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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.
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Arts of Life offers artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities an alternative career path designed to help enrich their lives as working artists.
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#FBF Grateful for the music, the memories, and the pure rock ’n’ roll joy. 🎸🔥 the #ArtsOfLifeBand needs a reunion tour stat! #BehindTheMusic
Our Vision is a rich creative arts community where artists with intellectual & developmental disabilities participate through leadership and collaboration. Guest curators are a vital part of realizing that vision.
We are so grateful for each guest curator and their commitment to artistic dialogue with our artists and the broader contemporary art world. As they bring their own artistic vision to our gallery, we see new conversations and connections between artists at each and every exhibition.
With grant funding and medicaid in jeopardy, we need to raise $60,000 to continue operations through this fiscal quarter. Thanks to many donors, we are now 92% of the way toward that critical goal!
An anonymous foundation is still matching new and increased gifts through June 13th, Doubling Your Impact!
Will you step in today to ensure this critical artistic programming continues uninterrupted?
Past curator Image Descriptions -
ID1 - Katie Kimmel
ID2 - Noel Mercado
ID3 - Edra Soto
ID4 - Pari Dust
ID5 - Sara Wenokur
ID6 - Armani Howard
ID7 - Cody Tumbling
ID8 - Noel Morical
ID9 - Liza Eilers
ID10 - Christina Stavros
ID11 - Ricardo Partida
ID12 - Matt Bodett
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#PastCurators #Gallery #CircleContemporary #GuestCurators #Curator
We’re delighted to have Charlotte Grüssing, Arthur Peña , and Roger Buttles as this year’s guest jurors for Perennial Hug 3 Chicago and Vicinity!
Perennial Hug is an annual open call and guest juried exhibition that features artists of all demographics and abilities. Submissions are FREE! Find the form and more details at the link in our BIO.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: June 30, 2025
EXHIBITION: August 1, 2025 - September 12, 2025
LOCATION: 2010 W. Carroll Ave. Chicago, IL 60612
About the Jurors:
Charlotte Grüssing is a curator and gallerist based in New York. She is currently a Director at The Hole (New York and Los Angeles) and is the founder and curator of Tombolo’s artist residency program. Prior to this, she ran The Other Art Fair in Brooklyn and Chicago, following her early work in Museum Programming at the Hood Museum of Art.
Arthur Peña is a Bronx-based artist, curator, and writer. While living in Dallas, he founded warehouse gallery WARE:WOLF:HAUS, grant funded roving venue and music label, Vice Palace, and his curatorial project, One Night Only. Peña has exhibited throughout Texas and New York. Solo art fair presentations include EXPO Chicago, Spring/Break Art Show, and Independent Art Fair. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Art in America, Vice, ARTnews, and Artnet, among others. He is currently a curatorial partner in Lower East Side gallery Below Grand and works with ARTnews/Art in America as a Senior Account Manager and Gallery Liaison.
Roger Buttles received his BA in Anthropology from Harvard University in 2001 and his MFA in Painting & Drawing from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2014. He has had solo exhibitions at The Carl and Site Red, both in Chicago; a two person exhibit with Ross Normandin at The Lens Gallery in Boston, and group exhibitions at The Condo Association in Chicago and McMillian, Wisconsin. He completed a residency at Alternative Worksite in Roanoke Virginia, and currently works in Concord NH, where in 2023 he founded Outer Space, an artist-run gallery that exhibits both emerging and established artists in joint exhibitions.
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#opencall #juriedexhibition #chicagoart #artsoflife
What Makes a Good Friend?
Arts of Life is redefining what healthy workplaces and communities look like. With our collective decision-making model, everyone has a say, and our artists lead the way. None of this is possible without your support.
Our Glenview studio recently launched a monthly Social Group to help newer and long-tenured artists connect and build community. Here are a few highlights from a recent session focused on friendship:
What is one thing you like about the person next to you?
Nik: Amanda, you’re funny, you’re witty, and you’re one of my closest, dearest friends.
Danny: Brian makes me happy. He is a great, great young man of the earth.
Omar: (Amanda) Always here. Always punching.
Amanda: (Omar) *She’s already laughing* He’s kookoo!
What makes a good friend?
Deaudra: A good friend is when you tell them something private about you, treats you with respect and everything.
Oly: Saying sorry.
Ted GB: Noticing when you done something wrong which is hard for me to do.
How has having a disability impacted your social life or making friends?
Ted GB: The ideal friends are those who see past your power chair, or your disability.
Oly: Community.
Nik: Respect for each others boundaries .
Oly: Help someone who is struggling.
In order to continue supporting these artists and this vibrant community, we need to raise at least $60,000 by this Friday. Thanks to many donors, we are 88% of the way there! New and increased gifts are matched through this Friday!
Will you stand up for our artists and help us cross the finish line?
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#friendship #communitysupport #artsoflife
