I took a class here as a teenager and it was top notch! I have talked to many students who have…read moretalked classes here recently, and you know what, they can't speak highly enough about it! Yes, the rumors are true! It's just as good now as it was 45 years ago! Hats off to all the great teachers for encouraging all the students from around the world (yes, I knew a young woman from Italy who attended classes back in 2005!). A big standing ovation to all the teachers keeping this great institution world class all these decades later! You are the greatest!

Continuing Ed "intro" courses are not worth it. Don't bother unless you've already mastered the…read morebasics elsewhere because you will not be taught any techniques here.

No strings attached, no questions asked. Come in, pay 15 bucks and you get 3 hours with a…read moreprofessional model, good light and very nice atmosphere. You can bring any type of tools you want, have any skill level and do whatever you want; as far as unstructured figure drawing sessions it doesn't get better than this. The place provides benches but no tools so make sure you bring your own. Also be ready to be impressed by the very good artists that practice here. If you want you can also take a lesson but those cost more and are on tuesday and thursday I believe.

This is the best drawing class I've ever attended. The instructor is extremely thorough and…read morehelpful. If you want to improve your artistic abilities you need to take classes here.

Lillstreet Art Center is a magical place, it has a little bit of everything!…read more I've taken everything from pottery classes to jewelry workshops to textile classes here. They really have a wide selection and great time options in the evenings for those who work 9-5. 12 years later I still use the garlic grater I made in a sculpting class. Prices are expected, but reasonable for what you get. Teachers are awesome and work with you to help you learn, even if working with clay isn't your thing (I learned quickly it wasn't my thing). But it's still fun to try something new! In the heart of Ravenswood easily accessible by the el, and they do have parking if you drive. Definitely check out this gem if you haven't yet.

As described in the Lillstreet Art Center website, it was "founded in 1975, Lillstreet is a…read morecreative workspace for artists of all levels, from first-timers, to professionals. No matter how you define yourself, you belong here!" When Daughter told me that she had just registered for a "Beginning Wheelthrowing" class at Lillstreet, I did not know the art center. However, I had always been curious about wheelthrowing and wanted to finally learn about it, so I registered too! We both registered for a 10-week class that met once a week in the weekend. It had been a fun 10 weeks! Well, we had missed 2 classes for our unexpected trip to Europe, but we were fortunate that we could make up work by going to "open studios" that are available only to current students. Our teacher Jen FitzGerald has 25 years of experience in ceramics. Both Jen and the class assistant, Kim, are very kind, welcoming, and encouraging. Jen always has solutions to whatever problems that we might have. After she made a demonstration throwing on the wheel, she would go around the classroom to see how everybody was doing with her own work. It was especially helpful during the first couple of classes that Jen came by me and helped me one-on-one to overcome the hurdles that I had. After I "mastered" the techniques, wheelthrowing is relaxing and fun. Glazing pottery has been a lot of fun too! Looking for our fired glazed work on the common shelves is like Christmas! There have been nice surprises of how the glazed work turned out! Now both Daughter and I have made a bunch of cups, mugs, and bowls that we are proud of. Like a lot of the students at Lillstreet, our passion for ceramics have been ignited, this class won't be the last! Lillstreet Art Center not only offers a lot of different art classes for all levels, it also hosts private events like birthday parties, and one-time workshops that you can test the water and have some fun. There is a gallery/gift shop that features a lot of one-of-a-kind creations from teachers and students, most are really sophisticated and professional, and inspirational too! There is a small café that you can enjoy local baked goods. We had tried the almond croissants which were very good. Our teacher Jen is having a Lounge Show "Mudweaver Ceramics" in the cafe, from November 1 to 30, 2024. The show showcases some very amazing ceramic art that looks like woven baskets! Come see the show if you can! Closing reception is on Friday, November 29 at 6:00 PM.

I have been going to the Mosaic School since January 2025 and have taken 3 classes. The teachers…read moreare great, the atmosphere is welcoming, and I tell all of my friends and family about this place! Nowhere else in the U.S. is there an art school that has such a focus on mosaics. I've learned so much -- they provide the materials and the expertise. I've met some really wonderful people and friends and am already signed up for their stained glass class in September!

Just spent the most amazing weekend at the Chicago Mosaic School. I traveled over 500 miles to get…read morethere and it was well worth my time and effort. I felt the atmosphere to be warm and accepting, accommodating those with little experience and those who spend their lives being creative. It was a perfect balance of informational, historical and hands on Glass work. All my questions were thoroughly answered and I left feeling inspired and eager to utilize what I learned. I would recommend this school to any and all. An added bonus is the eclectic neighborhood, warm and charming teacher, Lydia, inclusive atmosphere and creative vibe that persisted throughout the class.

I take classes here and love it. Love the environment and the teachers are Great. Would recommend…read moreto anyone

Such a cool place and such a cool concept! I've gone to events a few times and the staff has been…read morenothing but sweet and accommodating. We need more places like this in Chicago! The atmosphere and art on the walls is also gorgeous.

My daughter goes to art classes here and it's a wonderful experience. So glad we found this through…read morefriends.... It's an actual Chicago high school, yay glad we found it!!

