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.Β 

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Lucy Walsh

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Tim Stone

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Nik Heusman

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Dave Thompson

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Kelly Stone

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Ted Hamel

Upcoming & Recent Events

YOU ARE INVITED Benefit Auction  +  Dance Party

YOU ARE INVITED 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 - September 30
Design Museum of Chicago
Perennial Hug 3 Chicago and Vicinity

Perennial Hug 3 Chicago and Vicinity

August 1 - September 12
Circle Contemporary- West Town
Up & Up 2025

Up & Up 2025

July 27 @ 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Promontory Point
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News and Announcements

Casey Chrzan at a Circle Contemporary exhibition opening

Arts of Life to receive $80,000 grant from The Warhol Foundation

Arts of Life is thrilled to have been approved for...
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We Are Stronger Together

  In Arts of Life’s 25-year history, we have faced...
Newcity What they said Review

Newcity Arts – Collaborative Agency: A Review of β€œWhat They Said” at Circle Contemporary

byΒ Frank GeiserΒ |Β April 14, 2025 Newcity Arts Frank Vega, β€œUnidad-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...

What's Happening on Instagram

Thank you to the over 90 artists who submitted to our open call! We are excited to announce the Jurors’ final Perennial Hug 2025 selections!

Please Join us for the opening reception of Perennial Hug on Friday, August 1st at Circle Contemporary Chicago.

Featured Artists:
Su Kaiden Cho – Dede Decker – Samantha Degucz – Lya Finston – Cole Fox – Nik heusman – Katrina Jackson – Xiaoyi Jiang – Aubrey LaDuke – Anna Lentz – Travis Morehead – Siena Peterson – Cole Pierce – Kelly Reaves – Brian Reed – Lamine Richards – Mina Romero – Charlotte Saylor – Vicente Siso – Anne Skaug – Andrew Sloan – Nanako Kono – Olivia Tousius – Arin Whitmore – Araceli Zuniga

Jurors:
Charlotte GrΓΌssing - Arthur PeΓ±a - Roger Buttles

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Where:
Circle Contemporary - West Town
2010 W. Carroll Ave 
Chicago, IL 60612

When:
Opening Reception:
Friday August 1, 2025
5:00-8:00 pm.
Additional open hours:
Friday September 5, 2025
5:00-8:00 pm.
***Gallery open by appointment only, to schedule a visit please email us***

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#PerennialHug2025 #PerennialHug #ArtsOfLife #ChicagoExhibition #ArtExhibition #ChicagoArtGallery #ChicagoArt #ChicagoArtEvents #WestTown #CircleContemporary

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