The MacArthur Funds for Culture, Equity, and the Arts at the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation has provided nearly $100,000 in new grants this year to support professional development opportunities for Chicago's small and midsize arts and culture organizations.
MacArthur-Driehaus Professional Development grants support opportunities for lead staff to build new skills or enhance existing skills in the service of the grantee organization. Current grantees are eligible to receive additional support to improve administrative and management skills by attending professional conferences, trainings and workshops, or through residencies and masterclasses aimed at enhancing artistic practices through immersive training.
This year's grants will support 58 organizations across an array of artistic disciplines.
16th Street Theater NFP
$2,000 to work with RGW Consulting in April-June 2021 on part one of a process to create sustaining practices through an anti-racist and anti-bias lens
2nd Story
$750 for three staff people to attend the Everyday Justice: AntiRacism as Daily Practice workshop hosted by artEquity June 24-25, 2021
6018NORTH
$2,000 for Julia Perkins of MBMD to work curators, the founder, and board in May-June 2021 to develop the south side "Justice Hotel"
A Red Orchid Theatre
$2,000 to work with Flanders Consulting in August-December 2021 to develop a new strategic plan
African American Arts Alliance
$2,000 to work with consultant Michelle Bibbs in November 2021 - March 2022 to develop a new multi-year business plan
Architreasures
$1,200 for the Executive Director to attend National Equity Project's Liberatory Design for Equity training in September-October 2021
Artists' Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions Project
$2,000 for the board of directors to participate in Governance Training from Upside Down Consulting from April-July 2021
beyond this point
$900 for the Artistic Co-director to attend a private workshop with multidisciplinary artist Stefano D'Alessio in Vienna, Austria in October 2021
Bohemian Theatre Ensemble
$500 for four staff people to participate in the Theatre Communication Group Virtual Conference in May 2021
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
$2,000 for the Artistic Director to attend the Association of Performing Arts Professionals conference in New York, NY in January 2022
Chicago Composers Orchestra
$2,000 to work with consultant Laura Parsons in August-December 2021 to train staff in marketing strategies and implementation
Chicago Dance Crash
$600 for the Artistic Director and Rehearsal Director to take two Flow Acrobatics courses from Kenan Dinkelmann in November 2021 - January 2022
Chicago Dance History Project
$1,080 for the Executive/Artistic Director to participate in Library Juice Academy’s Digital Curation certificate program in September 2021 – February 2022
Chicago Dramatists
$1,800 for technology training from independent instructor Joseph Fedorko in August 2021 – February 2022 for the Artistic Director
Chicago Film Archives, NFP
$1,385 for the Collections Manager to attend DePaul University’s online Grant Writing course in September-November 2021
Chicago Fringe Opera
$2,000 to work with BLVE Consults in September-October 2021 on Phase One of developing a new strategic plan
Chicago Maritime Museum
$1,350 for the Curator to attend Beloit College’s Introduction to Paper Conservation course in July 2022
Chicago West Community Music Center
$1,390 for the executive director and managing director to attend an introductory class by American Graphics Institute on Final Cut Pro in April 2021
Civitas Ensemble
$2,000 for the president to attend four non-degree leadership courses at Northwestern University in May-August 2021
Concert Dance, Inc.
