Building a Life in the Arts Panel Discussion & Workshop

Building a Life in the Arts - Panel Discussion + Workshop

Saturday, August 16, 2025 / 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM 

at the McLean County Arts Center!

$10 Registration Fee required and will be refunded upon attendance

The McLean County Arts Center welcomes you to an engaging and informative panel discussion / workshop covering building a life in the arts! 

Join us for a dynamic conversation with renowned panelists Stephen Asma, Dan Addington, Jeff Hirst, and Lindsey Miller as they share personal stories, professional insights, and practical strategies for shaping a future in the creative world.

Stephen Asma: Professor of Philosophy and Distinguished Scholar at Columbia College Chicago. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture at Columbia College Chicago. Asma has also served as lead guitarist for Howard & The White Boys blues group, as well as served as commentator and co-host of the popular podcast "Paul Giamatti's CHINWAG with Stephen Asma." 

Dan Addington: Gallery Owner, Nationally Exhibiting Artist, Event Organizer, former MCAC Curator. Dan will share the inside scoop of gallery representation and current issues in the Art Market. 

Lindsey L. Miller: a NYC-based dancer, choreographer, teacher, and founder of LLMoves, a dance and entertainment company. She has danced professionally for Alison Cook Beatty Dance, Quixotic, Lydia Johnson Dance, Beth Soll & Company, Trainor Dance, Ballet des Amériques, and Benoit Swan Pouffer. Lindsey has also performed in high-profile events like the Marc Jacobs NYFW show (choreographed by Karole Armitage) and as a guest dancer, with Complexions Contemporary Ballet at the Park Avenue Armory. Her film credits include appearances on HBO, Starz, and as a dancer for Maroon 5 and Lorde’s tour visuals. She earned a degree in dance performance with honors from Illinois State University and trained at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance. Lindsey’s choreographic work for LLMoves has been featured in dance and film festivals such as Cucalorus Film Festival, LA CineFest, and ADF’s Movies by Movers Festival. Recent notable performances include Jazz at Lincoln Center, NYFW shows for Sho Konishi and Minika Ko, and World Oceans Day at the United Nations.

Jeff Hirst: Hirst exhibited his work throughout the United States and Europe since 1987. His work has been showcased at national and international venues including the Minneapolis Institute of Art; Addington Gallery, Chicago; McKinney Contemporary, Dallas; and Bienal do Douro, Portugal.

Come explore what living a life in the arts means for you and take the next step on your own creative path.