OPEN STAGE! at Hairpin is a new multidisciplinary performance series hosted by the Performing Arts Branch at Hairpin Arts Center. Created as a welcoming platform for artists across disciplines, the evening invites performers to share short, live works in a space that celebrates experimentation, connection, and creative risk — while offering audiences a lively night out filled with music, movement, storytelling, and unexpected artistic moments.

Featuring everything from music, spoken word, dance, comedy, theatre, puppetry, performance art, and hybrid forms that defy easy categorization, OPEN STAGE! highlights the incredible range of Chicago’s creative community. The stage is open to artists at all stages of their creative process — from first sparks and works-in-progress to fully realized performances — making it a place where ideas can be tested, shared, and celebrated. With rotating performance sets, a featured act, live DJ and VJ sets, and local vendors throughout the evening, it’s a place to discover new talent, connect with artists, and experience the many ways performance can come to life.

Whether you're stepping onto the stage or simply coming to enjoy a great show, OPEN STAGE! is designed to grow into a vibrant hub for live performance in Chicago. All ticket sales and donations go directly toward supporting Hairpin’s mission of creating more accessible programming for local artists of all mediums and helping produce future OPEN STAGE! nights throughout the year.

OPEN STAGE! At Hairpin!

By Hairpin Arts Center

OPEN STAGE! At Hairpin!

A multidisciplinary platform open to all performing artists!