General Grantmaking : Arts and Culture in Chicago

Arts & Culture in Chicago

Lucky Plush Productions
"August: Osage County," Steppenwolf Theatre
Chicago Children's Choir
Cassava Garden, Chicago Botanical Gardens
National Museum of Mexican Art
Old Town School of Folk Music
Redmoon Theatre
Remy Bumppo Theatre Company (Marriage of Figaro)

About our grantmaking

The Marriage of Figaro at Victory Gardens

Support for 200 arts and cultural organizations in Chicago and the region is an expression of civic commitment to the place where the Foundation has its headquarters and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur made their home. Grants are designed to help sustain the cultural life of the city and region.

Latest news

Increasing Chicago's International Connections

December 22, 2011

MacArthur awarded $504,000 in new grants to 12 Chicago arts and culture organizations to conduct collaborations with arts groups in nine countries. More »

The Real Work – New Practices for a New Era in the Arts

November 16, 2011

EmcArts, a nonprofit intermediary for many arts funders, provided a MacArthur-supported presentation at the Siskel Film Center in Chicago to show how current nonprofit arts organizations are adapting their operations, and the development of their artistic work, to remain viable and thriving in today’s economic and cultural environment. Watch the video »

Multimedia

Timeline Theater Company Receives National Recognition

October 6, 2011

The American Theatre Wing, founder of the Tony Awards, has awarded MacArthur grantee Timeline Theater Company a 2011 National Theatre Company Grant as one of the nation's 10 most promising emerging professional theatres. Timeline, which works to present stories inspired by history that connect with today's social and political issues, will be presented with the $10,000 award at an event in New York City. More »

The Arts and Culture in Action

April 27, 2011

The arts make an important contribution to the development of a thriving region, according to Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, and other speakers from Chicago's arts and culture community, who participated in MacArthur-hosted discussion at the Goodman Theater. They were joined by Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel and more than 350 local arts, business, and economic development leaders.
Watch video of event »
Listen to audio of the event »
Read the discussion summary »

Information Sheet
Arts & Culture [PDF]

A downloadable brochure describing the Foundation's support of arts and cultural organizations in the Chicago area. Download PDF »

Information Sheets, Publications

From the Field

Chicago Ideas Week Highlights City as Center for Innovation
Event on October 10-16, 2011
The MacArthur-supported Chicago Ideas Week brought some of the world's top speakers together with some of Chicago's best thinkers to discuss ideas; identify common interests on which to base collaborations; and learn about innovations that may help address local issues. Speakers included New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, New York Times Columnist Thomas Friedman, Time Managing Editor Richard Stengel, personal finance expert Suze Orman, and others.

For more information

Video

Chicago International Connections Fund »

For our grantees

About MacArthur

The MacArthur Foundation supports creative people and effective institutions committed to building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. In addition to selecting the MacArthur Fellows, we work to defend human rights, advance global conservation and security, make cities better places, and understand how technology is affecting children and society.