High Concept Labs Welcomes New Executive Director
CHICAGO, August 26, 2026 — High Concept Labs (HCL), a Chicago-based arts service organization and artist incubator, announced today the appointment of Elise Butterfield as Executive Director.
Butterfield is a curator and arts administrator working at the intersection of performance and exhibition-making. Originally trained as a dancer, she has spent over a decade supporting artists and organizations in the creation and development of new work. Most recently, Butterfield served as Curator of Exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center through the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), where she curated Alberto Aguilar's I just really want to tell you this one thing (2026) and Bryana Bibbs' two hundred and fifty-one days (2025). She also developed and oversaw the 2024 Exhibition Performance Residencies, curating Khecari's project Tend.
Before joining DCASE, Butterfield was Gallery and Programs Director at Art Access, an arts and disability nonprofit in Salt Lake City, where she helped to start a statewide cultural accessibility program. This experience informs her commitment to continuing HCL's access and inclusion work.
"For fifteen years, High Concept Labs has been an essential supporter of artistic risk-taking and experimentation in Chicago, enriching our city's creative ecosystem," said Butterfield. "I'm honored to step in as Executive Director at a moment of pivotal reimagination for HCL. I am committed to building on this team's foundation and ensuring HCL continues to be a vital home for Chicago's interdisciplinary artists for years to come."
"We're pleased to welcome Elise as HCL's next Executive Director," said HCL Board Chair Molly Feingold. "Her experience and perspective will be a valuable addition as HCL moves into its next chapter. We look forward to working with her and to the continued growth and development of the organization under her leadership."
Butterfield will assume the role of Executive Director in early September 2026.
