• OPTION 2026

    2026 OPTION Series

    The 2026 OPTION series season lineup is live! Featuring weekly concerts and interviews in ESS's beautiful garden with artists who are pushing the boundaries of exploratory music. Curated by Andrew Clinkman, Lily Finnegan, and Dorothy Carlos.

    Check out the full line-up
  • Ryan Deffet Studio Grant

    Ryan Deffet Studio Grant

    Applications are now open for the Ryan Deffet Studio Grant, an initiative furthering Ryan's legacy of creativity, generosity, and collaboration. The goal of this initiative is to meet artists where they are in a recording project, giving them the time, space, and professional resources to complete production on a discrete project.

    Apply Now

  • Navigations: One's Position (and a route)

    Experimental Sound Studio and Roman Susan are pleased to announce “Navigations: One’s Position (and a route),” a multi-faceted group exhibition opening this spring at ESS’s Audible Gallery. Each week, a different artist is featured on the Audible Gallery sound system, amplifying work that is taking place across the City.

    LEARN MORE

  • Book Studio Time

    Working on a project? ESS offers comprehensive production facilities and expert support for diverse audio projects, with services that include recording, mixing, mastering, post production, sound design, and more.

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    • We are a community supported non-profit dedicated to the curation, evolution, and exploration of sound.

    For 40 years Experimental Sound Studio has nurtured avant-garde and exploratory artists through production, presentation, education, and preservation.

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    Exploding Star Orchestra at Adler Planetarium

    Events

    Last year we presented 337 artists in 81 different programs in-person throughout Chicago and online.

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    Full-Service Recording Studio

    ESS offers comprehensive production facilities and expert support for nearly 150 artists per year in over 300 sessions.

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