Nina Castillo-D’Angier (she/they/siya) is a Chicago-based multidisciplinary artist whose practice combines immersive theatre, production design, and interactive installation. With a focus on worldbuilding and the curation of spaces that allow audiences to safely explore vulnerability, Nina’s work invites active participation and co-creation.
These projects often blur the boundary between artist and audience, transforming viewers into collaborators who help shape their own experience of the work. In 2023, Nina co-wrote, designed, produced, and performed in Garden of Decay, a large-scale immersive installation that took over the Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier. The piece guided audiences through staged environments embodying the processes of grief and renewal, merging spectacle with personal reflection. That same year, Nina co-created The Joy Clinic, a pop-up interactive installation offering playful yet sincere “joy boosters” and mental health resources, appearing at Taste of Chicago. This year, some of Nina’s favorite credits include a major art installation for Bookclub, a new music venue in Lincoln Park; co-creating an immersive experience at the Chicago Athletic Association for the board game Illimat; designing a walk-through car wash sound bath experience for Wicker Park Fest; and serving as lead artist and designer for several storefront works including Rough House Puppets’ Exquisite Corpse; Strawdog Theatre’s The F*ck House by Susan Pak; and an immersive version of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters.
Nina’s commitment to building community through art has led to collaborations across Chicago’s cultural landscape, creating art and experiences for the Chicago Design Museum, the Lyric Opera, Two Hearted Queen, Escape Artistry, Sterling Food Hall, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and a range of events including GenCon, CapriCon, NEOCON, and the Chicago Pride Parade. In addition to an immersive theatre-based practice, Nina is one of fewer than 100 freehand silhouette portrait artists in the world, studying this art form for over a decade. Nina regularly brings this work to other communities including an annual showcase at the Momence Heritage Days festival, where families return year after year to update their portraits.
Nina serves as an adjunct professor for The Theatre School at DePaul University. This pedagogical work, like Nina’s artistic practice, is rooted in fostering curiosity, collaboration, and a mindful connection to the everyday.
Nina Castillo-D’Angier brings a diasporic, intersectional perspective to her work, further informed by sustainability and community care. Whether through large-scale installation, intimate encounters, or community-driven events, her goal is to use art to deepen empathy and open space for both grief and joy.
