For years, the Hairpin Arts Center has stood as a mostly underused venue hosting the occasional event. Under the direction of dance maven Kacie Smith and of Betsy Zacsek, who has run the Pond Hole apartment gallery, Hairpin’s programming has taken on a new vibrancy. Whether hosting the recording of an episode of Open TV (beta) favorite “Brujos,” a month-long LatinXArts showcase or programming from High Concept Labs, the space is revving its engines. Take into account a similar upswing in active programming at Elastic Arts just across Diversey, and this little outpost a stone’s throw north of the heart of Logan Square is poised for renaissance.