Academically, this school is excellent. Small classes the students are challenged and receive very…read morehigh test scores. Artistically, it depends on the department. Do your research and talk to the students in each department to get a feel for what your student will encounter. Dance and Musical Theatre receive a lot of support the other departments not so much. Socially, there is a major divide between students who are on scholarship and those whose parents pay the 24K price tag. The feedback I received from students was paying students were less likely to get disciplined as harshly as scholarship students. ROI, there were a number of times I didn't feel welcomed in the building and wasn't pleased by the services provided by staff. I had extremely high expectations for the school and my student. I always felt my student kept her end of the bargain but I never felt the school lived up to its marketing hype. Small classes can have its pros and cons at times I felt my student was falling into a "group think" mentality typically applied in asian cultures. My daughter developed friendships that I believe she will have for a lifetime. Skills from the VA Department that she will continue to build upon. She loved CAA and hated to leave.

The Academy is not like other art schools. If you're looking for a school where you can slack off,…read moreparty on the weekends, and have a good time learning "art", this is not the school for you. The Academy takes art seriously as a career, and expects you to as well. As a result, they have a really harsh attendance policy, the teachers are strict on turning in your projects on time, and there is a LOT expected of you. Additionally, this is not the school for those looking to go into modern art or "learn how to express themselves" as the Academy assumes you already know how to express yourself and is there to teach you how to draw. That being said, if you actually want to be successful as an illustrator/graphic designer/fine artist (sadly their 3d and web design departments seemed pretty lacking), you WILL improve by going to this school because they will force you to. I was an illustration major, and it was really amazing to see how some of my friends went from not being able to draw anything to having their own unique style. The school is small, but it's really nice because you get way more one on one time with your professors than you would if you went to a university. And for something like art, it's really nice to have your professor come up behind you and tell you you're drawing the head too big before you've already committed to having a ridiculous sized head on your piece. And as one of the other reviewers pointed out, you won't get into your major until your second year. This is because they want to ensure your fundamentals of art--which apply to every field of art--are strong. Just like how a normal college forces you to take GenEds before going into your major. TL;DR The Academy is a tough school. Most people can't hack it expecting something similar to the Art Institute's hands off approach. This is not that. You will work hard, learn, and become a better artist because of it.

School made false promises to help find work. Never helped. Pushed Sallie Mae on students for…read moreloans. Only leave you in a great deal of debt. Worked hard in hand with banks taking advantage of young people with big dreams.

Spudnik is a co-op that allows creatives and such to use their equipment in the studio for their…read moreown personal pursuits. They have letterpress, screen printing equipment, lithography, and more at your disposal. A membership with Spudnik gains you access to all of this and there are different levels based on what you want to use the studio for (basic and volunteer for more casual artists and keyholder for those who, say, make a living off of their art). If you're new to all of this they also lead classes and workshops for outside groups as well, including classes on screen printing, zine making, lithography, risography, letterpress, photoshop and more. I had a great time here designing and screen printing t-shirts with my colleagues last week. Tara and the other Spudnik folks were so fantastic, walking us through the process of creating the image (we did a collaborative drawing but you can also use their computers to create something digitally) then taking us through the steps of screen printing. I had done some INCREDIBLY DIY screen printing years ago so it was great to see how it's done in a proper setting with a dark room and all that good stuff. She told us all about the different screen gauges, the emulsion process, and more. So fun and educational! A super cool space that I wish I had known about when I lived in Chicago. I would have definitely joined and exercised my creativity, no doubt.

Loved my experience at Spudnik! We rented out the place for a team bonding screen printing…read moreexperience and had a blast! As others have mentioned, this is a space for creatives to play. While there are studios for individual artists that are in-house, there are letterpress and screen printing machines as well as workshops that are offered to the general public. Our group made a screenprinting design, where we collaborated on a drawing between the 12 of us and the wonderful staff helped us make T-Shirts with the original screenprint that we created! It was a fun, involved process and the staff at Spudnik made it easy, seamless and stress-free. If you're looking for a fun experience or just looking to get more connected to the creative community in Chicago, check out Spudnik!

Wonderful place to take a class. I'm learning so much and having a great time. It doesn't matter…read moreif you are new to art or have previous experience, Michael meets you where you're at and helps you reach your potential

From the owner: We take pride in removing the stress or intimidation of making art. There is no perfection. There…read moreis only the process and the journey of learning! Owner and instructor Michael is a graduate of The School Art Institute of Chicago and a working artist with expertise in many areas of art, And Jodi is a Learning Specialist and Special Education teacher, which makes the studio able to accommodate needs of many students.

I've been taking Vagabond's on-camera classes and am learning so much. I didn't realize how…read moreon-camera acting is a different skillset from live performance, and Vagabond has really helped me reconceive how I approach acting. Their classes are also built around giving you insight into the industry, with mock auditions, self-tapes, and "on set experience" where they film you doing scenes you "auditioned" for. Vagabond's instructors are pros and have long careers to draw from with advice, anecdotes, and perspectives. We get to learn from their wins and their misses, which helps us work toward getting more wins. I've gotten to work with Ed Kross most, and recommend him highly (as well as the other faculty members). If you want to be a professional working actor, take on-camera classes. You won't be sorry.

Amazing classes and instructors. Love the energy! Their ommitment to the industry is of pure…read morepassion, and they are very supportive of their actors. Their instructors have a whirlwind of experience in Theatre and TV. Love the energy.