Heritage Lounge Creative Fellow

The Dream Center Historic Preservation Design Fellowship

Program Overview

The Dream Center Historic Preservation Design Fellowship is a hands-on educational and professional development initiative centered around a historic landmark restoration project on Chicago’s West Side.

The fellowship provides emerging creatives, designers, preservationists, architects, and storytellers with real-world experience working on a historically significant restoration project focused on preservation, culture, storytelling, family, and community revitalization.

Fellows will gain hands-on exposure to:

• Historic preservation and adaptive reuse
• Creative direction and cultural storytelling
• Interior and experiential design concepts
• Restoration planning and atmosphere development
• Community-centered programming
• Real-world project collaboration
• Media and documentary-style production support

The fellowship operates under The Dream Center umbrella and supports the ongoing restoration and storytelling surrounding a historic preservation initiative in Chicago.

Heritage Lounge Creative Fellow

Position Overview

The Heritage Lounge Creative Fellow will support the creative vision and atmosphere development of a culturally inspired gathering space being developed as part of a historic restoration initiative on Chicago’s West Side.

This role is ideal for creatives interested in storytelling, hospitality-inspired environments, cultural programming, atmosphere design, and community-centered spaces. Fellows will assist in conceptualizing a warm, timeless, and culturally rich environment rooted in preservation, creativity, and connection.

Responsibilities

• Assist with creative direction and atmosphere concepts
• Research lounge, library, hospitality, and cultural space inspiration
• Create mood boards and visual presentations
• Support furniture, decor, lighting, and styling concepts
• Assist with cultural programming and experiential ideas
• Help develop storytelling and engagement concepts tied to the space
• Collaborate with project leadership and design team
• Assist with visual organization and sourcing research

Ideal Background

• Interior Design students or graduates
• Creative Direction students
• Hospitality or Event Design students
• Artists, creatives, and storytellers
• Emerging designers interested in culturally driven spaces

Skills Preferred

• Strong creative and conceptual thinking
• Canva, Adobe Suite, Pinterest, or mood board experience
• Passion for storytelling, culture, and design
• Strong visual and organizational skills
• Interest in hospitality-inspired and community-centered environments
• Ability to collaborate in a creative team setting

Fellowship Benefits

Participants may receive:

• Real-world experience on a historic restoration project
• Portfolio-building opportunities
• Professional mentorship
• Exposure to preservation and creative industries
• Networking opportunities
• Media and storytelling experience
• Hands-on project collaboration
• Potential public recognition and project feature opportunities

Compensation Structure

Eligible fellows between the ages of 18–24 may qualify for hourly compensation through a workforce development grant program at a rate of $16 per hour for up to 20 hours per week.

Fellows who do not qualify under grant eligibility guidelines may still be selected to participate in the fellowship program and may receive a project-based stipend, professional mentorship, portfolio-building opportunities, and hands-on experience working on a historic Chicago restoration initiative.

Time Commitment

• Part-Time Fellowship
• Up to 20 hours per week
• Flexible scheduling available
• Fellowship term to be discussed during interview process