High Concept Labs Expands Board and Staff

High Concept Labs (HCL) announces today the addition of three new members to the organization, effective immediately. Paul Boulis and Gwen Smuda have been appointed to the ten-member board, and Rebecca Himelstein joins the organization's staff as its newest Development Coordinator.

"We couldn't be happier at the quality of talent and expertise that are joining us" says HCL Executive Director Steven Wang. "Paul, Gwen, and Rebecca bring rich perspectives and varied experience that will strengthen the organization and help expand our offerings to the public."

Mr. Boulis is the retired President of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, and also served as Chairman of the Board of the Arts and Business Council for four of the nine years he served that organization. Mr. Boulis earned a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh; a Master's in Hospital Administration from the University of Michigan; and a one year Fellowship at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

Ms. Smuda is a Software Engineer at Wellspring, and prior to her software career, she worked as a costumer for storefront theaters and filmmakers around Chicago. Her community-service work includes a stint as Chair of the 49th Ward's Participatory Budgeting Leadership Committee, a volunteer process focused on increasing civic engagement. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Chicago.

Ms. Himelstein is a Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist and arts programmer. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Visual and Critical Studies at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and is a Music Programming Assistant at Comfort Station Logan square. Rebecca is a Resident in Chicago Artists Coalition's 2016-2017 Hatch Program.

High Concept Labs is an arts-service organization that has supported more than 140 artists and collectives through its Sponsored Artist Program, and offers critical organization-building support to organizations through its Institutional Incubation Program. Additional programs include Cultural Conversations, artist showcases, and special community events.

For more information about the new appointments, please visit highconceptlabs.org/who-we-are

High Concept Labs (HCL) supports artists and facilitates dialogue between artists, audiences, and staff. This increases access and transparency to the artistic process and fosters transformational experiences in an environment of experimentation and discovery. highconceptlabs.org

HCL is supported in part by the generosity of The National Endowment for the Arts, The Chicago Community Trust, The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The Chicago Dancemakers Forum, The Martha Struthers Farley and Donald C. Farley, Jr. Family Foundation, N.A., The Norwottock Charitable Trust, The Samuel J. Baskin Charitable Trust, Mana Contemporary Chicago, and individual donors.

website: highconceptlabs.org

calendar of events: highconceptlabs.org/calendar/

facebook: facebook.com/highconceptlabs

HCL is based at Mana Contemporary Chicago in the Pilsen neighborhood,

at 2233 S. Throop St. Chicago, Illinois 60608.

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