Experimental Station
A community center that fosters creativity, sustainability, and community engagement through a variety of programs.
Initiator(s)
Dan Peterman and Connie Spreen
Description
The project consists of a refurbished building where a broad range of social organisations and independent projects take place. In 2002, after a massive fire, the structure was renovated and reopened as the Experimental Station. The centre offers various forms of support for the residents of Southside Chicago, including workspace at discounted rents, meeting space, technology, and shared resources such as a greenhouse and roof gardens and small offices suites. At the same time, the users are asked to contribute offering lectures, exhibitions, etc. that are free and open to the public. Areas of primary interest include art, ecology, cultural criticism, independent publishing and alternative models of education.
Goals
To provide essential resources that enable vulnerable, yet valuable initiatives to stabilize and flourish. To maintain a diverse and interdisciplinary balance of participants and activities and generate events, lectures, and exhibitions which are free and open to the public.
Beneficial outcomes
The building now hosts a number of initiatives and programs attending to local needs: a nonprofit community bike shop, a farmers market featuring educational programs, an investigative journalism production company called the Invisible Institute, and other public events such as conferences, concerts and readings.
Location
United States
Users
Artists, curators, critics, general public, students
Maintained by
Grants and individual donations
Duration
2002 - ongoing
Category
Scientific
Pedagogical
Politics
Urban Development
Economy
Environment
Social
