Chicago Art Department

Mission Statement

The Chicago Art Department (CAD) cultivates new and emerging Chicago artists. Through education, exhibition, artist residencies, and community building, we are dedicated to supporting new voices, ideas, and practices in contemporary art. CAD seeks to serve the real-world needs of young artists seeking to establish their personal practice, as well as provide a breeding ground of creative collaboration and exploration.

Our support of new and emerging artists consist of:

Education & Artistic Development

The Chicago Art Department offers educational opportunities aimed at nurturing artistic and practical development.

THEME-BASED PROGRAMS are intermedia-based programs leading participants through a process of learning and working in a variety of media, with the goal of producing a theme-based exhibition. The exhibitions for theme-based programs typically show group exercises and individual projects, all in a variety of media.

SKILL-BASED PROGRAMS focus on technical explorations for the purpose of improving skills. Skill-based exhibitions typically showcase individual projects.

Exhibition & Outreach

The Chicago Art Department produces exhibitions, programs, and events to not only create greater awareness, but also provide regular opportunities and outlets for artists to make and share work.  The Chicago Art Department provides exhibition opportunities in other media as well, such as the web, print, and video, in addition to physical gallery spaces.

Artist Residencies

The Chicago Art Department is operated by and works in conjunction with 8 resident artists who share studio space and exhibit their work in the storefront gallery. In addition to operating CAD, these artists are an invaluable resource for knowledge, artistic inspiration, and practical experience.