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Final Draft Copy 3/9/95At the request of Commissioner Lois Weisberg, the Department of Cultural Affairs Advisory Board has prepared this document revisiting the 1986 Cultural Plan. Towards that end a Cultural Plan Committee of the Advisory Board was formed to assess the progress made with regard to the Plan's implementation and priorities, and make relevant recommendations for the future. The following provides some background and generally describes the process. 3
1. Historical Context In 1986 the city issued a comprehensive document called the Chicago Cultural Plan. The Plan, funded by a grant from the Chicago Community Trust, was designed to be a guide for the future of the arts in Chicago.
The Plan's unique feature was that it was representative of opinions from across the spectrum of Chicago's major art institutions, artists, community arts organizations, community leaders and the public-at-large.
The process was responsive to the expressed needs and desires of the public the funders, consumers, creators and producers of the arts at all levels. Public meetings were held at the Chicago Cultural Center and at accessible sites in all sectors of the city Aldermen of every city ward were invited and many came.
At each meeting those in attendance were informed that the DCA had no budget to implement any requests, but that what was learned would serve as a guide in planning, prioritizing and balancing programming and fund development. The DCA would move, not on assumptions, but on the basis of knowledge gained through information gathered across the spectrum. The 1986 Chicago Cultural Plan then, represented a good solid beginning, documenting the needs and hopes of all concerned about the arts in Chicago.
With this document (in 1995, the DCA Advisory Board has taken the first step in updating and monitoring the Cultural Plan in a process that hopes to continue addressing Chicago's real and relevant needs in the arts into the next century. 4
2. Principles The 1986 Chicago Cultural Plan began with a statement of principles. The principles define (a) the many ways in which the arts have an impact upon and are an integral part of Chicago, (b) the responsibilities of both the public and private sectors to maintain, protect and nourish the arts for the benefits that accrue to the economy, the quality of life and the potentials for the future of Chicago and its people. 5
The committee found that the principles as defined in 1986 are equally valid today and require our recommitment in 1995 and in the near future. However, strategic advocacy and arts funding were identified by each sub-committee as a critical issue for the department to focus on in the years to come. 6
3. Format
The committee chose to follow the topical format of the 1986 Cultural plan in developing their reports, indicating that many key issues from nine years ago, continue to be relevant in Chicago today including:
I Cultural Policy in City Government
II Citywide Communications and Cooperation
III Facilities
IV Technical and Financial Resources
V Arts and Education
VI Paying for the Plan - Revenue Options
However, the Advisory Board recommends that a new section should be added to the discussion of the discussion of the Chicago Cultural Plan. Due to substantial changes in political and trade relationships around the world, Chicago, with its large multi-ethnic and multi-racial population, multi-national markets, and world renewed centers of learning, has emerged as a major global center. The proposed new section of the document should focus on public and private sector responsibility to create and maintain the development of cultural concerns and in initiatives that are international in scope. The last section of this document titled "VII. International Programs" provides a general discussion of these issues and opportunities. 7
In 1994 Chicago was voted the Most Livable City by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, specifically for its role in developing Gallery 37, an annual job-training in the arts program for youth.
In the coming years cultural policy initiatives should keep pace with the fundamental urban issues facing Chicago, including initiatives that affect community developing, economic impact and international programs. Cultural District Planning, Cultural and Neighborhood Tourism, Empowerment Zones are direct ways that DCA can sponsor policy initiatives involving arts and culture, city-wide.
Specific Recommendations:
1. In the coming year the Illinois Arts Alliance will undertake a study of the economic impact of the arts on the Chicago economy. Such a document the first of its kind in Chicago - will be an important advocacy tool and economic indicator, demonstrating the vital and mainstream role played by the arts throughout all sectors of the city. DCA should play an active role in helping to make this happen and distribute this new information to the funding and granting organizations in both the public and private sectors.
2. Some of Chicago's most dynamic communities are those that integrated the arts and culture into the daily lives and activities of its residents. Part of the vision and planning process at DCA should include the promotion and establishment of cultural and arts districts that take a pro-active role in community and economic development.
