Mission

ACRE (Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions) is an artist-run non-profit devoted to providing resources to emerging artists and nurturing a diverse community of cultural producers. ACRE’s programs support this generative community with materials, equipment, expertise, conscientiously produced food, and opportunities to exhibit and share work.

ACRE’s annual summer residency in rural Wisconsin brings together emerging artists to live and work in a communal setting. A corresponding year-long program of exhibitions and events based in Chicago creates ongoing opportunities for idea exchange, feedback and growth. Programs such as ACRE Projects, ACRE Kitchen, and ACRE TV, provide additional venues for collaboration and experimentation.


ACRE aims to be a leader at advancing new means of support for emerging artists at critical junctures in their careers. ACRE eschews focus on traditional institutional success, instead prioritizing the unique, individually-defined paths of artists.