Chicago

Critic’s

Table

Andres Hernandez, BR’RR PTCH Studies 002; BR’RR PTCH Studies 003.(2022)

The Chicago Critic’s Table is APL’s new eight-month, paid incubator for emerging Chicago cultural critics. The pilot will launch April 2023.

For new and diverse art to thrive, we need new kinds of criticism and critical communities capable of reaching across audiences — and platforms — that have historically been siloed.

In our pilot year, this program will explore how we can create new critical communities composed of groups often treated as distinct — scholarly audiences, professional critics, fellow artists, community members who frequent the arts, community members who don’t, and more.

Chicago Critic’s Table offers emerging critics the opportunity to build a lasting network of colleagues working across a range of topics, methods, and platforms in order to support and experiment with each other as they continue to develop their voice, practice, and audience. In particular, this program seeks to foster critics whose work focuses on arts and culture as relevant to South Side communities.

Why Critics?

The sustainability of the arts in our communities requires that we attend to the physical and social life of art beyond its immediate production by also tending to its reception and circulation. By supporting a new generation of critics, we also support the work and careers of local artists, entrepreneurs, and cultural producers, and help connect new audiences to new work.

More broadly, by supporting new and inclusive communities of critics, we aim to expand what we consider criticism, who we consider critics, and what is considered “worthy” of criticism.

The Chicago Critic’s Table will be a biennial program, launching in 2023. This pilot year will be led by UChicago faculty member and Director of Arts + Public Life, Adrienne Brown (Associate Professor, Department of English and Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity).

During this time, participants will

  • workshop their criticism and experiment with other critical modes, voices, and platforms

  • incubate collaborative critical projects with participants, faculty, and artists

  • learn from other local critics and experience local work together

  • engage with artists, audiences, and artistic work at Arts + Public Life

  • propose public talk-backs and critical conversations

  • produce a portfolio of work about artistic and cultural production relevant to South Side communities. 

How does it work?

The Details

  • The cohort consists of 6 fellows in total, with two spots reserved for UChicago Graduate students. There are no university requirements for the other four spots.

  • The pilot year runs from April - November, 2023. It is broken into two phases: 

    • Phase I: Two-month intensive

      • We kick off the process the week of April 17th, 2023 with sessions that meet in person every week

    • Phase II: Monthly Sessions

      • From July - Nov, fellows will work largely independently, coming together on a monthly basis for workshops and review sessions

  • Funding: Fellows will receive an unrestricted stipend totaling $5,000.00, paid out on a bi-weekly basis over the 8 months. 

    • Additionally, we have set aside a $1000 Engagement Budget per fellow, to cover tickets, travel, etc. 

Meet the 2023 Cohort

click the photo to view bio

Saying the Hard Part Loud

Nov. 9, 7:00-9:00

Green Line Performing Arts Center

Stay tuned for a thought-provoking conversation on criticism, aesthetics, and culture, led by Rikki Byrd, a member of the first cohort of Chicago Critic's Table