3. DCA should pursue ways that Cook County Government can collaborate in the arts through joint programming and funding ideas like Los Angeles does.
4. DCA should look at expanding its programs, resources and outreach through the vast network of universities, colleges and libraries throughout Chicago.
5. DCA through its tourism division should develop cultural tourism initiatives throughout Chicago's neighborhoods as well as its major institutions by cross promoting, sharing publicity and pre-scheduling events together.
6. DCA should advocate for an amendment to the public art ordinance (1)requiring private development projects to fund art in the public realm and (2) creating a Chicago Mural policy to preserve, protect and promote the city's impressive mural collection throughout the city. (3)) providing guidelines to allow electronic media installations and works to be included in the Percent for Art program.
7. Leveraging the joint impact of the Chicago Sister Cities International, Chicago Artists International, and Educating Cities program, DCA should work to expand Chicago's opportunities for cultural and economic exchanges as well as strengthen its position as an international destination for culture, education and business.
8. DCA needs to continue as an active partner working closely with The Chicago Park District in their mission to "creating centers of cultural life in every neighborhood of the city." This includes maximizing the access to programs and facilities - from museums to field houses in the parks - for arts-related uses and encouraging more community participation in planning cultural programs.
Specific Recommendations:
1. One of the key issues on this subject is the need for Chicago's arts organizations to define "outreach" as requiring more than simply providing access to exhibits and performances. A program is greatly enriched by community participation. The issue of an individual's place in an institution must be addressed if audiences are to be expanded and be benefited.
2. Develop a strategy to help Chicago's cultural institutions promote themselves and expand their audiences. This might involve media relations, packaging or collaboration.
3. The Chicago Office of Tourism and the Cultural Development division of DCA should continue their collaboration to encourage "neighborhood tourism." For example, a program based on the "Chicago Day" concept is currently being developed which will encourage organizations within a specific neighborhood to work together to present their own "Chicago Day."
4. Make use of new technology, such as ArtsWire, and interactive kiosk system, and a comprehensive database to facilitate communication about arts programs and resources. Such technology will allow for the distribution of the most current and comprehensive information.
5. Work with the CTA to improve scheduling, services and routing. Thereby, increasing access to cultural institutions and cultural districts throughout the city. ( CTA may benefit from increased ridership and public relations.)
6. Advocate for greater inclusion of cultural elements in the development of Chicago's Empowerment Zones.
7. As part of the Chicago Educational Network, now being planned, DCA produces weekly programming on arts of education to be programmed on public access television. Through this effort, teachers and students will receive information about the cultural resources of the city and audiences of the future will be developed.
8. Explore other models of media/cultural collaboration such as the Chicago Sun-Times calendar and WBEZ National Public Radio sponsorship of the Chicago Cultural Center.
9. Examine use of television to raise funds for cultural grantmaking programs administered by DCA. E.G., a 10900 telephone number could be established and television promotions mounted to ask viewers to contribute to a fund for City Arts or other cultural grants.
10. Produce tourism cultural media on a regular basis similar to the Chicago Arts Sampler produced by DCA and now being shown daily at the Chicago Tourism Center and O'Hare Airport.
11. Increase exhibition of electronic artists at the Chicago Cultural Center through programs and exhibition efforts and technical acquisitions.
12. Explore assisting Chicago media arts organizations to acquire and develop a facility to share resources and exhibitions venues. This would produce cost efficiencies that would allow for growth.
13. Examine the city's role in encouraging filmmakers producing in Chicago to hire locally for various production assignments.
14. Install a video wall at the Chicago Cultural Center for exhibition of works, interactive projects, bulletin board information about exhibits and programs and other uses.
15. Promote local media artists by regularly programmed screenings on video at the Chicago Cultural Center to tour community cultural centers.
16. Focus efforts on the need to increase coverage of the arts in the media convene a series of roundtables to identify options which would include training sessions for journalists covering the arts and greater industry participation such as through Advertising and Public Relations firms . Use the media to present and promote Chicago artists and arts organizations.
