Mana Contemporary Chicago

Mana Contemporary Chicago is a rapidly expanding art center set in an enormous landmark building in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Designed by noted Chicago architect George Nimmons, the building is now home to dozens of artists studios, exhibition spaces, classrooms, a central cafe, a library and more. Mana serves as a nexus for many of the strongest artists and organizations in the city. Artists of diverse disciplines, including painting, sculpture, photography, dance, film, sound, and performance work alongside each other in a novel campus environment which fosters experimentation, collaboration, and mutual inspiration. Very established artists' studios neighbor those that house strong emerging practices, as there is a wide range of studio sizes.

A hub of programming and activity for the vital communities of Chicago artists, Mana Contemporary will also serve as a multi-institutional pedagogical platform, and already serves as home to art schools and organizations dedicated to educating and supporting emerging artists. Chicago’s existing art communities have informed this model, which grows organically with the development of each new floor, customizing and adapting to the needs and opportunities that make up Chicago’s creative landscape. Mana Contemporary strives to grow a vital community of Chicago artists, showcasing their practices, processes, and ideas to the public.