Experimental Sound Studio (ESS) seeks proposals for multichannel sound compositions for the overhead trellis loudspeaker array at Jay Pritzker Pavilion in the heart of downtown Chicago. Proposed projects should showcase the unique potential of multichannel sound in this highly public context, utilizing all 24 available channels and demonstrating consideration for the location and architecture of the system.The 2025 Festival will feature 4-8 artists, with each work played multiple times throughout the installation run. Each artist/artist team will receive a $1,000 artist fee.

Proposals are due Friday, June 13, 2025 by midnight.

OVERVIEW

Presentation location: Jay Pritzker Pavilion Lawn in Millennium Park, Downtown Chicago

Timeline:

Friday, June 13: Proposals Due

Wednesday, June 18: Notification of results

Monday, July 21: Sound works due to ESS

Saturday, July 26: Public soundcheck at Pritzker Pavilion

Monday, August 4: Final sound works due to ESS

Saturday, August 9: Full run public showcase

Monday, August 18: Full run public showcase

Technical Considerations:

Works should be between 10-25 minutes long
Works should utilize the full potential of the 24 channel system
ESS can provide a very limited amount of technical support with mastering, spatialization, and speaker distribution for the final playback for a small number of artists who demonstrate a clear vision for the work, but need technical assistance in realizing it.
ESS will not be assisting with any production of the audio composition such as recording, mixing, editing, and arrangement.
Selected artists will need to submit a 24 channel interleaved audio file or 24 mono files in .wav format

24-channel Pavilion Trellis Map, for reference:

East to West spacing 60 feet — North to South spacing 50 feet — Height of speakers is about 40 feet at the front — About 20 feet at the rear

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES
Please submit the following to info@experimentalsoundstudio.org with the Subject “Pavilion Submission: [Your Name]” by June 13, 2025:

Describe your vision for the work, with particular focus on how you will utilize the multichannel sound system (max 250 words)
Detail your experience with multichannel sound production and/or public sound installation (max 250 words)
2-4 work samples
Resume, CV, or link to your website

Sonic Pavilion Festival 2025 will be the eighth series of works commissioned by ESS for presentation on the latticed speaker system at Pritzker Pavilion.

Lead presenting partners:
Sonic Pavilion Festival is developed by Experimental Sound Studio and is presented by the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE).

This event is supported by the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.

ABOUT CHICAGO’S PRITZKER PAVILION
Designed by Frank Gehry, and featuring a 120-foot proscenium of rippling stainless-steel ribbons, the Jay Pritzker Pavilion is a highly sought-after location in Chicago for a wide range of cultural acts. The Pavilion's superstructure forms a steel lattice with an integrated overhead sound system covering the 95,000 square foot Great Lawn, providing music and sound experiences for over 10,000 individuals. This cutting-edge audio system, a pioneer of its category globally, was engineered to replicate the acoustic properties of an enclosed performance hall. It does this by evenly dispersing amplified sound throughout both the permanent seating area and the open grass, therefore simulating the phenomenon of reverberation. The trellis’s 60 loudspeakers are divided into 24 zones for playback, enabling the sounds to be imaged and moved along the entire surface of the trellis. The result is a “canopy of sound” composed as a fluid sonic architecture superimposed onto the Pritzker Pavilion site. These creations enlivened the Pavilion, engaging the ever-present ambulatory public with a surprising, dynamic, and immersive experience, somewhere between the focus of a live performance and the majesty of the surrounding cityscape.

ABOUT ESS
Experimental Sound Studio is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization dedicated to artistic evolution and the creative exploration of sound. As an international hub for sonic experimentation, ESS nurtures artists, heralds new works, and builds a broad, supportive community of makers, enthusiasts, and creative partners through production, presentation, education, and preservation.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS & SPECIAL EVENTS
The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy, and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. As a collaborative cultural presenter, arts funder, and advocate for creative workers, our programs and events serve Chicagoans and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, downtown and in diverse communities across our city — to strengthen and celebrate Chicago. DCASE produces some of the city’s most iconic festivals, markets, events, and exhibitions at the Chicago Cultural Center, Millennium Park, and in communities across the city — serving a local and global audience of 25 million people. The Department offers cultural grants and resources, manages public art, supports TV and film production and other creative industries, and permits special events throughout Chicago.

For details, visit Chicago.gov/DCASE and stay connected via their newsletters and social media.

ABOUT MILLENNIUM PARK
Millennium Park is the #1 attraction in the Midwest and among the top 10 most-visited sites in the U.S. It is also the anchor of an urban cultural campus (Millennium Park Campus) that includes the Chicago Cultural Center, Maggie Daley Park and The Art Institute of Chicago. Millennium Park is located on Michigan Avenue, bordered by Randolph St. to the north, Columbus Dr. to the east and Monroe St. to the south. The Park is open daily from 6am to 11pm.

Plan your visit at MillenniumPark.org | Facebook @MillenniumParkChicago | Twitter & Instagram @Millennium_Park | Join the conversation with #MillenniumPark

Open Call: Sonic Pavilion 2025