The MacArthur Funds for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation awarded a total of $106,741 in professional development grants to 61 organizations in 2019.
These professional development grants provide lead staff the opportunity to participate in intensive training over a short period of time in order to enhance administrative management or artistic practices in service to the organization. All current MacArthur-Driehaus grantees are eligible to apply for funding once each year. Professional development activities funded this year include attendance at national conferences, the hiring of consultants, and attendance at local workshops.
A complete list of professional development grants granted in 2019 is listed below.
16th Street Theater NFP
$2,000 for planning and coaching sessions in major donor and capital campaign giving with fundraising consultant Lauren Fisher in April - July 2019.
2nd Story
$1,000 for the artistic director and manager of artistic partnerships to attend a Peacemaking Circle Keeper Training in October 2019.
6018NORTH
$2,000 to work with consultant Leslie Watson in August - November 2019 to develop a cooperative culture for the Justice Hotel project.
A Red Orchid Theatre
$2,000 for the managing director and artistic director to attend the Theatre Communications Group Conference in Miami, FL in June 2019.
Architreasures
$1,330 for the executive director to attend the Midwest Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit in Cincinnati, OH in October 2019.
Artists' Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions Project
$2,000 for the executive director and development director to attend the Alliance of Artists Communities Conference in St. Paul, MN in October 2019.
Asian Improv aRts Midwest
$1,846 to conduct a four-day master class for core artistic staff with Grandmaster Fukuhara Hyakkyo in October 2019.
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
$2,000 for the board vice chair to attend the Jazz Congress conference in New York, NY in January 2020.
Barrel of Monkeys
$1,000 to support the SEL Chicago fee for two training sessions (Spring and Fall) on classroom management for Barrel of Monkey teaching artists.
Blair Thomas & Company
$2,000 for the artistic director to attend the Festival Mondial des Théâtres de Marionnettes in Charlesville-Mezieres, France in September 2019.
Brown Paper Box Co.
$2,000 for the artistic director to attend the Theatre Communications Group Conference in Miami, FL in June 2019.
Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
$2,000 for the artistic director to attend the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference in New York, NY in January 2020.
Chicago a cappella
$1,700 for the executive director to attend the Chorus America conference in Philadelphia, PA in June 2019.
Chicago Collections
$2,000 to work with Prosper Strategies Communications in August - September 2019 to create a marketing plan.
Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble
$2,000 to work with the consultant Deborah Minor-Harvey in September 2019 to develop a strategic plan.
Chicago Folks Operetta
$2,000 for training in website management and maintenance in April - May 2019.
Chicago Independent Radio Project
$2,000 for the general manager to attend the Public Radio Content Conference in Minneapolis, MN in August 2019.
Chicago International Movies and Music Festival, NFP
$1,200 for the executive director to attend the FestForums conference in Santa Barbara, CA in November 2019.
Chicago Tap Theatre
$2,000 to bring master tap dancer Sam Weber to Chicago to work with Chicago Tap Theatre's dancers and artistic director in April - May 2020.
Chicago West Community Music Center
$1,250 for training in budgeting principles and financial management with FMA in May 2019.
Ensemble Dal Niente
$1,400 for the executive director to attend the Chamber Music America Conference in January 2020 in New York, NY.
Experimental Sound Studio
$2,000 for two co-directors to attend Northwestern University's "Building Organizational Effectiveness” executive education course in November 2019.
Fifth House Ensemble
$2,000 for the 11-member ensemble to receive Deep Listening Certification Training in September 2019 - May 2020.
Filament Theatre Ensemble, NFP
$1,600 for the artistic director and managing director to attend the One Theatre World conference in Atlanta in May 2019.
Filter Photo, NFP
$1,400 for the staff to attend the Midwest Society for Photographic Education Annual Conference in Milwaukee, WI in October 2019.
Free Street Theater
$2,000 for the director of youth programs to attend the Tectonic Theater Project Training in NYC in September 2019.
Full Spectrum Features
$2,000 for the impact producer to attend the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Portland, OR in May - June 2019.
Global Pungmul Institute
$2,000 for intensive training with Dr. Aedeok Lee in Korean traditional dance in April - June 2019.
Green Star Movement
$2,000 for travel and registration costs for the CEO and Program Director to attend the GlobalMindED Conference in Denver, CO in June 2019.
