Chicago, IL

Chicago, along with Los Angeles and New York City, has a well-deserved reputation as one of the top cities in the United States for art. However, Chicago is the only one of those two cities to make the list of the top ten best cities for artists. This means it's far less expensive than the other two options while still providing artists with the creative stimulus they need. It's also the starting point for many greats.

Chicago has several advantages; for example, the downtown region has a dense urban grid with a WalkScore of 84. There is great public transportation in the surrounding districts. However, most art and culture institutions, from theaters to museums, are located downtown, making it a very centralized area. There are outdoor spaces like Millennium Park for fresh air, access to nature, and art installations (hello, The Bean). Museums like the Art Institute of Chicago enjoy tremendous renown for their collections.