ESS is located in the far north side of Chicago at the intersection of the Edgewater, Andersonville, Rogers Park, and West Ridge neighborhoods. The building was originally constructed in the first half of the 20th century, and was built out as an audio studio and public programming space for ESS in 2006. 

Featuring classic Chicago brick, warm wood floors, and a private garden, ESS is a unique gem that is easily accessible both from the city and the northern suburbs. The facility is home to full-service recording, mixing, and mastering studios; a small gallery space for exhibitions, meetings, workshops, performances, and artists’ projects; and the Creative Audio Archive—an collection of recordings, print, and visual ephemera related to avant-garde and exploratory sound and music of the last five decades.

ESS is across the street from the Peterson Metra Station. We are approximately 0.7 miles southwest of the CTA’s “Thorndale” Red Line Station, and one block away from the Ravenswood stop on the 84 Peterson CTA bus line. Ample parking is available nearby, detailed here.

Looking for a unique place for a party, small wedding, meeting, or performance? ESS’s beautiful facility is available to rent*!

The front gallery is an open room with great natural light, perfect for a reception, meeting, or exhibition. Also on the first floor is ESS’s Studio A Live Room, another malleable space specifically designed for high quality acoustics. The back garden features a small terrace, gravel pathways, native foliage, and an open courtyard suited for a variety of gatherings. Capacity depends highly on the type of event; as a rough estimate, the indoor space accommodates around 50 people standing, and the outdoor space accommodates approximately 60 people.

ESS can provide tables, chairs, kitchenette access, and limited parking. For additional fees, we can also provide services like: music (of course!) – recorded, DJ’d, or live music from our contacts with some of Chicago’s finest musicians from every genre; outdoor tents; assistance with setup and cleanup; and photo or video documentation. We are also glad to put you in touch with some local food experts for special discounts on catering.

*Please note: renters must have single-event liability insurance, available inexpensively from your insurance agent.