Open Call: Sonic Pavilion 2026

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, to be presented as part of its annual Sonic Pavilion Festival.

Sonic Pavilion is included in this year’s America250 programs, a national series of arts programs on the occasion of the 250th birthday of the United States, and supported by the National Endowment for the Arts. Proposed projects should: 

• Showcase the unique potential of multichannel sound in this highly public context, utilizing all 24 available channels
• Demonstrate consideration for the location and architecture of the system
• Content should be on the theme of community sound portraits, broadly reflecting or interpreting life in a U.S. community today or over the past 250 years. This could be everything from musical compositions to field recordings. Narrative/voice works are tricky in this multichannel space, so we are looking for more experimental, abstract interpretations of this prompt with minimal spoken word.

The 2026 Festival features 4-6 artists, with each work played multiple times throughout the installation run. Each artist/artist team receives a $2,000 artist fee.

For the 2026 iteration, ESS is accepting proposals from artists living and working in the United States of America and its territories. Artists will have an opportunity to travel to Chicago to work on their piece. Each artist will be expected to participate in at least one engagement activation (live performance, workshop, artist talk, etc). Additional funds are available for activation partners.

Proposals are due Sunday, June 14, 2026 by midnight.

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

Timeline:
Sunday, June 14: Proposals Due
Monday, June 19: Notification of results
Monday, August 24: Sound works due to ESS
Sunday, August 30: Public soundcheck at Pritzker Pavilion
Monday, Sept 7: Final sound works due to ESS
Saturday, Sept 12: Full run public showcase
Sunday, Sept 13: Full run public showcase
Monday, Sept 14: Full run public showcase
December: 8-channel iteration in ESS’s gallery

Technical considerations:

• Works should be ~14 minutes long
• Works should utilize the full potential of the 24 channel system 
• ESS can provide a 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

Please follow the link to submit your application by June 14, 2026

Sonic Pavilion Festival 2026 will be the ninth 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 and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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.

ess.org  |   Instagram: @esschicago  |  YouTube: @ExperimentalSoundStudioChicago

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