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ArtReach Chicago empowers and connects people through the practice of visual arts. Art is access – We provide entry. Art is radical – We are fearless. Art is progress – We are the future. Art is freedom – We are power. ArtReach primarily serves populations that have been impacted by collective or individual trauma, including violently injured youth, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, undocumented populations, and Chicago Public School students on the South and West sides. ArtReach is proud to offer glassblowing and ceramics, two media that are not only hard to access, but by their very nature elicit healing and community.

Project FIRE was co-created by glass artist Pearl Dick and clinical psychologist Bradley Stolbach in partnership with Healing Hurt People – Chicago and with the support of a University of Chicago Medicine Urban Health Initiative Faculty Fellowship in 2014. Shortly after the launch of the program, Project FIRE joined forces with the well established and respected nonprofit, ArtReach Chicago. Project FIRE is now the flagship program of ArtReach, and has paved the way for a variety of innovative social justice arts programs taking place at ArtReach. In June of 2018, ArtReach Chicago and Project FIRE moved into a new space in East Garfield Park which boasts a glass hot shop, flameworking studio, full ceramics studio, classrooms, and community meeting spaces.