The Kimball Arts Center Artist in Residence program is for any emerging or established artist in Chicago. These artists are looking to exhibit their work in a public multidisciplinary building, in effort to build their creative network, resources, sales and collaborative opportunities.

Our most successful AIRs have been individuals who are highly self-starting and motivated by connection and collaboration. This is a relatively young and experimental opportunity in that we have built a foundation for flexibility, adapting to the vision of each new artist.

See past AIR

• Space to exhibit your work publicly in our multidisciplinary building of over 30 independent creative businesses and artist studios

• $250 Stipend paid upon completion of installation. This is to aid in any material or transportation costs for the artist

• Scheduled Studio Visits with various artists and creative entrepreneurs who work at the KAC

• Opening Reception for your exhibition. This is a flexible gathering and can be as casual or formal as you’d like!

• Access to the building at your convenience. The Plant Lounge on the 2nd floor is a great place to work and connect with the creative community at the KAC

• Opportunity to sell your work. KAC takes 25% of all sales made within your residency. This cut goes directly back into funding future AIR sessions. 75% is in your pocket

The Kimball Arts Center accepts any medium of artwork / installation that can be hung in the walls of our public hallways.

Each session has up to 2 artists and approximately 60ft of wall space per artist on our first and second floors.

This is an ideal opportunity for artists that have an existing body of work to show. If you are making new work for the program, please submit drafts and examples of what you would exhibit.

We also accept mural proposals for the exterior spaces of the building!

Each session is up to 3 months long, approximately 4 times a year. Each session we select up to 2 artists.

Spring: April / May / June

Summer: July / August / September

Fall: October / November / December

Winter: January / February / March- (This session is an ongoing collaboration with ILA Creative Studio to celebrate and platform Black Artists. See their website for more details.)

• Space for artists to create their work. This is purely an exhibition residency. Exceptions for muralists who would paint on-site

• Full Installation Labor. Maddy, the AIR director, works to place the work and gives a hand in install. We offer nails, wire, hammers, measuring tape, levels, ladder. We encourage the artists to bring a friend for assistance

• Insurance for stolen or damaged work. The first floor exhibition spaces are fully open to the public from 7am-10pm. Our second floor spaces are accessed via security code. There are security cameras throughout the whole property, inside and outside.

• Services to mail or ship purchased work. All sales transactions are processed through our website and AIR Director. It is up to the artist to execute delivery of work

AIR is a platform that is exploring the crossover of paying artists justly for their hard work (selling at 25/75 split in favor of the artist) and accessibility for a new audience to buy your art. We believe in circular economies and that art collecting should be for everyone!

With this is mind, the value of an original artwork is much greater and prioritized for exhibition. For accessibility reasons, we encourage artists to have available prints or smaller applications of their work for sale and circulation. For clarity on these possibilities, please reach out to Maddy!

Avenues of circulation beyond just exhibition:

• Prints of original works can be displayed and available on our website for sale

• Good Things Vending - We have a machine on site and can connect you with Steph to sell!

• Stickers, Post Cards, various merch prepared for sale at Opening Reception or other public programming