Outer Ear Sessions Application: Spring 2026 Cycle

About
The Outer Ear Sessions (OES) at Experimental Sound Studio (ESS) is a pilot program providing free recording studio access to 20+ Chicago-based artists each year for the next two years. Awarded sessions are 6 hours, with an option to add additional hours at a discounted rate.

Goals:
1. Increase accessibility to professional recording services, opening up space for artistic experimentation.
2. Gather data, insights, and experience to feed further strategies towards building better economic systems and artist-centric approaches to the distribution of performed work.
The juried program accepts artists from all genres and career stages who are working to push the boundaries of their practice, leveling the playing field for working Chicago artists city-wide.

ESS’s expertise and mission focuses on artists experimenting in their respective genres and fields. Proposals that highlight exploratory approaches to artistic practices are encouraged. We acknowledge that the idea of “experimental” can manifest in many different ways and we are excited to work across the broadest possible application of that concept.

Timeline:

ESS will award 20-25 sessions in 2026, organized across two application timelines:

Spring Cycle: Sessions taking place between March 1-July 30, 2026 should apply by the January 18, 2026 deadline.

Fall Cycle: Sessions taking place between August 1-December 15, 2026 should apply by the July 1, 2026 deadline. This cycle opens June 1, 2026. Applicants that were not accepted in the first round are able to reapply in the second round.

Eligibility

Please read the statements below to confirm your eligibility.
1. I live in or near the City of Chicago and can get myself (and my group, if applicable) to Experimental Sound Studio (5925 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago, IL 60660) for an in-person session (you will be able to ask for transportation funding later in the application).
2. I work with sound as an artistic medium and understand that Outer Ear Sessions are intended for artists working on a sonic art or music recording project.
3. My session will take place between March 1-July 31, 2026.
4. As part of the OES pilot, ESS collects information from participating artists to learn how improved studio access supports creative work and to improve future offerings. All selected artists are expected to complete short surveys before, during, and after their studio sessions. ESS may also invite you to share feedback in a brief Zoom conversation. Evaluation participation does not affect the number of studio hours you receive, and all individual responses will remain confidential. ESS may share summarized or anonymous findings publicly as part of a program report or white paper. I acknowledge that participation in this evaluation is part of the program and am willing to participate.
5. I understand that sessions are scheduled within the context of engineer and studio availability—some flexibility may be required.
I have read the statements above and agree that I am eligible for the program to the best of my understanding.*

Yes, I Agree

Application
Definitions for the purpose of this application:
1. ARTIST: applicants may be solo artists, bands, or project-specific groups
2. SESSION: 6 engineered hours at Experimental Sound Studio (5925 N. Ravenswood Ave., Chicago), which can be used for recording, mixing, or mastering.
  
  The 6 awarded hours will be scheduled all on one day. Some exceptions may apply.
  
  Sessions include one 30-minute consultation session with an ESS engineer before the in-studio session.
  
  Additional hours up to 6 hours towards the project proposed in this application may be added at a discounted rate of $50/hour. Subsequent hours are charged at the normal studio rate of $80/hour.
Selection process:
Artists for the Spring Cycle will be selected by February 16, 2026 for sessions taking place between March 1-July 31, 2026.

Applications are selected by a panel of ESS staff and local Chicago artists. Applications are evaluated on the clarity of:
- The artistic vision
- Use of the time and resources
- Impact on practice, project, and/or career
We encourage applications from artists working across all genres of music and sonic art, and from all backgrounds and career stages. No previous recording experience is required.
Name*

First NameLast Name
Email*
example@example.com
Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Artist or Group Name
If different from name above.
Are you under 18? Artists under 18 will need to be accompanied by an adult.
Number of artists attending this session *
Instrumentation
Project Description: What is your project? How do you plan to use your 6 hours in the studio? Why is this opportunity a good fit for your project and how does this session move the vision forward? What is the end goal for this project and what timeline do you plan to follow? Note: you could simply be seeking space to experiment and explore, with access to ESS’s professional engineering expertise and equipment—a concrete product is not necessary, so long as you are clear on how this specific set of resources in a recording studio would move your practice/project forward. *

Limit 4000 characters0/4000
Please link an example of work from the past five years. Does not need to be high quality documentation.*
Note: This is to give the reviewers some sense of your practice, as a grounding point for the project description above. We do not expect this to be documentation of the project described above.
Please describe specific equipment, instruments, and other technical needs that ESS will be able to provide (find a description of ESS Studio resources here). What role do you hope the engineer will fulfill?*
Please describe any additional resources that would make this session possible for you, including transportation, money towards coverage of caretaker duties, etc.
Is there anything else you hope to gain from this opportunity or anything else you would like to tell us?