2026 EXPO CHICAGO

A Week of Hyper Practice at The First Presbyterian Church

04.07th - 12th

Each year during EXPO CHICAGO, the Arts Program at First Presbyterian Church of Chicago activates the church campus as a living site of artistic practice, gathering, and exchange. A Week of Hyper Practice brings together artists, musicians, filmmakers, performers, and cultural organizers to share work in process, host performances and screenings, and create moments of collective presence across our historic Church grounds.

Rather than focusing only on finished presentations, this week centers practice, experimentation, and community connection. Programs unfold throughout the building and grounds in a rhythm that includes open studios, exhibitions, performances, conversations, shared meals, and late-night cultural gatherings. The goal is to create a space where artistic work, lived experience, and the spirit of the city meet in real time.

We invite artists, collectives, curators, and cultural practitioners to propose programs that are site-responsive, collaborative, and rooted in meaningful exchange. Whether through sound, movement, image, installation, or dialogue, this week is an opportunity to contribute to a shared cultural moment that bridges EXPO CHICAGO and the creative life of the South Side.