¡anímate!

¡Anímate! Studio is a Chicago-based arts collaborative led by Andrés Lemus-Spont and Marya Spont-Lemus.

True to our name*, our projects embody our shared values of community, mentorship, possibility, and openness to experimentation, as well as encourage movement toward action.

In our workshops, we guide participants in re-imagining and re-making existing objects and structures through open-ended, play-based experimentation in public space. This approach to creative re-framing is a hands-on exercise in critical pedagogy, prompting questions around values reflected in objects, the surrounding world, and one’s self.

Our first ¡Anímate! project was The FrankenToyMobile (2015-2019). Recent projects include “Finding Depths: Reflecting, Reframing, Responding on the River” (2023), “Unearthing Layers, Connecting Stories: Reflections on Environmental Justice in Everyday Life” (2023-present), Creative Build workshops using 2x4s, pool noodles, and random objects (2021-present), and more. We are proud to be founding members of the Mobilize Creative Collaborative.

Squiggle Build is our newest offering in the Creative Build series. This drop-in, all-ages workshop invites participants to play, dream, and collaborate to transform familiar materials into imaginative landscapes using pool noodles. Together we can build new spaces and imagine new possibilities.

In 2026, join us at:

Art Institute of Chicago (January 19)
Logan Center for the Arts (June 6)
“It’s On Us: A Day of Art and Action” (June 13)
LVEJO’s “What’s Up with Our Environment?” Fair (July 25)
Marimacha Monarca Press’ “Made in Queerlandia” (August 22)
EAC Arts Village at Englewood Music Festival (September 12)
Yollocalli Back to School Open House (September 18)
P.E.R.R.O.’s “Healing Waters” Community Festival (September 19)
Plant Chicago Mercado de Intercambio: Plant Swap! (October 10)

* “¡Anímate!” means “go for it!” in Spanish, among other things, while “animate” in English means “to bring something to life.” We like both meanings.