This summer marks the launch of the Exploration Institute, a new initiative from the Blackbird Creative Lab that brings together artists and astronomers for a week-long residency at Yerkes Observatory.

The 2025 artist cohort—Molly Herron (Lab 2017), Christian Quiñones, Noel Holloway, and Noelia Cruz (all Lab 2023)—will develop new music rooted in astronomical research, exploring topics like the chemical makeup of stars, planetary rotation, glass plate archives, and Indigenous astronomy traditions.

Working in close collaboration with Dr. Amanda Bauer, Eighth Blackbird members Aaron Wolff and Lina Andonovska, Lab Director Garrett Obrycki, and the Yerkes Summer Research Institute, the artists will share their process and discoveries in two public events. These evenings will feature works-in-progress, panel conversations, and reflections on science-driven creative practice.

🎟️ Tickets available via the Yerkes Observatory website and the Athenaeum Center website.