Chicago has a strong creative community shaped by its mix of art, design, and neighborhood culture. From studios in Pilsen to coworking spaces in the West Loop, it’s easy to find places where creative people meet and collaborate.
Whether you're a designer, illustrator, filmmaker, or working in any creative field, this guide will help you find your people in the city. From casual meetups to vibrant community events,
Chicago
offers countless opportunities to connect, collaborate, and get inspired.
Creative Lunch Club is a global community for people working in the creative industries. Whether you are a graphic designer, a photographer, a marketer, or a filmmaker, the Creative Lunch Club gives you the chance to regularly meet other creatives in your city for lunch.
The Design Kids is a global community for emerging designers, with city meetups, interviews, jobs, and practical resources to help you build your folio and grow your career.
Chicago Craft Club is a welcoming 18+ community in Chicagoland where makers meet up to BYOC, share supplies, and learn from each other.
Join the Design Museum of Chicago’s Design Network to tap into a creative community with members-only events, discounts, and chances to showcase your work. Flexible memberships for students, individuals, families, studios, and organizations help keep the museum free and open to all.
CreativeMornings is a global series of free, monthly morning talks that bring creatives together for coffee, inspiration, and good vibes.
Looking for a supportive crew of creative entrepreneurs? Creative Women's Co. hosts intimate events, mentoring, and resources to spark real connections and collaborations.
1871 is a Chicago startup and tech hub with programs, mentorship, and a tight-knit community for founders. A go-to spot to turn ideas into real companies.
Art/Work is a creative coworking spot in Chicago that blends art and work with 24/7 access to desks, meeting rooms, and offices. Come for the inspiring design, artist-in-residence vibes, and a friendly community that keeps ideas flowing.
Guild Row is a laid-back Chicago social club and coworking spot where you can get stuff done by day and unwind with a creative, community-driven crowd after hours.
Set in a 1908 belt factory in Fulton Market, Soho House Chicago spans five floors with industrial-chic interiors, a rooftop pool, a screening room, a gym and spa, plus great food, drinks, and events.
The SET Collective is a Chicago creative hub with studio rentals, pros you can hire, and artist residencies—book a space and bring your ideas to life.
River North Design District is a creative hub in Chicago’s River North with curated showrooms and events where you can explore standout lighting, tile, rugs, kitchens, and furnishings. From gallery walks to workshops, it’s an easy place for designers and design lovers to get inspired and shop in a more personal way.
Chicago Arts District is a creative hub of galleries and studios, known for its 2nd Fridays art walks and special events that spotlight local artists.
MCA Chicago is a lively hub for contemporary art, with bold exhibitions, performances, and hands-on programs that keep things fresh. Perfect for a quick pop-in or a full afternoon of exploring.
Vertical Gallery is a Chicago hub for urban‑contemporary art, with rotating shows, artist spotlights, and a curated shop of originals and prints—great for discovering fresh work and limited editions.
VSG Contemporary is a Chicago contemporary art gallery with rotating exhibitions—currently showing “Deferred Reality” by Jacob Rochester & Nikko Washington—definitely worth a peek if you’re nearby.
Pumping Station: One is a community-run makerspace with shared tools, classes, and plenty of space to build cool projects and meet other makers.
Coffee Lab & Roasters Lakeviewis a small, independently-owned specialty coffee shop and roaster in Chicago’s Lakeview neighbourhood, offering fair-trade beans roasted by BCBC Coffee Roasters. They’re especially known for their slow-drip cold brew, made by dripping ice-cold water over freshly ground beans to bring out smooth flavour and strong character.
The Wormhole Coffee pairs third wave coffee with a playful 1980s pop culture atmosphere featuring vintage collectibles, an NES station and even a full size DeLorean suspended above the space.
Warehouse 55 in Chicago is a dynamic destination featuring a curated collection of vintage finds, repurposed furnishings, and unique accessories—from mid-century modern to rustic farmhouse aesthetics.
TypeCon is a key conference for typographers, type designers, and graphic designers who are passionate about the craft of typography.
Organized by the Society of Typographic Aficionados (SOTA), it features talks, workshops, and panels that explore new trends, showcase expert insights, and bring together a global community of type enthusiasts.
57th Street Art Fair is Hyde Park’s first major art fair of the season with free admission, live blues at the Buddy Guy’s Legends Stage, and artists on-site to chat about their work. Grab friends or family and make a day of it on Chicago’s South Side.
Chicago Creative Professionals Network brings together Chicago’s artists, designers, writers, performers, and makers to connect, swap ideas, and collaborate. Expect casual coworking sessions, mixers, and workshops with a supportive, creative vibe.
Filmmaker Friday Chicago organises monthly meet-ups in Chicago aimed at bringing together people in the film industry such as filmmakers, writers, editors, and actors to build a sense of community and collaboration.
Events are open and inclusive, with no gatekeepers, making it easy to connect, share ideas, and grow together.
Chicago Creative Collaborators is a chill, multi‑disciplinary community in Chicago hosting art jams, drink‑and‑draws, and monthly showcases—perfect for meeting fellow creatives and making cool stuff together.
Chicago Artists Coalition is a nonprofit boosting Chicago’s contemporary art scene with residencies, exhibitions, pro development, and tons of resources—helping artists and curators live, work, and thrive.
Thanks to Creative Lunch Club I found friends and inspiring conversations and connections with people that I probably would not have met otherwise. The process is easy and straight forward and everyone is so friendly, interesting and talented - what an amazing experience.
When I joined Creative Lunch Club, I didn’t expect to connect with people who live in the same neighbourhood as me. It’s pretty cool to build a community of creatives in your vicinity, especially because it’s easier to nurture those connections when you live in a big city. I love it.
So lovely and energizing to connect with other designers, bonding over shared experiences, loves/qualms about our work, how to avoid creative burnout, what we’re looking forward to, and so on. Looking forward to continuing to make these thoughtful connections and have meaningful conversations.
