Program Announcements

Winter was full of transition for the Chicago Studio Team, so welcoming Christea Parent into the PCSA role at Chicago felt just like a fresh spring breeze! Christea’s background and current practice are in performing arts. She’s an ensemble member of Hell in a Handbag Productions and produces, in addition to creating solo performance art.

Each April, non-profit organizations across the country take time to thank their volunteers.  At The Arts of Life’s Chicago Studio, it is a perfect time for us to reflect on just how much we have to be thankful for.  We partnered with over 40 volunteers last fiscal year, many of whom are active in our

This year marked the North Shore studio’s 6th Square Foot Show. The popular annual event featured over 130 pieces of work by artists from around the region, state, country and world. Mediums varied widely, from paintings to photographs to collage work and everything in between. Skill level ranged from novice/outsider artists to professional makers. The

Social roles are identities that people engage throughout their lives.  They can lead to feelings of involvement and purpose, and generally allow an individual to express what is important to them.  They connect people to broader communities of people with similar interests.  These roles are active and require participation.  They lead to a strong and

Thanks to the Art Institute hosting free days for Illinois residents, the North Shore studio was able to take a field trip on Monday February 13th. It is rare that we are able to see such great works of art in person and our excursion was an amazing time for all who attended.

 Thanks to the help of Jamie Yuen, The North Shore artists have had a blast implementing dance as a refreshing form of artistic expression. Jamie came to our studio in the summer of 2016 from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science. Since then she has become a vivacious and energetic presence at The Arts

Since September of last year, Kiley Hensrud has been volunteering regularly at our Chicago Studio.  Kiley’s experience with art through schooling and her own practice allows her to bring fresh eyes to our artists’ projects and to draw creative inspiration for her own work from our community.  We sat down with Kiley to learn more

March is a busy time at The Arts of Life! In addition to it being Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, it is also the start of our 6th Annual Square Foot Show. The theme of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is “Life Side by Side”, which perfectly fits the Square Foot Show since it’s a great example of inclusion

Each year, The Arts of Life community creates thousands of pieces of original artwork. Our dedicated facilitators do their very best to ensure that artists’ work is seen by the public through exhibitions, art festivals and private viewings. But try as we might, there are always pieces that wind up in storage, waiting patiently for