Skip To Main Content

Artist in Residence

Bringing the art world to our doorstep.

The Artist-in-Residence program creates a rich dialogue between an international artist and our community.
 
Every other year, the LFC's Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program welcomes a creator who wishes to develop an artistic project in a school setting. All artistic disciplines are welcome: architecture, fiber art, visual arts, performing arts (music, theater, dance, circus), digital arts, comics, film/animation, design, graphic design, literature, photography, murals/street art, etc.
 

For the 2026-2027 residency, we are particularly interested in partnering with an artist exploring textile and fiber arts or ceramics. The most inclusive project—involving the most students and grade levels—will be selected.

Applications are open and will close on April 15, 2026.

Apply

2025 AIR Project

For the 2024-2025 residency, the spotlight was on music, with the goal of creating an anthem that encompassed an LFC education and united students from pre-K to Grade 12. Who better to lead them on this journey than Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Justin Roberts! Watch the video or read more to discover the spirit of the LFC captured in music.

History

Since the school’s inception, arts and culture have been given a valued place at the LFC. Created in 1997 by parents Nancy Lerner Frej and Mary Jane Jacob, with the support of former Lycée Arts Director Jean-Brice Wallon, the Artist-in-Residence Program (AIR) enriches each student's journey and exposes them to new artistic approaches.

The LFC has had the pleasure of welcoming numerous artists since 1997:

  • Christian Boltanski (France/photography)
  • Ery Camara (Senegal/language arts)
  • Sheila Hicks (USA/sculpture)
  • Laurent Baude (France/sculpture)
  • Périphériques Architecture (France/architecture)
  • Jim Vincent for the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago (USA/dance)
  • Beate Gütschow (Germany/photography)
  • Donald Fels (USA/architecture)
  • I.C.E. – International Contemporary Ensemble (USA/music)
  • Nicolas Henry (France/photography)
  • Joël Degbo (France-Benin/photography)
  • Phil Smith and Louise Lamson - Lookingglass Theatre Company - and Tom Lee - Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival (USA/theater)
  • Justin Roberts (USA/music)

The selected artist is invited to develop an original and collective project in collaboration with the students, teachers and parents of the LFC. The final art work—the result of a rich dialogue between an international artist and our community—is showcased at a public exhibition and becomes part of the LFC’s art collection.

Artist-in-Residence Criteria

For AIR, which takes place every other year, all artistic disciplines are welcome: architecture, visual arts, performing arts (music, theater, dance), digital arts, comics, film/animation, design, graphic design, literature, photography, murals/street art, etc. 

Terms and Conditions
  • The artistic output shall be the property of the LFC. 
  • The duration of the residency is generally 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the nature of the project itself. However, it must be finished before the end of the school year (see school calendar).
  • The project must reach the entire LFC community and actively involve students from pre-K to Grade 12.
  • The public exhibition at the end of the residency is an integral part of the project.
  • The artist will work with LFC’s pedagogical teams and, in particular, the art department. 
Funding & Support
  • The artist will receive a total stipend of $15,000 from the LFC to cover all expenses: housing, airfare, materials and supplies necessary for the residency (other than those available at the Lycée).
  • A work space will be made available at the LFC for the duration of the residency during the school's normal hours of operation.
  • The LFC will support the artist in his/her networking with local organizations, partners and other stakeholders who may participate in the development of his/her project (cultural and academic institutions, etc.).
Criteria for Eligibility

The artist must: 

  • Be a working professional
  • Speak French and/or English 
  • Have previous work experience in a school (preferred) 
  • Clear a background check.

If you have any questions, please contact air@lyceechicago.org.

APPLY

AIR Justin Roberts singing at the 2025 Soiree with students
Artist in Residence Justin Roberts with students
The image shows a group of young people walking through a classroom or music room, with musical instruments and equipment visible in the background.
The image shows a classroom setting with a teacher interacting with several students seated at desks. The teacher appears to be providing guidance or instruction to the students, who are engaged in some kind of activity or task.
A lined notebook page with handwritten text and a yellow pencil resting on a wooden surface.
A group of people, including a person wearing a costume resembling a Native American figure, are gathered in front of a painted backdrop depicting a cloudy sky.
A young person wearing headphones and a t-shirt with a Paris skyline graphic, standing in what appears to be a recording studio or audio production space.
Three women wearing headphones and smiling, standing in a recording studio with various audio equipment in the background.
A group of young people, some wearing headphones, appear to be engaged in a recording or performance activity in a studio-like setting.
A young man in a black outfit is playing a guitar in front of a group of children sitting on the floor, surrounded by various objects and equipment in a spacious room.
A young person wearing headphones and holding an acoustic guitar, sitting in a room with colorful walls and various objects in the background.
A group of young children, both boys and girls, standing together with a woman holding a guitar in the foreground, against a backdrop of glass windows and a bright, natural setting.
A crowded hallway filled with a large group of young students, some wearing blue uniforms, standing and looking towards the camera.

Artist-in-Residence News

Post RSS Feeds Subscribe to Post Alerts
A collage of photos of AIR projects over the years
Bringing the Art World to Our Doorstep: Celebrating Three Decades of the LFC Artist-in-Residence Program

As the Lycée Français de Chicago celebrates its 30th anniversary, we look back on our origins, our amazing students, committed families and unique programs. Since the very beginning, the arts have been more than an extracurricular activity at LFC; they have been a vital language of expression, a bridge between cultures, and a core component of our educational philosophy. Nowhere is this more evident than in our cherished Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program.

Read full article

Four group photos from the 2024-25 artist in residence program
“No Place I'd Rather Be”: Sharing our School Community Through Song

Whether it’s capturing our school community through photography or recreating Homer’s “The Odyssey” on film, the LFC’s Artist-in-Residence program remains a cornerstone of its arts education—welcoming a new creator every other year to share their discipline with the school. Visiting from France, Senegal, Germany, and beyond, each artist brings a unique opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the arts and spark their creativity.

This year, the spotlight was on music, with the goal of creating an anthem that encompasses an LFC education and unites students from pre-K to Grade 12. Who better to lead them on this journey than Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Justin Roberts!

Read full article

Students posting with their Artist-in-Residence creations.
Checking in with the 2022-2023 Artist in Residence Program

If you peeked into LFC’s art rooms these days, you would see them filled with a whale, snail, jellyfish, cave, cyclops eye, boat and plenty of fish. As part of the 2022-2023 Artists in Residence program, students of all ages have helped create the set for their upcoming silent film, which will focus on the famous passage from Homer’s Odyssey detailing Odysseus’ journey to the island of the Cyclops.

Four people pose with puppet Cyclops, fish, and sailboat. To the right, a woman poses.
LFC’s Artist-in-Residence Program Welcomes the Lookingglass Theatre Company

This year’s residency, a beloved biennial LFC program, will tackle Homer’s Odyssey and, more specifically, the story of the Cyclops. The visiting artists will work with students to create a silent film, inspired by the work of French director Georges Melies, as well as a documentary about the making of the film.

2019 Artist-in-Residence exhibition.
A Beautiful Exhibition to Celebrate Joël Degbo's Residency

On Tuesday, April 9, the LFC community was thrilled to explore the work that Joël Degbo, our 2019 artist in residence, has done in collaboration with our students and teachers. His exhibition, entitled "Various Lights," highlighted our students' relationship to their urban environment in a vibrant showcase that featured voices, videos and pinhole photographs.