17. Establish a media center at the Department of Cultural Affairs to produce video and television programming, assist development of media initiatives, convene roundtables.
IN the eight years since the Chicago Cultural Plan was written, the need and maintenance of facilities remains a pressing issue throughout the arts and cultural community in Chicago. Joining a vast number new and emerging arts organizations needing space in the past few years, has been the almost universal phenomena of established institutions outgrowing their under-sized and out-dated facilities.
In two specific areas mentioned in the facilities section of the 1986 Cultural Plan, the Department of Cultural Affairs has accomplished the outlined goals by: a) successfully promoting and networking 23 community cultural centers into a dynamic coalition of community partners; b) creating an active and accessible downtown Cultural Center providing over 700 programs annually, to all Chicagoans and visitors, without charge.
In another category of the facilities section referring to live-work space for artists, there are very mixed perceptions of successes of these initiatives. Clearly, there are live-work projects in Chicago that are viable i.e. in Pilsen, Wicker Park, Edgewater, Rogers Park, but more information (on methods, resources, etc.) needs to be shared about the successful projects for the benefit of future ones. The new Home-occupation rule in Chicago should also be investigated for its relevance to artists.
While many established and major institutions have successfully engaged in facility expansions and modernization projects in the past 15-20 years, totaling $600 million by some estimates many more new, emerging and even mid-sized arts groups, including individual artists, all over the city are struggling for survival due to a lack of proper facilities or operational support. Because the issue of space is constant and ongoing, this subcommittee proposes recommendations that will lead to permanent solutions to the problems.
Specific recommendation:
1. Develop a guide to resources in strategic planning, needs assessment feasibility analysis, real estate, development, financing, code review, and building operations/management for the arts community to use.
2. DCA should communicate and facilitate approval processes within city government for arts organizations needing help with permits, code compliance and zoning approvals. 11:58 PMThrough a "one stop shop" approach, DCA will not only help streamline a sometimes complicated process but also advocate on behalf of the needs of the arts community.
3. Because facilities costs are the single highest expense in most arts budgets, arts organizations need to advocate for more funders and granting institutions to help support capital projects and operating budgets.
4. DCA should research and involve organizations in other cities that deal with space problems in the arts such as the Non-Profit Facilities Fund (and its subsidiary Non-profit Cultural Facilities Fund) in New York and Artspace in Minneapolis, St. Paul. Both organizations are dedicated to bringing together public and private funding sources to help arts organizations with facilities and housing needs. Chicago should establish its own non-profit development organization to aggressively fund, broker and leverage assets around the city for arts and cultural use.
5. Examine options for increased revenue to community cultural centers. ^
6. Explore options for assisting community cultural centers for costs of capital and economic developments.
7. Continue outreach to expand Coalition membership to reflect the multi-cultural diversity of the city and to provide increased to reflect the multi-cultural diversity of the city and to provide increased technical assistance to emerging community cultural centers.
8. DCA should create an up-to-date inventory of usable vacant spaces and buildings citywide, that have potential redevelopment value to the arts community with their broad range of needs. With this information, DCA can assist the many arts organizations who contact the department seeking new and expanded space.
In the 1986 Cultural Plan, the need of many organizations for administrative support--such as access to office equipment and supplies-- and help in obtaining costumes, props and other items specific to their discipline was noted. The recommendations cited that Department of Cultural Affairs should be active in establishing centers to meet this need. Since 1986, a number of technical resource centers have come into being with the support, including financial, in some instances, of the Department. Among these are Arts Bridge, The Neighborhood Institute Incubator at One Artists Row, and a recycling program which will provide useful materials and equipment for artists, students and art educators.
Expressed frequently during the area meetings to develop the 1986 Cultural Plan was the need for help in management, financial planning and administrative skills. BVA now know as the Arts and Business Council of Chicago was cited as a resource along with training programs offered by various schools, universities and the Department, itself. Since 1986 and particularly in recent years, colleges and universities who are offering such training at a certification level or advanced degrees have proliferated so that opportunities to enhance skills are widely available.