Hedwig Dances
$2,000 for the artistic director/founder to attend the "Bauhaus: The Making of Modern" conference in Aspen, CO in August 2019.
High Concept Labs
$1,300 for the director to attend the Alliance of Artists Communities Conference in St. Paul, MN in October 2019.
HotHouse
$2,000 for the executive director to attend the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Conference in New York, NY in January 2020.
Jackalope Theatre Company
$2,000 for the managing director and artistic director to attend the Theatre Communications Group Conference in Miami, FL in June 2019.
Khecari
$2,000 for the co-executive and artistic directors to attend the Cultivator Residency in Wilmington, VT in August 2019.
Kuumba Lynx
$2,000 to support a 10-day training in June 2019 for pedagogical and other skill mastery specific to Kuumba Lynx programming.
Latitude, Inc NFP
$1,875 for staff to participate in the “Understanding & Analyzing Systemic Racism” workshop presented by Enrich Chicago in October 2019.
Live The Spirit Residency
$2,000 for the executive director to attend the Jazz Congress in New York, NY in January 2020.
Lucky Plush Productions
$2,000 for vocal coach Bethany Clearfield to work with the Lucky Plush ensemble on Rink Life's complex vocal score in October 2019.
MAKE Literary Productions, NFP
$1,600 to work with the consultant Michelle Bibbs in September 2019 to train the organization and board on board development.
Midsommer Flight
$2,000 for the artistic director and associate producer to attend the Shakespeare Theater Association Conference in Dallas, TX in January 2020.
Mitchell Museum of the American Indian
$2,000 for the executive director to attend the American Association of State and Local History Conference in Philadelphia, PA in August 2019.
Molly Shanahan/Mad Shak
$1,600 for the artististic director to participate in a Bogliasco Foundation fellowship in November - December 2019 in Bogliasco, Italy.
NAJWA Dance Corps
$2,000 for two artistic directors to attend the Mussukeba Sane West African Dance Conference in New York, NY in August 2019.
National Cambodian Heritage Museum & Killing Fields Memorial
$990 for collections consultation services provided by the Chicago Cultural Alliance in August - December 2019.
The Neo-Futurists
$1,500 for financial training with Bookkeeping for Good for the managing director in August - September 2019.
Nothing Without a Company
$1,000 for the costs associated with a 9-person staff strategic planning retreat in June 2019.
Physical Festival Chicago
$2,000 to support individual and major gift fundraising strategy development with consultant Lauren Fisher in April - June 2019.
The Poetry Forum/RHINO
$2,000 for two editors to attend the Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference in San Antonio, TX in March 2020.
Prop Thtr
$700 for travel and registration cost to attend the Tennessee Williams / New Orleans Literary Festival in New Orleans in March 2020.
RE Dance Group
$2,000 for the executive director and artistic directors travel and registration costs for Winter Session of MELT in New York, NY in January 2020.
Same Planet Performance Project
$2,000 to work with consultant Colleen Halloran to train the artistic director in sound engineering in January 2020.
The Seldoms, NFP
$1,050 to engage theater artist/educator Seth Bockley in September and December 2019 to coach ensemble members for Floe.
Sones de Mexico Ensemble
$2,000 to work with consultant Yvonne Afable August - September to train staff on best practices in bookkeeping.
Spudnik Press Cooperative
$1,500 for staff to participate in the “Understanding & Analyzing Systemic Racism” workshop presented by Enrich Chicago in October 2019.
Steep Theatre Company
$2,000 for the executive director to attend the Theater Communications Group conference in Miami, FL in June 2019.
Tango 21 Dance Theater
$1,500 for the managing director to attend Full Radius Dance's Summer Intensive in Atlanta, GA in August 2019.
Theatre Y
$2,000 for the 14-person ensemble to participate in month-long choreographing workshops in August 2019.
Third Coast Percussion NFP
$800 for Udemy’s Complete Adobe Premiere Pro CC Master Class Course and related consulting by Austin Ward for the Studio Manager in August - September 2019.
Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
$1,800 for the development manager and operations manager to attend InDesign Fundamentals Intensive Training Course in September 2019.
Walkabout Theater Company
$2,000 for 9 staff members to participate in artistic training by the Focused Research Team in Arts as Vehicle in June 2019.
Winifred Haun & Dancers
$1,800 for the executive director and assistant associate director to participate in the Dance USA conference in Cleveland, OH in June 2019.
