Welcome

About True Muse Arts

True Muse Arts is a Chicago-based, community-centered arts organization dedicated to creating accessible, participatory, and interdisciplinary cultural experiences.

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Founded in 2014 by artist and educator Linda Solotaire, True Muse began as a teaching and performing arts company rooted in mentorship, experimentation, and collaboration across music, movement, theater, and the spoken word. In 2019, this work evolved into the Second Sunday Salon Series — curated, intimate gatherings where musicians, poets, visual artists, dancers, and audiences come together not as performers and spectators, but as participants in a shared creative experience.

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At its heart, True Muse Arts is part of a larger shift toward a more open, participatory, and human-centered arts culture — one where people don’t just consume art, but help shape it. And at its heart, True Muse Arts is about access, inclusion, and real human connection through art. We believe creativity belongs in neighborhoods, in shared spaces, and in everyday life.

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In 2025–2026, True Muse is expanding into a “floating Salon” model, partnering with multiple venues across the city to reach new communities and more diverse audiences. We are deeply grateful for our ongoing partnerships with The Print Shop Live in Humboldt Park, excited to collaborate with Colvin House on the North Side and are actively seeking a South Side venue partner as part of our commitment to equity and geographic inclusion.

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In 2026, True Muse Arts is formally incorporating as a nonprofit organization, aligning our structure with our long-standing mission: to democratize access to the arts, create meaningful platforms for artists of diverse backgrounds, and build spaces where culture is not just presented, but shared.

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True Muse’s artistic lineage is closely connected to NON:op Open Opera Works, a Chicago-based experimental and participatory arts organization. Founder Linda Solotaire was an early performer and founding member of NON:op, and the shared values of community voice, participation, and socially engaged art continue to shape both organizations. Current and future collaborations include projects such as Inventory of Lost Books, Say Their Names, and Listening Across Neighborhoods.

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True Muse Arts welcomes students, volunteers, collaborators, and community members into its growing creative ecosystem — and invites you not just to attend, but to belong.