Outer Ear Sessions: Spring Cycle Applications Open

Outer Ear Sessions

The Outer Ear Sessions is a pilot program providing free recording studio access to 20+ Chicago-based artists each year for the next two years. Awarded sessions are 6 hours, with an option to add additional hours at a discounted rate. The juried program accepts artists from all genres and career stages who are working to push the boundaries of their practice, leveling the playing field for working Chicago artists city-wide.

Goals

• Increase accessibility to professional recording services, opening up space for artistic experimentation.
• Gather data, insights, and experience to feed further strategies towards building better economic systems and artist-centric approaches to the distribution of performed work.

Timeline

ESS will award 20-25 sessions in 2026, organized across two application timelines: 

Spring Cycle
Sessions taking place between March 1-July 30, 2026 should apply by the January 18, 2026 deadline.

Fall Cycle
Sessions taking place between August 1-December 15, 2026 should apply by the July 1, 2026 deadline. This cycle opens June 1, 2026. Applicants that were not accepted in the first round are able to reapply in the second round.

Spring Cycle applications are open now!