$2,000 for website features training from Francisco Lora of Ticksites.com in April-June 2021 for the artistic director and rehearsal director
Deeply Rooted Productions
$950 for the Marketing Assistant to take The Futur's virtual Designer's Bundle course in August-December 2021
Design Museum of Chicago
$2,000 to work with consultant Sarah Milestone in September-November 2021 to build fundraising capacity for event and major gift donors
Dropshift Dance
$2,000 for staff to participate in digital content creation training with Andrew Henke from May-August 2021
Ensemble Dal Niente
$1,475 for the Executive Director to attend the Chamber Music America Conference in January 2022 in New York, NY
Experimental Sound Studio
$2,000 to work with consultant Crystal Coats on phase one of a strategic Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion action plan in September-December 2021
Full Spectrum Features
$2,000 for five staff to participate in human centered design training by Arity Human Centered Design Consultants in April 2021
Global Girls
$1,000 for CPA Tommie Williams to train Global Girls staff on Quickbooks in April-July 2021
Hedwig Dances
$2,000 for Bauhaus curator and scholar Torsten Blume to consult with the Artistic Director in August-September 2021 in Dessau, Germany
High Concept Labs
$950 for Managing Director to attend Northwestern University Kellogg Executive Education program's Nonprofit Finance: Toolkit for Leaders in October 2021
Honey Pot Performance
$1,950 for training in Quickbooks and nonprofit bookkeeping from Jenny Paul of Afable Consulting in September-December 2021 for key staff and board
Hyde Park Jazz Festival
$2,000 for the Executive and Artistic Director to work with FMA/BDO Consultant Gillian Gorra for financial and leadership coaching from April-July 2021
International Children's Media Center
$2,000 for four staff to participate in social media and online training from Drea Gonzalez from April-July 2021
Interrobang Theatre Project
$2,000 to work with Mason-Vivit Consulting Group in September-December 2021 to create a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion plan
Khecari
$2,000 for co-artistic directors to attend the Hambridge Residence in Rabun Gap, GA in August 2021
Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
$2,000 for training with Dohee Lee in Nanta drumming for five artistic staff in June 2021
Kuumba Lynx
$2,000 for four staff to attend youth organizer training from the School of Unity & Liberation (SOUL) in April 2021
Lucky Plush Productions
$2,000 for consultant Nathanael Cardo to train Lucky Plush staff in use of Gather.town software in April-May 2021
MAKE Literary Productions
$1,800 to work with Executive Service Corps in August 2021 - January 2022 to strengthen human resource policies and practices
Mandala South Asian Performing Arts
$2,000 for program manager to participate in specialized individual fundraising training from Saily Joshi from May-July 2021
Media Burn Archive
$2,000 for the Executive Director to work with consultants Kristin Patton and Brian Loevner in August-December 2021 on board, donor, and partner development
Midsommer Flight
$2,000 for executive coaching in board development by Rena Henderson Mason for the Artistic Director in August-December 2021
Muntu Dance Theatre
$695 for the executive director to attend the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management BootCamp in August 2021
NAJWA Dance Corps
$1,040 for the Executive Director to attend the Grantsmanship Center's Grantsmanship Training Program in August 2021
National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial
$1,600 for consultation and training from Chicago Cultural Alliance and Angelica & Associates on phase one of building board capacity in April-August 2021
Otherworld Theatre Company
$2,000 for board and staff to participate in leadership training with Leader Champions from May-July 2021
Physical Festival Chicago
$2,000 to work with consultant Lauren Fisher in April-July 2021 to develop a fundraising moves management system
PlayMakers Laboratory
$695 for the executive director to attend the Axelson Center for Nonprofit Management BootCamp in August 2021
Red Tape Theatre Company
$2,000 for staff to work with Ina Consulting to develop a community engagement framework rooted in antiracism and decolonization in August-December 2021
Roman Susan
$1,650 for public speaking, event, and presentation leadership training with Karyn Taeyaerts in May-August 2021
Sones de Mexico Ensemble
$2,000 for staff to participate in bookkeeping optimization training with Afable Consulting from May-June 2021
Spektral Quartet NFP
$2,000 for the ensemble to attend the Chamber Music America Conference in January 2022 in New York, NY
Strawdog Theatre Company
$690 for two marketing staff to participate in audience development training from Digital World from May-August 2021
Tango 21 Dance Theater
$2,000 for Artistic Director to attend New International Performing Arts Institute’s Physical Theatre & Directing Workshop in August 2021 in Berlin, Germany
Teatro Vista: Theater with a View
$2,000 to work with BLVE Consultants in August-October 2021 to integrate the work of the new Co-Artistic Directors with the Managing Director
The Poetry Forum/RHINO
$500 for a portion of the cost for an associate editor to attend the Association of Writers & Writing Programs Conference in March 2022 in Philadelphia, PA
The Seldoms, NFP
$1,100 towards travel costs for the Artistic Director and company members for a development residency at Trillium Arts in Asheville, NC in September 2021
Theatre Y
$1,950 for ensemble members to participate in puppetry and mask making training from Michael Montenegro from September-December 2021
Water People Theater Group NFP
$2,000 for the Founder/Executive Director to attend "Design Thinking Fundamentals" course in January 2022 in London, England
