Art 50 2019: Chicago’s Visual Vanguard

Kate Bowen and Emily Green
Acting Executive Director and Founder-Executive Director, ACRE
Born out of a desire to nurture emerging artists in a community-oriented, accessible and equitable way, ACRE (Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions) has fostered the art community in Chicago and beyond since 2010. Founded by Nicholas Wylie and Emily Green, ACRE is spoken of in revered tones by anyone who has attended or volunteered at its rural Wisconsin summer residency program. The program improves each year based on participant feedback; has restructured its admissions process to make space for a more diverse cohort; runs annual equity training for volunteers and offers scholarships for queer artists and artists of color. ACRE has expanded its fundraising model in recent years to include a small store of artist-made objects and ACRE merch in their Pilsen gallery. Green serves as the executive director, but is on sabbatical until 2020; Bowen has served as acting executive director since January of this year.