Our Mission

At 6018North, we challenge what art is, whom it’s for, and where and how it’s created. Founded in May 2011, 6018North is an artist-centered, sustainable, nonprofit platform and venue for innovative art and culture. Located in a dilapidated mansion, at 6018 North Kenmore in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood, 6018 North encourages artists to collaborate and reconfigure its intimate space. This intimacy allows artists and audiences to connect in transformative ways. At home and away in other non-traditional spaces, 6018North’s site-specific exhibitions and events include artists performing, creating installations, and directing communal engagement events.

We leverage new ways of connecting through art. Partnering with artists, community leaders, organizers, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs, 6018North connects artists from multiple disciplines, and individuals and groups from diverse fields.  Art is a catalyst to invigorate community while building a local and international cultural dialogue to enhance and sustain Chicago’s creative community.

We create dynamic art and events in our neighborhood, city-wide, and beyond. Located in one of Chicago’s most diverse neighborhoods and home to many arts organizations, 6018North’s innovative programming and conversational events reflect and build upon the breadth of this diversity by connecting the many groups and individuals that call Edgewater home.

What We Do

We invite artists to create unintimidating yet rigorous, audience-friendly yet innovative, communally engaged exhibitions, discussions, and events in public space. All 6018North’s free events provide food and time for conversation between neighbors, artists, and patrons. 6018North is where audiences not only listen, but talk to the artists, and to each other. 6018North’s projects take place not only at 6018North but inside exhibition spaces in classrooms and unused storefronts, and outside on the beach, streets, alleys. We draw people together wherever we are through art, architecture, music, play, and food.

Why We Do What We Do

6018North is a social experiment based on utopian ideals of art. We believe in the power of art. We also believe that people are craving for unique life-enhancing experiences in non-traditional spaces. Because connections create opportunities, 6018North is a new model for creating unique experiences through connecting people, bridging disciplines, and supporting artistic excellence and innovation. Its Artistic Director, former MCA curator’s hallmark is community engagement and incubating now famous Chicago artists because she encourages relevance and risk taking. 6018North’s nimbleness promotes risk taking and cross disciplinary experimentation. We encourage artists to work not in a vacuum but with and for society, to collaborate, and to advance new ways of making art and engaging audiences through thought-provoking and compelling work.