Note From the Executive Director
Dear friend,
As a cultural organization, Experimental Station poses a fundamental question: What does the cultural project look like in a time when our most urgent problems are not only neglected, but actively denied? When division and discord are stoked instead of soothed? When welcoming a stranger is seen not as a strength, but as a liability?
We reframe the cultural project. Through our programs and place-making initiatives, Experimental Station works to create tangible, positive experiences of change. Whether it’s offering children the exhilarating freedom of riding a bike, giving community members greater confidence in maintaining their own bicycle, helping families access fresh, healthy food and improve their wellbeing, or cultivating spaces where people feel a deep sense of connection and belonging—these are more than just individual successes. They are acts of cultural transformation, contributing to a future where we happily choose a bicycle over a car, an apple over a bag of chips, the farmers market over a supermarket, solidarity over division, compassion over fear.
Looking back at the past year, the changes we have helped bring about—many of which are reflected in these pages— have renewed our energy and deepened our commitment to the work ahead. From further expanding food and bicycle education for children and adults in our community, to creating new opportunities to collaborate with and support the work of community members, to advocating for safe local bicycle infrastructure, to making healthy foods affordable for more Illinoisans and leading a statewide food system planning process for Illinois, Experimental Station is poised for a bold leap forward in the coming year.
These are urgent times. Yet, together we can create the kind of place and future that we want for ourselves, our children, and our community. We hope that you are inspired by the stories and impact shared in these pages—and that you will consider supporting our work. Your contribution, no matter the size, helps us continue to build a more just, connected, and nourishing world—one bike ride, one market, one neighbor at a time.
Sincerely,
Connie Spreen
