Access Contemporary Music
MusiciansIllinois, United States11-50 Employees
Access Contemporary Music is a non-profit organization based in Chicago that advances contemporary musical creativity through a variety of programs. Its work includes commissioning projects, digital media ventures such as a podcast and video series, and storefront music schools that teach creativity alongside note reading, all aimed at bringing musical ideas to life on a daily basis. The organization also curates events and festivals, notably Chicago’s Thirsty Ears Classical Music Street Festival and the Sound of Silent Film Festival, which features newly commissioned scores performed alongside silent films, as well as collaborative opera projects. ACM engages with audiences in multiple cities, producing events in Chicago, New York, Milwaukee, and Mexico City, and has partnered with cultural and architectural organizations to inspire music inspired by buildings. The group operates as a relatively small, mission-driven entity that collaborates with composers and performers to create and present new musical work in non-traditional formats.