After School Matters’ original programming space, dedicated to teens—Gallery 37 Center for the Arts—brings together nearly 1,500 teens from every single Chicago community area each year in the heart of downtown Chicago, just off Michigan Avenue. Our first flagship site serves as a haven of diversity and creativity in the heart of the Loop.
With four floors dedicated to various programs, including a dance studio, theater, and more than a dozen unique program spaces, the building has provided thousands of teens with opportunities for hands-on exploration over the past 20 years.
Offering teen-dedicated program facilities has taught us that young people thrive in a space they see as their own. Teens take ownership and pride in their programs, which in turn supports high levels of achievement. Through teen-dedicated spaces across the city—both in our own buildings and throughout our neighborhood sites—we are showing teens how much they matter and empowering them to build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.
