The Chicagoland non-profit Arts of Life continues celebrating its 25th Anniversary year with its first-ever museum exhibition, Community on the Make | Arts of Life 2000 – 2025. This retrospective exhibition features works by over 50 artists, staff, and volunteers who have shaped the Arts of Life community since its founding in 2000, asking audiences to consider: Who is art for? Who gets to influence culture? And how can art become a tool of liberation? The exhibition looks back at the founding mission of Arts of Life—to support artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities—while looking toward its future. Community on the Make | Arts of Life 2000 – 2025 runs from August 11 – September 30, 2025 at the Design Museum of Chicago (72 East Randolph Street. More information at artsoflife.org.
Community on the Make features artists, volunteers, staff, and other integral Arts of Life community members who have contributed to the organization’s growth over the past 25 years. The exhibition is divided into sections reflected in the retrospective book, 2wenty 5ive – Arts of Life 2000-2025: Inspiring Artistic Expression, Building Community, Promoting Self-Respect, and Developing Independence.
Pictured works: Jean Wilson, Katie's Dog, c. 2024. Veronica "Ronnie" Cuculich, The Blessed Mother, c. 2003. Photos courtesy of Arts of Life.
Works in the exhibition highlight the collaborative processes and evolution of Arts of Life artists, such as Arts of Life founding member Veronica "Ronnie" Cuculich’s mixed media series depicting The Blessed Mother; a collaborative work by Arts of Life member David Krueger and artist Ben Marcus from their popular Love Man series; another collaboration between Arts of Life member Susan Pasowicz and longtime artist and volunteer Allison Wade (featured in the Arts of Life booth at this year’s EXPO Chicago); and a large-scale dog painting in acrylic by Arts of Life member Jean Wilson. The exhibition sheds light on how artists grow studio practices in conversation with volunteers, staff, and other artists, finding mutual inspiration while developing confidence in their own ideas.
“We are overjoyed to showcase the work of over 50 Arts of Life community members at this milestone exhibition in partnership with the Design Museum,” shares Arts of Life Co-Founder and Executive Director Denny Fisher. “This is a celebration not just of these featured artists, but of the hundreds of artists, staffers, donors, board members, and volunteers who have contributed their creativity and leadership to make this resilient and remarkable community what it is today. We hope everyone will join us in marking where we are and what the next 25 years will bring.”
The full list of featured artists is as follows: Adrian, Ariée, Chris Austin, Renata Berdes, Matt Bodett, Austin Boehs, David Bremer, Maileen Bugnaski, Raina Carter, Milo Christie, Guy Conners, Bojana Crnomarkovic, Veronica Cuculich, Samarem Diaz Negrete, Andreana Donahue, Rio Goodwin Perez, Ted Gram Boarini, Stefan Harhaj, Megan Harrigan, Noel Herrera, Nik Heusman, Marcus Imani Kennedy, Emory Jones, Maggie Kamphausen, Anna Kramer, Alexis Krebs, David Krueger, Hana Kulovic, Lawrence M, Ben Marcus, Mike Marino, Noel Mercado, Nick Merlock Jackson, Travis Morehead, Noel Morical, Ingrid Olson, Tim Ortiz, Susan Pasowicz, Hubert Posey, Brian Reed, Mina Romero, Nicholas Schutzenhofer, Alex Scott, Karim Shuquem, Anne Skaug, Annie Soler, Kelly Stone, Tim Stone, Maria Vanik, Chris Viau, Allison Wade, Lacey Whittaker, Jean Wilson, Joshua With, Marvin Young, and Christina Zion.
Related programs
Public Opening Reception
Thursday, August 21, 2025
5pm – 8pm
At Design Museum of Chicago, 72 East Randolph Street
Free
Join community members and artists for a kick-off event of the exhibition opening.
Artist Residency Hours
Thursdays August 28, September 4, September 18, September 25, 2025
11am – 1pm
At Design Museum of Chicago, 72 East Randolph Street
Free
Arts of Life artists will hold open studio hours with activities including workshops, art critiques, and more. For up-to-date schedules, visit artsoflife.org.
Fiber Workshop with Kg and Ariée
Thursday, September 11, 2025
11am – 1pm
At Design Museum of Chicago, 72 East Randolph Street
Free
About the artists: Fiber artist Kg’s weavings and poetry have been exhibited all over the world - with Horse and Pony (Berlin), The Brooklyn Academy Of Music, The Bruce High Quality Foundation and The Gowanas Ballroom (New York), Left Field Gallery and Adjunct Positions (Los Angeles), Katherine E. Nash Gallery (Minneapolis), Monique Meloche Gallery, Gallery 400, Julius Caesar and LVL3 (Chicago), The John Michael Kohler Art Center (Wisconsin).
Ariee’s artwork featuring haute couture references has appeared in several public installations in Chicago as well as internationally at Art Fair Tokyo and Art Collaboration Kyoto with Sho + 1 gallery. Wearables inspired by Ariée’s designs were showcased at the Unity Charity Fashion Show.
About Arts of Life 25th Anniversary
Throughout its 25th anniversary year, Arts of Life looks back at its history, celebrates its impact, and casts eyes toward its future. Its most recent exhibition, What they said—part of their rotating exhibition gallery space Circle Contemporary housed in the Arts of Life Chicago studio (2010 West Carroll Avenue)—featured recent works from both Arts of Life and guest contemporary artists and was guest curated by acclaimed artists Nick Cave and Bob Faust (ran March 28 – May 9, 2025). What they said followed the launch of an artwork-filled hardcover book, 2wenty 5ive – Arts of Life 2000-2025, a retrospective highlighting the organization’s history of supporting artists with disabilities, which was nationally launched at the Outsider Art Fair earlier this year. Upcoming events include an Art on theMART feature projection (September 11 – October 5 and December 4-28, 2025) and the Arts of Life annual Benefit Art Auction (October 3, 2025) to finish off the anniversary year of programming.
About Design Museum of Chicago
The Design Museum of Chicago inspires, educates, and fosters innovation through design. It defines design broadly, from architecture to street art, from choreography to urban planning. Design Museum believes that design is more than a powerful source of inspiration – it is an integral tool that can help to connect communities and create equity. Through free, short-term exhibitions, engaging public programming, and robust partnerships with other arts, academic, and non-profit organizations, the Design Museum contextualizes and humanizes design's influence in everyday life. More information is online at designchicago.org.
About Arts of Life
Arts of Life advances the creative arts community by providing artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities a collective space to expand their practice and strengthen their leadership.
Arts of Life is a 501(c)3 non-profit founded in January 2000 with a shared vision: to create a working, person-centric, artistic community while providing a work environment of equality in Chicago. Motivated by founding artist Veronica Cuculich along with two co-founders Arts of Life brought nine other individuals with developmental disabilities to create the organization. Their shared vision grew from a passion for artistic expression and a need for an alternative system.
For artists at Arts of Life, a career in the visual arts is an opportunity for meaningful employment. Each artist has their own studio space and works independently from individualized project plans or receives one on one visual arts facilitation to increase their artistic skill set. Artists also receive 60% of art sales.
Today, Arts of Life has two professional art studios and represent over 80 artists with varying levels of physical and intellectual disabilities. Each studio is 6,000 square feet and includes a community gallery that is open to the public.
For more information on Arts of Life and its programs, visit artsoflife.org. Connect with Arts of Life on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.