LAUREN M. PACHECO, Founder + Artistic Director

Lauren M. Pacheco is a Mexican-American born and raised on Chicago's southwest side. She is a civic practice artist and cultural worker with over fifteen years of arts administration, curation, and project management experience. Her background is grounded in social practice and public engagement with a personal mandate to responsibly and respectfully invest in targeted communities. Many of her projects are interested in space, people, and social impact. Today, Pacheco serves as a resource to policymakers and institutions in the public dialogue about issues that impact artists and creative enterprises.

Lauren is co-founder of the Chicago Urban Art Society and Slow & Low: Chicago Lowrider Festival. She is an associate faculty lecturer and the director of arts programming and engagement at Indiana University Northwest in the School of the Arts. Lauren lives in Gary, Indiana with her husband, Phil, and two pit bulls, Sam and Max.