High Concept Labs
High Concept Labs is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2009 that provides no-cost studio space, stipends, and curatorial support through residency programs serving 300+ experimental and conceptual artists across disciplines.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What High Concept Labs does
High Concept Labs (HCL) is a Chicago-based nonprofit arts organization founded in 2009 that operates as a residency laboratory for experimental, conceptual, and genre-defying artistic projects. Its core programs include the Artist in Residence (AIR) program and Fellows Program for time-based work, the LabX-change international family-unit residency, Art/Access Labs for disabled and Deaf artists, HCL Commissions, and Open Labs for work-in-progress sharing. HCL serves 300+ artists across dance, theater, music, film, writing, and community-activated social practice, providing no-cost studio space, stipends, professional documentation, and tailored curatorial, development, and marketing support.
The organization has no proprietary technology stack or commercial product; digital operations are limited to a Squarespace-hosted website, email newsletter, and social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The underlying operating model is community-driven: artists apply annually, are also curated by the Artistic Director, or are referred through partner programs (Chicago Dancemakers Forum, 3Arts, Hyde Park Art Center).
HCL's revenue is grant-dependent and includes foundation grants (Walder, Reva and David Logan, Driehaus, Donnelley, Ford, Ruth, Arts Work Fund, Monira, FACE), government arts funding (Illinois Arts Council Youth Employment in the Arts, Chicago DCASE), annual fundraising campaigns (15th Anniversary $125,000 goal; Cash Reserve Challenge $25,000), donations, and merchandise (HCL Swag). With approximately 10 employees and programs offered at no cost to artists, HCL operates as a mission-driven arts service organization rather than a commercial enterprise.
High Concept Labs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- High Concept Labs
- Legal name
- High Concept Labs
- Website
- https://highconceptlabs.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- High Concept Labs is a Chicago-based nonprofit founded in 2009 that provides no-cost studio space, stipends, and curatorial support through residency programs serving 300+ experimental and conceptual artists across disciplines.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
High Concept Labs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Artist Residency Programs
- NAICS
- Fine Arts Schools (611610)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming) (EDAEAGAI)
Keywords
Where High Concept Labs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
High Concept Labs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants: HCL receives significant funding from private foundations including Walder Foundation, Reva and David Logan Foundation, Driehaus Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Arts Work Fund, FACE Foundation, Ford Foundation, Ruth Foundation for the Arts, and others. These grants support residency programs, specific commissions, and organizational operations.
- Government Arts Funding: Public funding from Illinois Arts Council (including Youth Employment in the Arts program) and Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) provides operational and programmatic support.
- Donations and Campaign Fundraising: HCL conducts annual fundraising campaigns including the 15th Anniversary Campaign ($125,000 goal) and Cash Reserve Challenge ($25,000). The organization accepts donations through its website and at events.
- Merchandise Sales: HCL operates an online store (HCL Swag) selling merchandise including t-shirts.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
High Concept Labs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
High Concept Labs is a Chicago-based nonprofit arts organization that provides no-cost residency programs, studio space, stipends, professional documentation, and tailored curatorial, development, and marketing support to experimental, conceptual, and genre-defying artists across disciplines. It runs interconnected programs including Artist in Residence, Fellows, LabX-change (international exchange), Art/Access Labs (disability-focused professional development), HCL Commissions, Open Labs, and public events/workshops.
Product overview
High Concept Labs (HCL) is a laboratory for experimental, conceptual, and genre-defying artistic projects. HCL operates as a platform of interconnected residency programs rather than a traditional product suite. The core offerings include the Artist in Residence (AIR) Program (flagship residency for time-based work with stipends and studio space), Fellows Program (extended support for artists), LabX-change Residency (international family-unit exchanges), Art/Access Labs (disability-focused professional development), Open Labs (work-in-progress sharing platform), HCL Commissions (experimental commissions), and public Events/Programming (performances, workshops, skillshares). These programs work together to strengthen Chicago's creative sector by providing accessible residency opportunities across disciplines interested in experimentation and discovery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Art/Access Labs: Program fostering a vibrant disabled artist ecosystem through cross-discipline and cross-impairment professional development activities for artists with lived experience of disability including Deaf, disabled, sick, neurodivergent, and Mad artists.
- Artists in Residence (AIR)
- Fellows Program
- LabX
- HCL Commissions
- Open Labs
- Cash Reserve Challenge
Products and services
- Artist in Residence (AIR) Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 300+ artists supported through residency programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use High Concept Labs
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
High Concept Labs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
High Concept Labs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Chicago Dancemakers ForumcorePartnership with Chicago Dancemakers Forum to gather anonymous information from local artists for research, collective advocacy, and program planning. Conducted Chicago Performance Community Survey in Fall 2025 with 93 artists responding. Organizations co-present the Chicago Performance Community Convening.
- Unfolding Disability FuturescoreUnfolding Disability Futures is a collective of Chicago-based disabled performing artists. HCL partners with UDF to present Art/Access Labs, which foster a vibrant disabled artist ecosystem through cross-discipline and cross-impairment professional development activities. UDF platforming and seeking funding for showings, providing development support, and working to make the wider Chicago arts community more accessible.
- Mana ContemporarymajorHCL operated at Mana Contemporary for eleven years. After departing in May 2025, HCL continues partnerships with Mana Contemporary for events and programming including Spring Open Studios. Mana provides studio space and hosts HCL events.
- Ateliers MédicismajorAteliers Médicis is a French cultural organization. Co-producer of Clichycago, a creative exchange initiative between Chicago's South Side and Clichy-Montfermeil, a Parisian suburb. Part of multi-year city-to-city program promoting dialogues among artists, researchers, and organizations around social justice and artistic innovation.
