Chicago neighborhood arts groups are in crisis

For three decades, I’ve spent my career in the arts waiting for live theater finally to become part of the national discourse, though not in this way: From public radio to national newspapers, the economic crisis facing live theaters is a major topic of conversation.

Here in Chicago, the Sun-Times Editorial Board has called on Mayor Brandon Johnson to convene “the city’s high-powered movers and shakers, major cultural players, theater companies, and funders” to figure out a strategy to counteract the very real threat to Chicago’s theater community.

But the threat to our cultural vitality goes far beyond theaters. 

Dance companies, music ensembles and venues, art galleries and cultural heritage centers are all feeling unprecedented economic pressure. Audience numbers are down. Costs are up. You need a scorecard to keep up with all the leadership transitions after three years of white-knuckling an organization’s survival — and that of its associated artists — through the pandemic shutdown.

Walk down any street and you’ll experience how the fabric of neighborhoods diminishes when the local restaurant or corner bar or independent bakery closes its doors. It’s more than convenience or familiarity. When we lose these community assets, it feels like a longtime neighbor moving away. We lose some of our history and our connection. We lose some of what makes this place our place.

Small arts organizations are an equally integral part of their neighborhoods’ fabric. On the practical side, they drive traffic to these other community assets. Because most performances are offered at night and on the weekends, they help keep neighborhood streets active and safer. They offer incredible in-school and after-school programs to cultivate children’s critical thinking. They employ thousands of workers. Equally important, they incubate the talent that feeds the cultural ecosystem.

Many household-name artists, actors and dancers got their start at a small arts organization in a Chicago neighborhood. These organizations create works in response to the present moment. They give voice to people in their communities. They make us think and dream. They bring us joy. And because they are small and flexible, they are always innovating, always creating something new.

At the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, we fund 180 small arts organizations in Chicago and work closely with small arts leaders on organizational management and capacity-building because we understand that without small arts organizations, the rest of Chicago’s cultural life doesn’t just diminish, it collapses. Small arts leaders are continually doing the hard work of making a dollar stretch farther than you can imagine. But they can’t do it alone.

Cultural and civic leaders need to lean in during this moment. They need to understand that small arts organizations are small businesses that need resources to survive. Media outlets should note more often what the arts bring to a community, not just pay attention when they’re in crisis. Philanthropy can help these organizations rebuild by providing general operations and capacity-building support.

The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation reaffirmed our commitment recently when the board of directors approved a new round of funding for small arts organizations.

The public also has a critical role to play. Make the choice to attend a performance every quarter, or better yet, every month. Tickets to small arts performances are affordable. If you don’t know where to find a neighborhood-based theater, start by checking the extensive list on the League of Chicago Theatres’ website. There are dance performances ranging from aerial to tap to hip-hop to contemporary. The See Chicago Dance website has a calendar that can help you find your flavor of dance. 

Go to your local music venue, not just blockbuster concerts. The tickets and beverages are a lot cheaper, and there’s nothing better than discovering either a new band on their way up or a well-seasoned ensemble new to you.

When we lose small arts and culture organizations and venues, we lose community assets. We lose platforms for local voices. We lose spaces that spark the innovation and creativity that feeds the arts ecosystem and makes Chicago a world-class city and cultural gem. We lose the small shops. We lose our connections. Believe me, we don’t want this to happen.

From foundations to residents, we can all support local arts. Make the choice to keep them in your neighborhood.

Ellen Placey Wadey is the director of the Chicago Artistic Vitality and Collections program at the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.

To submit a letter to the editor or op-ed, check out our guidelines.

The views and opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Chicago Sun-Times or any of its affiliates.