Specific Recommendations:
1. Increase the size scope of the City Arts Grant program, the Neighborhood Arts program, CAAP and Cultural Outreach which provide both program and operating support for Chicago cultural institutions, and individual artists.
2. Narrow the budget size requirement in defining City Arts III and IV to reduce competition between City Arts III groups which are the larger number of applicants.
3. Institute methods to acknowledge mid-sized groups which have longevity and are "major players" in the cultural life of their communities as those with larger budgets may be to the downtown area.
4. Initiate a fellowship program for artists to pursue their own work and inaugurate a special artist awards program.
5. Advocate increased funding to and support from the Illinois Arts Council for the Department of Cultural Affairs.
6. Create a matching grant program which will help artists and organizations with cultural facilities development.
7. Recognize and advocate the arts as "big business" to help neighborhoods (community organizations) with facilities development to maximize earned income potential.
8. Advocate subsidized housing-low rent or co-ops for living/work space for artists.
10. Advocate to liberalize policies which limit the options for artists to occupy living/work space.
11. Strengthen the principles of peer selection and balanced distribution of grants to underscore equity and quality in all funding matters.
12. Create more opportunities for support centers as described.
13 . Advocate among Department grantees resource sharing and recycling where appropriate and feasible.
14. Develop a one stop center for technical assistance resources, i.e., legal, accounting, code requirements, board development, housed in the Cultural Center and staffed be a team from existing entities (Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Building Department, etc.)
15. Provide scholarship assistance to assist artists and/or organizations to attend management programs of the Department, local organizations, colleges and universities.
16. Support and enlarge upon the pool of management, consultants attached to the Department of assist artists and cultural organizations.
17. Encourage partnerships among grantee organizations of the Department to assist each other with specific management concerns.
18. Advocate availability of management assistance programs offered by other city agencies to artists, as many such programs are currently restricted to for profit businesses.
Specific Recommendations:
1. The DCA should act as an advocate to ensure the arts education becomes a permanent part of the public school's curriculum.
2. The DCA as an advocate should continue programs for principals and Local School Councils that stress the importance of arts education. Current programs such as Gallery 37 and CHAP Program which established a liaison in the schools themselves with the DCA for the purpose of developing arts programs, should be continued and added to. The formation of an educational complex at the Cultural Center where principals and LSCs could be invited to participate in sample arts classes could aid in this process.
3. The Chicago Public schools and the Department of Cultural Affairs should come together and collaborate on arts education. The commissioner of Cultural Affairs and the Superintendent of Chicago Public schools should arrange a meeting toward this end.
4. DCA should help with the support of school programs in local museums and institutions so that schools can continue their field trips to these locations and promote more such programs.
5. Create a new category of city grants with private sector support to help fund arts education and outreach initiatives which are so vital to Chicago in all levels of education.
Specific Recommendations:
1. Increase appropriations- at the city, state and federal level- for existing and new cultural programs.
2. Include cultural projects in general obligation bond issues.
3. Create special purpose bond issues for cultural projects, as is done in LA and San Francisco.
4. Broaden access to public bonding procedures for major cultural institutions, which has been done successfully in NY City.
5. Increase and earmark funds for joint cultural projects with other city departments such as housing, jobs and public planning works programs.
6. Encourage development of city-wide cultural endowment through which corporations contributions to cultural and not-for-profit activities, such as Minneapolis' "Five Percent Club" and other efforts currently under way in Chicago. Chicago Show 1991? Corporations should be more involved. We probably need a better guide line before inviting corporations to get involved in programs. (e.g. Union League Club exhibition projects)
7. Advocate for amusement tax on movie houses for film/video development. Currently, all such revenue goes into the general treasury.
8. Advocate amusement tax on legitimate theater 5.000- seats or more, to stimulate commercial theater production, providing a broader tax base. Chicago currently has the highest such levy in the nation.
9. Increase Chicago's share of the state hotel/motel tax, given the contribution that Chicago cultural activities bring to the economic health of Illinois.
