HCL warmly welcomes and celebrates the 2025 HCL Fellow Artists in Residence:

Bradford Chin
Tirtza Even
Christopher Knowlton
Haruhi Kobayashi
Carissa Lee

High Concept Labs announces a fundraising campaign to establish a board-designated cash reserve. These funds, dedicated to the long-term stability of the organization, will be an essential financial tool for the organization. This fundraising campaign follows the celebration of HCL’s 15th Anniversary, and is a crucial marker in the organization’s development.

We are 68% to our goal of raising $125,000 by December 31, 2024. We need your help to close the gap. 

High Concept Labs & Unfolding Disability Futures Team Up to Present Art/Access Labs

Year-long celebration will feature artist events, programs, and showcases across Chicago.

The HCL Anniversary Campaign seeks to raise $125,000 in recognition of 15 years of advocacy for experimental, conceptual, and genre-defying artistic projects. This campaign will enable the longevity of High Concept Labs and our mission of strengthening Chicago’s creative sector through accessible residency programs.

We want to know about you!

High Concept Labs (HCL) announces the 2024 Artists in Residence: Bradford Chin, Christopher Knowlton, Haruhi Kobayashi, Carissa Lee, and KT Shivak.

For nearly 15 years, High Concept Labs has enabled artists across genres and disciplines to incubate new ideas, discover new approaches to making, and build new skills. We have championed over 300 artists and collective projects through providing no-cost studio space, funding, and professional documentation, along with tailored curatorial, development, and marketing support.

Through this work, we have learned that artists need a platform to share developing projects, test ideas, and gain perspective on their work through conversation. This is where HCL’s Open Labs come in.

High Concept Labs (HCL), a Chicago-based arts service organization and artist incubator, announced today that Aquil Charlton has joined HCL as its new Artistic Director. He joins HCL Managing Director Angee Lennard in a co-leadership position with the organization.

Aquil is a creative and visionary leader who leverages his experience as a teaching artist, consultant, and co-founder of artist collaboratives to make positive contributions in Chicago communities and the arts sector. His leadership in community-based cultural and youth development work have been recognized by Aspen Institute, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, 3Arts, Northwestern University, and Yale University. Aquil is also an independent musician, rapper, songwriter, DJ, producer, and was an HCL Sponsored Artist in 2018.

HCL Welcomes New Staff

Photo by Sharvani Killarni

High Concept Labs announces today the upcoming departure of its Artistic Director, Yolanda Cesta Cursach Montilla.

HCL’s 2023 Winter Picnic, our annual residency welcome gathering

Photo by Tara Ahern

High Concept Laboratories (HCL), a Chicago-based arts service organization and artist incubator, announces 2023 Artists in Residence: Sofía Gabriel del Callejo, Helen Lee, Regina Martinez, Allen Moore, and avery r. young.