Chicago Art Map FAQ:
How do I get listed?
Press Releasese and General Inquiries: chicagoartmap (at) gmail.com
PLEASE LIST EVERY ARTIST
Is it free?
yes.
Who's Behind This?
The Chicago Art Map and Calendar Tool is a part of Chicago Art Magazine.
How Do You Use This?
Here is an instructional video http://vimeo.com/9903404
Why? Why? Why?
We at Chicago Art Magazine are humbly attempting to democratize access and coverage of the Chicago art scene by building a free and comprehensive map and calendar. We’ve also built all kinds of sorting and categorizing tools into our map so that not only can you get an exhaustive list of art venues in Chicago, you can also pare down the list by venue type, neighborhood, gallery specialty, and a photo in Street View. Technologically, it is no mean feat to toss 350 venues onto a Google Map - without clustering and optimazation, the map will crash a browser.
I have a painting up in a frame shop, but the shop isn’t listed on your map. What gives?
If we try to list every frame shop, coffee shop, bar, furniture store, or pet store, we'd go bananas. Sometimes you can make an appeal, or try to sneak it in, but we'd really like venues that are primarily showing visual art.
I have a gallery in my home/studio, why am I not listed on your “exhaustive” map?
We don’t list individual open studios; there are just too many to keep track of. We do list open studio nights for studio buildings such as East Bank Studios, Carroll Avenue Studios, and the Cornelia Arts Building. If you have an individual studio and are doing a one-time event, such as the completion of a major body of work or a performance, feel free to write us and ask for an exception. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. You'll notice that advertisers get to break the rules quite a bit on this policy.
We also won't list exhibits of your own work in your own home. If you’re going to do it once (and are going to serve free booze and tasty snacks), please feel free to shoot us an email and ask us to list it. If you’re going to do it every week, it’s the same work, and there’s no booze or snacks, don’t even bother. We also only list venues in the Chicagoland area (our apologies to the fantastic scene in NW Indiana, etc.)
Gallery So-And-So sucks, they took my money and left the doors unlocked at night. Can you take them off the map for me?
Nope, sorry. We list every art space that we know of, and do not discriminate based on bad work, unethical practices, or personal animosity. We list ‘em, how you feel about ‘em is your decision.
My gallery is now closed, will you please make an animated icon of my gallery exploding and vanishing?
No, we wish we could, as that would be awesome. However, we always want to know if you have closed (or opened) a new space, so that we can update the map. When you inform us of your closure (or opening) of a venue, we will delete (or add) it to the map, the note the change on our “Changes to the Map” page.
Can I send you notices and press releases?
No, please, leave us in the dark and keep us guessing. Of course we want to receive your press releases, with an image attached. However, ONE press release announcing the show would be great, as opposed to three. If we've listed the show, we don't need a reminder press release, etc.
Your map/calendar is totally wrong! You misspelled the artists, the address is wrong, and I've never seen that thumbnail image!
Email us ASAP at chicagoartmap@gmail.com, and we’ll fix it!
Can I take all your information and put it on my site?
Yes, if you link to us and let us know about it. Once you do that, we will instruct you about the "dummy data" you should pull. We sometimes put in just enough bad data to be able to come back to you with proof that it came from us, unique listings like the non-existent "Three Bunnies Gallery" or the elusive Byzantine Street.