Free Spirit Community Arts + Media

Free Spirit Community Arts + Media Free Spirit Community Arts + Media partners with young storytellers to transform media and society.

In 2001, Free Spirit was created with the deep belief that every individual should have an opportunity to express ideas in order to participate in and influence culture and society. We partner with young artists 11-25, and the young people we work with are talented, engaged, and are committed to building their media arts skills to create lasting and meaningful social change. Learn more at freespir

itmedia.org, view our work at youtube.com/ and follow us at instagram.com/freespiritchi

We’re hiring a part-time Emerging Teaching Artist (ETA) to co-facilitate our after school programs for middle and high s...
08/17/2026

We’re hiring a part-time Emerging Teaching Artist (ETA) to co-facilitate our after school programs for middle and high school artists. This is a one year role co-leading programs while gaining teaching artist mentorship from an experienced Teaching Artist (TA). We’re accepting applications until September 1, 2026. Please view the full job description and apply at freespiritmedia.org/about (link in bio!). Questions? Please contact [email protected].

Applications to join our 2026 Screenwriting Cohort are now live! Visit freespiritmedia.org/programs (link in bio) for mo...
08/14/2026

Applications to join our 2026 Screenwriting Cohort are now live! Visit freespiritmedia.org/programs (link in bio) for more information. Submit your application by Friday, September 4th 📝💻

Members of the Alumni Affinity Group will be giving away backpacks and supplies for students entering grades K-12 TOMORR...
08/06/2026

Members of the Alumni Affinity Group will be giving away backpacks and supplies for students entering grades K-12 TOMORROW at BUILD Chicago’s End-of-Summer Bash starting at noon! Bring your whole family for an afternoon of fun, games, bounce houses, food, and community resources. Visit Free Spirit Alumni at their table tomorrow to claim your bag while supplies last 🎒📏✏️✂️📓☀️

A closer look at our brand refresh for Free Spirit Community Arts + Media! Working with Free Spirit Community Arts and M...
08/04/2026

A closer look at our brand refresh for Free Spirit Community Arts + Media!
Working with Free Spirit Community Arts and Media was such an incredible experience, and it was so fun to work with their team to find a bold and exciting way to express the genuine excitement and creativity that drives their organization.

Throughout our process we integrated feedback from young artits who are a part of Free Spirit Community Arts + Media. This feedback helped shape the brand to be what is today, while also reflecting the vision for the brand in the years to come.

Follow Free Spirit Community Arts + Media and check out some of Chicago's most exciting new artists!

Have you or someone you know been negatively impacted by these systems:+ Foster Care+ DCFS+ The Education System+ The Le...
07/27/2026

Have you or someone you know been negatively impacted by these systems:

+ Foster Care
+ DCFS
+ The Education System
+ The Legal System

The Podcast Lab, led by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Yohance Lacour, is seeking community voices to help shape an upcoming docuseries. This mixed-media narrative series examines the systemic and socioeconomic conditions that can push young people of color toward lives shaped by violence. While the docuseries follows the story of one individual, we recognize that this experience reflects broader patterns affecting countless others.

Fit this description? Fill out the form at the link in our bio (bit.ly/fspodcastlab) or reach out to Alycia Kamil at [email protected] with any questions or comments.

07/27/2026

Have you seen our brand refresh for Free Spirit Community Arts + Media yet? We loved working with the Free Spirit Community Arts and Media team to bring their new brand to life.

We used motion as a representation of growth, flexibility, and the fluid nature of creativity (and of course motion present in so many forms of digital media). With this jumping off point, we married the idea of motion, with a distorted logo treatment reminiscent of a flying flag, as a nod to unity and hope that is present in the strong community that the Free Spirit + team has created.

Excited to share more ! In the meantime go check out Free Spirit Community Arts + Media 💕

Join us in celebrating Juan’s promotion to full-time Production Manager! Since joining us as a part-time Production Coor...
07/16/2026

Join us in celebrating Juan’s promotion to full-time Production Manager! Since joining us as a part-time Production Coordinator last year, Juan has been the backbone of our production projects across the Screenwriting, Production, Post-Production Cohorts, Free Spirit Agency, as well as launching our first ever Podcast Lab with Yohance Lacour.

From guiding young filmmakers and journalists to create high-quality productions and connecting young storytellers with industry mentors, to managing the complex logistics that keep our Creative Pathways programs running smoothly, Juan does it all with dedication, humor and heart. We’re so excited to deepen our work with Juan and witness him thrive even more in this new role. Drop a comment below to congratulate Juan! 🎉🎥✨

07/14/2026

Ever had a take that wasn’t exactly what you wanted… but everyone’s already packing up and the director says, “Yep, we got it”? 😂🎬

That’s the magic (and chaos) of filmmaking.

The Director isn’t just the person yelling “Action!”—they’re responsible for guiding the story, working with actors, and making sure every scene matches the vision of the film.

Meanwhile, the Director of Photography (DP) turns that vision into something we can see. They shape the look of the movie through camera angles, movement, lighting, and composition.

So even when a shot isn’t “perfect,” there’s a bigger picture: the director and DP are constantly making creative decisions to tell the best story possible with the time, tools, and team they have.

Now the real question… would you rather be in the Director’s chair calling the shots, or behind the camera creating the shots everyone remembers? 👀

07/07/2026

Behind the glam is the person leading the entire production. 🎬

As the director, 𝑻𝒊𝒎𝒊 is responsible for bringing the script to life. She works closely with the actors to shape their performances. Every “Action!” and “Cut!” helps move the story closer to the final film.

While the glam team gets the cast camera-ready, the director ensures every scene supports the overall vision of the movie.

if you had to choose… would you rather be part of the 💄 Glam Team or step into the 🎬 Director’s chair?

We’re so happy to finally bring back in-school residencies, starting with a return to The Collins Academy High School fo...
07/06/2026

We’re so happy to finally bring back in-school residencies, starting with a return to The Collins Academy High School for a fine arts, photography and digital media program! Get to know a bit more about Teaching Artist Tye Moores and Emerging Teaching Artist Rafaella Villamar and stay tuned for exciting updates from our in-school summer program 🌞

Tye Moores (she/her), Teaching Artist

An expert photographer, media artist and marketing strategist, Tye is passionate about cultivating safe, experiential spaces that encourage young Chicago artists to create authentic media arts projects. She envisions a world where quality education is treated as right, not a privilege.

Rafaella Villamar (she/her), Emerging Teaching Artist

An animator, filmmaker and experimental storyteller, Rafaella’s art has a strong emphasis on culture, identity and social justice. In her role, Rafa focuses on building meaningful impact and supporting the creative development and leadership skills of young artists.

Address

5100 W Harrison Street
Chicago, IL
60644

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+13124440562

Website

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