoming & Recent Events

SAVE THE DATE Benefit Auction  +  Dance Party

SAVE THE DATE Benefit Auction + Dance Party

October 4
Epiphany Center for the Arts
Community on the Make | Arts of Life 2000 – 2025

Community on the Make | Arts of Life 2000 – 2025

August 11, 2025 @ 12:00 am - January 10, 2026 @ 12:00 am
Design Museum of Chicago
EXPO Chicago 2025

EXPO Chicago 2025

April 24 - April 27
Navy Pier
Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago

Catalyst: Im/migration and Self-Taught Art in Chicago

April 24, 2025 - January 11, 2026
Intuit Art Museum
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News and Announcements

Newcity What they said Review

Newcity Arts – Collaborative Agency: A Review of “What They Said” at Circle Contemporary

by Frank Geiser | April 14, 2025 Newcity Arts Frank Vega, “Unidad-Float,” 2022,...
Ann at our 2025 25th Birthday Party and Book Launch

Sponsor Spotlight: The Mitchell Group

Our deepest thanks go to The Mitchell Group for supporting...
Matt in the Morning

NBC’s Matt in the Morning: ‘Arts of Life’ nonprofit celebrates 25 years

Matt Rodrigues pays a visit to “Arts of Life” as...
Veronica-Cuculich-artwork-1-scaled

Chicago Reader: Inside the vibrant, joy-filled world of Arts of Life

The organization provides artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a...

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