Experimental Venues in Chicago, IL

Chopin Theatre is a 220-capacity all-ages Chicago arts center founded in 1990 that has grown into one of America's most active presenting organizations, producing hundreds of performances annually with a house sound system provided for performers.

Cold Waves Festival is an all-ages Chicago festival celebrating the city's deep relationship with industrial music and honoring the memory of a fallen community member. Since its founding the festival has served as both a musical event and a fundraiser, bringing together a global industrial music community around a shared love of the genre and a meaningful cause.

Comfort Station is an all-ages Logan Square community arts space whose mission is to present multimedia arts programming open and accessible to everyone. Live music is held in a small, acoustically active interior space that rewards performers who understand the unique sonic character of the room.

Constellation is a 100-capacity 18-and-over Chicago venue on the northwest side housed in what was once the Viaduct Theater, hosting shows any night of the week with an intimate and adventurous programming sensibility that has made it a respected destination for experimental, jazz, and indie music.

Elastic Arts is a 240-capacity all-ages Chicago nonprofit arts organization focused on music, art, and performance, valuing adventurous programming and community engagement with a full house sound system provided for all performers.

Hungry Brain is a 21+ Chicago bar hosting live music Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights with Tuesdays reserved for a regular performer series. The eclectic and community-oriented programming has made it a respected destination for jazz, experimental, and independent music on the northwest side.

Sleeping Village is a 300-capacity 21+ Chicago bar hosting shows Wednesday through Sunday nights with a genuine commitment to independent music and a room that has quickly established itself as one of the more respected smaller venues in the city.

The CheckOut is a 60-capacity 21+ Chicago venue operated by Access Contemporary Music, a nonprofit arts organization, housed in a transformed former 7-Eleven on the north side. The combination of arts nonprofit mission and the distinctive physical space gives the room a genuinely unusual and meaningful character.

The Whistler is a 74-capacity 21+ Chicago venue, record label, and art gallery in Logan Square hosting live music Sunday through Wednesday nights, with Thursday through Saturday reserved for DJs. The room has a genuinely integrated arts identity and a programming sensibility that extends well beyond just booking bands into a bar.