0038

Inside Out –

Platform for Skills Training in the Performing Arts 2016

Exhibited at the 50 Designers, 50 Ideas, 50 Wards exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Center from May 24, 2016 – January 2017 in Chicago, IL.

Strawn Sierralta was one of 50 invited design teams, alongside firms including Studio Gang, Architecture is Fun, Wheeler Kearns, Paul Preissner Architects, Marshall Brown Projects, Ross Barney Architects, Design with Company, Norman Kelley, David Brown, Rubio Studio, Urban Works, PORT, Borderless Studio, and Brininstool + Lynch.

DATA + –

Inside Out is a mobile, expandable performance platform created to bring Goodman Theatre programming directly into underserved Chicago neighborhoods while highlighting the often-hidden technical side of theater production. Compact during transport, the structure unfolds on-site to create an immersive setting equipped with professional sound, lighting, backdrops, and stage effects, allowing participants to experience performance-making firsthand.

Conceived as both a cultural asset and an educational resource, Inside Out addresses a pressing need for job-skills training programs on Chicago’s South Side, where opportunities in stagecraft, production, and the technical arts are limited and the theater world can feel distant or inaccessible. By partnering with local community organizations, the platform integrates seamlessly into its host neighborhood, activating with workshops and programs tailored for all ages.

Beyond offering live performances, Inside Out provides training pathways that connect residents with practical, transferable skills and career opportunities in the creative economy. By demystifying the “behind-the-scenes” labor that audiences rarely see, it reframes theater as a collaborative, participatory process. Through hands-on learning, neighborhood gatherings, and special events, Inside Out fosters cultural exchange, builds stronger community networks, and broadens access to the performing arts while directly addressing workforce development needs.


Civic Partner: The Goodman Theater

Type: Mobile neighborhood platform

Inside Out Team: Strawn Sierralta with Susan Conger Austin

0038

Inside Out –

Platform for Skills Training in the Performing Arts 2016

Inside Out is a mobile, expandable performance platform created to bring Goodman Theatre programming directly into underserved Chicago neighborhoods while highlighting the often-hidden technical side of theater production. Compact during transport, the structure unfolds on-site to create an immersive setting equipped with professional sound, lighting, backdrops, and stage effects, allowing participants to experience performance-making firsthand.

Conceived as both a cultural asset and an educational resource, Inside Out addresses a pressing need for job-skills training programs on Chicago’s South Side, where opportunities in stagecraft, production, and the technical arts are limited and the theater world can feel distant or inaccessible. By partnering with local community organizations, the platform integrates seamlessly into its host neighborhood, activating with workshops and programs tailored for all ages.

Beyond offering live performances, Inside Out provides training pathways that connect residents with practical, transferable skills and career opportunities in the creative economy. By demystifying the “behind-the-scenes” labor that audiences rarely see, it reframes theater as a collaborative, participatory process. Through hands-on learning, neighborhood gatherings, and special events, Inside Out fosters cultural exchange, builds stronger community networks, and broadens access to the performing arts while directly addressing workforce development needs.

HIGHLIGHTS Exhibited at the 50 Designers, 50 Ideas, 50 Wards exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Center from May 24, 2016 – January 2017 in Chicago, IL.

Strawn Sierralta was one of 50 invited design teams, alongside firms including Studio Gang, Architecture is Fun, Wheeler Kearns, Paul Preissner Architects, Marshall Brown Projects, Ross Barney Architects, Design with Company, Norman Kelley, David Brown, Rubio Studio, Urban Works, PORT, Borderless Studio, and Brininstool + Lynch.

DATA + –

For: 50 Designers, 50 Ideas, 50 Wards exhibition at the Chicago Architecture Center

Civic Partner: The Goodman Theater

Type: Mobile neighborhood platform

Inside Out Team: Strawn Sierralta with Susan Conger Austin

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