- Hyde Park Art CentercoreChicago arts institution and lead partner for Bintou Dembélé Residency and Clichycago initiative. Provides institutional support, venue access, and collaborative programming for HCL residencies.
- Cultural Services of the French Embassy in ChicagomajorCo-producer of Clichycago initiative. Provides funding and institutional support for international artist exchange between Chicago and France.
- VGA GalleryminorSpecial partnership for Football Practice: Imagining Football Futures workshop series. VGA Gallery focuses on video game culture and provided fireside chat collaboration.
- Experimental StationcoreExperimental Station hosts LabE events and gatherings for disabled dance artists. Joint residency partner for Maggie Bridger's work including the LabE series. Provides physical space for Art/Access Labs programming.
- Logan Center for the Arts (University of Chicago)corePartner for Brother El's Live PA Workshop Series. Logan Center for the Arts at University of Chicago has hosted Live PA Institute Day and supports HCL programming through venue access and institutional partnership.
- 3ArtscoreHCL opens portions of residency to artists from partner programs including 3Arts. 3Arts is a Chicago-based organization supporting women artists, artists of color, and Deaf and disabled artists.
- Invisible InstitutecorePartner in Clichycago 2021 initiative. Chicago-based organization focused on human rights and artistic advocacy. Contributed portrait documentation of residents involved in Clichycago.
- Headlong StudioscoreIncubator for Propelled Animals collective members in Philadelphia. Supports multi-city artistic collaboration.
- The Beat BankcoreIndependent record label founded by Brother El. Partner for Live PA Workshop Series and electronic music programming. Co-developer of curriculum and content.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
High Concept Labs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 3Arts: 3Arts is a Chicago-based nonprofit that supports women artists, artists of color, and Deaf and disabled artists through unrestricted cash awards and residencies. HCL explicitly partners with 3Arts for residency referrals, making them a directly comparable Chicago-based artist-support peer.
- Links Hall: Links Hall is a long-standing Chicago nonprofit presenting experimental dance, performance art, and live art. Both serve as platforms for experimental performing artists in Chicago, making them directly comparable in mission and constituency.
- Movement Research: Movement Research is a New York-based nonprofit supporting experimental dance and performance through residencies, festivals, and publications. Comparable peer given HCL's focus on experimental and conceptual performance and choreography.
- Hyde Park Art Center: Hyde Park Art Center is a Chicago-based nonprofit arts institution that runs residencies, exhibitions, and community education programs. HCL lists it as a core strategic partner and co-producer for the Bintou Dembélé residency, making it a directly comparable Chicago residency-operating peer.
- Chicago Dancemakers Forum: Chicago Dancemakers Forum is a Chicago dance-focused service organization that funds and convenes local dance artists. HCL has a multi-year strategic partnership with CDF and co-presents the Chicago Performance Community Convening — directly comparable mission and constituency.
- Headlong Performance Institute: Headlong is a Philadelphia-based nonprofit supporting experimental performance and collectives. HCL is a documented partner for the Propelled Animals collective, making Headlong a direct peer in incubating experimental performance collectives and cross-city collaboration.
Broad incumbents
- Gibney: Gibney is a New York-based nonprofit with studios, residency, and presenting programs for dance and performance. While larger and more institutionally diversified than HCL, its combination of studio access, residencies, and presenting overlaps directly with HCL's service model.
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC): LMCC operates artist residencies, workspace programs, and arts services across NYC. Comparable as a broader-incumbent nonprofit running residency and workspace services for experimental artists — relevant peer for HCL's residency operating model.
Others
- Mana Contemporary: Mana Contemporary is a Chicago/Chicago-area creative complex providing artist studios, event space, and programming. After 11 years as HCL's physical home, Mana is a former-incumbent/ecosystem counterpart relevant to HCL's operating model rather than a head-to-head competitor.
Regional players
- HAIRPIN Arts Center: HAIRPIN Arts Center is a Chicago-based nonprofit arts center supporting independent performing artists and small ensembles with space and programming. Directly comparable in scale and constituency to HCL's experimental performing-arts focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
High Concept Labs social profiles
Digital presenceHigh Concept Labs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
High Concept Labs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
High Concept Labs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
High Concept Labs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about High Concept Labs
What does High Concept Labs do?
High Concept Labs is a Chicago-based nonprofit arts organization that provides no-cost residency programs, studio space, stipends, professional documentation, and tailored curatorial, development, and marketing support to experimental, conceptual, and genre-defying artists across disciplines. It runs interconnected programs including Artist in Residence, Fellows, LabX-change (international exchange), Art/Access Labs (disability-focused professional development), HCL Commissions, Open Labs, and public events/workshops.
Is High Concept Labs a public or private company?
High Concept Labs is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was High Concept Labs founded?
High Concept Labs was founded in 2009. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is High Concept Labs based?
High Concept Labs is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does High Concept Labs make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are government Arts Funding, donations and Campaign Fundraising and merchandise Sales.
Who are High Concept Labs's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 3Arts, Links Hall, Movement Research, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago Dancemakers Forum and Headlong Performance Institute. Broad incumbents are Gibney and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council (LMCC). Mana Contemporary is listed as an others. HAIRPIN Arts Center is listed as a regional player.
Does High Concept Labs have an API?
No public API is recorded for High Concept Labs.
What industry is High Concept Labs in?
High Concept Labs's product category is Artist Residency Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAGAI, Makerspace, Innovation Lab & Fab Lab Operations (Tools, Safety, Programming). Its NAICS code is 611610.