10. Establish fee schedules for proposed city-operated materials and resources centers, similar to the fee schedules established in San Francisco.
11. Provide technical assistance to artists and cultural organizations, enabling them to move toward self-support.
Chicago Sisters Cities International Programs; Chicago has established relationships with 16 cities on 5 continents. Organized as committees, volunteers, supported by the Sister Cities staff are addressing issues ranging from economic to technical, from municipal to medical, from environmental to educational to cultural. At the heart of Chicago's program is an agreement signed by the Mayors of each city reflecting mutual commitment of city leaders to building bridges between governments, businesses and people. Each year the program sponsors many exchanges that unite Chicagoans with hundreds of city abroad.
Chicago Artists International Program: CAIP was organized in 1993 as an initiative to offer support for international exhibition, performance and residency exchange for artists, arts administrators, and arts organizations from Chicago and abroad, and has since introduced audiences to the wealth of creative talent that is developed and nurtured in Chicago and abroad. Its main objectives are to connect artists to international audiences and to support the creative process.
International Congress of Educating Cities: The International Congress of Educating Cities provides a world wide forum for cities that are committed to the continuing education of their citizens. In 1996 this Congress will explore how the arts and humanities are vital to the education, development and well-being of the world's cities and urban populations. Delegates from cities around the world will come to Chicago to exchange ideas on the role of arts humanities in the lifelong learning, personal development, and community involvement of their urban citizens.
Specific Recommendations
1. Develop a resource center for exchange of information and resources for foreign cultural exchange to be housed at the Cultural Center.
2. Continue and expand relationships with funders of programs including public and private partners.
3. Expand the pool of Chicago recipients of grants from approximately 15 to 25 per calendar year.
4. Encourage collaborations between Chicago cultural institutions in the presentation of programs and activities abroad.
5. Advocate development of partnerships with other internationally focused Chicago organizations including International Visitors Center, Council on Foreign Relations, and Chicago Consular Corps.
Thousands of cultural organizations and community organizations with cultural components throughout the city have an enormous impact on the lives of our citizens.
Our large cultural institutions are recognized around the world for excellence. They enrich the lives of our citizens, draw tourists, and contribute to the city's economy. Their continued support is essential to the health of the city.
Cultivation of audiences and an emphasis on arts appreciation is necessary in continuing cultural development.
Cultural activities should be accessible to the disabled, the elderly and low income people, both as audience and participants.
Cultural vitality is important to our economy and community development. The cultural sector employs thousands; cultural organizations bring identity to downtown and the neighborhoods; and our cultural diversity helps business maintain a quality work-force that wants to live in Chicago. The public and private sectors have a responsibility to cultivate the development of the city's cultural life.
Chicago's culture is a collage of many cultures that sometimes stand separately, sometimes merge with each other. The heritage of Chicago's European Ethnic groups. Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans and others make rich contributions to our cultural life.
City resources available for cultural support should be distributed on a fair and equitable basis, both among diverse cultures and between citywide and neighborhood-bases cultural institutions.
Culture comprises our common heritage and avenues of expression-- the visual arts and crafts, humanities anthropology, science and technology, performing arts, architecture and other means of expression--which people use to communicate their fundamental character and aspirations. Culture and the arts are essential to the quality of life. They help identify our place in the world and provide opportunities for creative expression. With this plan. Chicago states its commitment to provide opportunities for creative expression. With this plan. Chicago states its commitment to providing citizens with these opportunities.
from 1986 Chicago Cultural Plan
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The benefits to Chicago's economy from supporting the arts are important but by putting the expression of our City's cultural diversity and the benefits this expression provides to the quality of our lives, the principles of the original Chicago Cultural Plan intended to emphasis the needs of Chicago's artists and our many valuable independent community arts agencies and groups. The original Plan noted the value of the arts to tourism but stressed the needs of its citizens. Return to Text
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All rights reserved © 2001 Uptown Multi-Cultural Art Center (UM-CAC). E-mail UM-CAC at umcac@art-teez.org Ph.773/561-7676
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