Ragdale Foundation

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Ragdale Foundation

Ragdale is a nonprofit artists’ community located on the former country estate of architect Howard Van Doren Shaw.

08/29/2026

Looking for a short residency this December? Ragdale’s Creative Sabbaticals are now open for December 1-4, 2026. Designed for artists, curators, designers, arts administrators, and other creatives, these shorter residencies are 4 days and 3 nights, open to all disciplines with applications reviewed on a rolling basis. We have streamlined the process to apply, and full details can be found by linking in our bio.

Ragdale’s Creative Sabbatical program was established to broaden access to the historic campus, offering individual creatives dedicated residency time outside of our juried sessions. Ideal for those seeking to re-engage with their work, venture into new creative territory, or step away from daily demands to reconnect with their practice, these four-day, three-night stays offer the focused time and supportive environment that Ragdale is known for.

Image courtesy former Ragdale resident, Chloe Benjamin

08/27/2026

Grammy Award–nominated Brazilian-American composer, pianist, and vocalist Clarice Assad () is one of the most widely performed and commissioned voices in contemporary music today. On Saturday, September 12th, Clarice Assad will bring her distinct collaborative and improvisation skills to the Ragdale Ring and create a singular experience.

"Ragdale is one of these rare, special havens where artists can find space, time, and community to do their most honest work. When people gather at Ragdale, they immediately sense the energy and the openness. For a musician like me, who works at the intersection of sound, technology, and human connection, that kind of openness is essential. I'm honored to bring Voxploration into that spirit." ~Clarice Assad

📷 Marcelo Macaue

08/20/2026

Ragdale is honored to be a recipient of a grant from the Graham Foundation () in support of the Ragdale Ring Design-Build Competition. Through the grant provided by the Graham Foundation, the competition’s winning designs “Front of House” by design studio Gluten and “Stage Prop” by Patrick Geske and Cody Miner are exhibited as a temporary performance venue in the tradition of Howard van Doren Shaw’s original Ragdale Ring. “Front of House” will be on display at our upcoming Ragdale Ring performances on August 22nd and September 12th.

08/12/2026

Indie folk pop musician Tasha () — a writer and musician born in Chicago, now based in New York — performs live at the next Ragdale Ring on Saturday, August 22nd, 6-8PM. She'll bring songs from her new album You Are Spring!, out on Bayonet Records, recorded and produced in L.A. with longtime collaborator Gregory Uhlmann. The album follows 2024's All This and So Much More and Tasha's run in the Tony-winning Broadway musical Illinoise.
Campus opens at 4PM for picnicking and garden tours. Full program and tickets — link in bio.

Image Credit: Josh Wulfahrt
Video Credit: Tasha - Clarion (Offical Video)

08/07/2026

At our August Ragdale Ring, Jamila Woods () — musician, poet, and multidisciplinary artist from the South Side of Chicago — joins Adrian Matejka (.matejka), editor-in-chief of Poetry magazine and author of seven books, for a featured dialogue on poetry, place, and music.

"It makes you wish all singers were poets." — Doreen St. Felix, on Jamila Woods' debut album “HEAVN”

Saturday, August 22nd, 6-8PM at Ragdale. Campus opens at 4PM for picnicking and self-guided garden tours. Full program and tickets — see link in bio.

07/04/2026

Art historian and Chicago Tribune art critic Lori Waxman knows about walking. She’s the author of “Keep Walking Intently,” a book about the radical potential that walking holds for us all. Join us on campus July 15 to experience Ragdale Walks, her curated series of ambulatory art sited throughout our campus as part of the Ragdale Ring Summer Performance Series.

And Happy 4th of July! Remember you can bring a picnic to Ragdale Ring events, too. It’s a vibe.

07/03/2026

Swipe through to see the incredible “Front of House” created by Gluten — the winner of this year’s Ragdale Ring Design-Build Competition. If you’re curious how they did it, and where their ideas come from, they’ll be in conversation on July 15 from 6:15-7pm on campus. Tickets at the link in our bio—we hope to see you there!

07/02/2026

Movement-based ensemble House of DOV’s last performance was as “fresh, fearless and honest… dangerous and exciting” as they were described. The dance was touchingly human, expressing vulnerability and strength, creating – literally building with bodies – dynamic structures of collaboration. The expansion was felt by everyone. We traveled somewhere, were pushed and pulled, and were better for it. And when the program ended, but with the music of Family Junket still guiding the night, we all danced some more.

Congratulations to House of DOV for the premiere of Circle of Apathy!

Thanks to all who attended this kick-off for the Ragdale Ring Performance Series. We look forward to seeing you all again this summer, and making new friends along the way! Photos by Freeman Pictures.

07/01/2026

We’re thrilled for our next Ragdale Ring performance on Wednesday, 7/15. It includes a presentation of Freedom From and Freedom To, an improvisational cross-medium happening that randomly combines dancers and musicians from across Chicago. Curated by Cristal Sabbagh, the 7/15 lineup includes: dancers Rahila Coats, Amanda Maraist, Radmila Olshansky, Jacinda Ratcliffe, Cristal Sabbagh, and Kinnari Vora; musicians Paige Brown, Bill Harris, Caroline Jesalva, Katinka Kleijn, Jayve Montgomery, and Nick Turner; with Eli Sabbagh as emcee.

06/30/2026

Join us July 11 at 10am for a public tour of the Ragdale Campus. Tours are led by our amazing docents, last roughly 90-minutes, and provide an overview of the campus and gardens, including the famed Ragdale House and multiple buildings listed on the National Historic Register. Tickets are $15/person and help support the care and preservation of our campus. Free parking is available at 1230 N Green Bay Road, and guests will gather at the front of Ragdale House at the tour’s designated start time. Link in bio for full details on this tour - and other public tour dates - and to reserve your tickets.

Address

1260 North Green Bay Road
Lake Forest, IL
60045

Website

http://www.ragdale.org/

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