Professional Development

ASPIRE Arts Leadership

The KCACTF/LORT ASPIRE Leadership Fellows Program is designed to cultivate a new generation of artistic and administrative leaders for the American Theater with a focus of engaging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and members of other groups that are consistently underrepresented in the field. This diverse national cohort of fellows assembled from all of KCACTF’s eight regions will engage in topics concerning equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism as well as leadership skills building, investigation of institutional challenges, and professional networking opportunities. This week-long fellowship occurs as part of the annual …

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Now Accepting Applications for August Wilson Youth Intensive

The August Wilson New Voices Competition (AWNV) is a city-wide competition open to all Chicago high school students in honor of the late Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, August Wilson. To participate, students engage in three rounds of competition by either performing a 2-3 minute monologue or creating a visual design presentation from one of the ten plays in August Wilson’s Century Cycle. The top two students from the Chicago Regional Finals receive a cash prize and are granted the opportunity to compete at the AWNV National competition with students from across the …

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A Message from DCASE

Dear Performing Arts Community, We have spent the last several weeks compiling and digesting the great feedback offered by this community at the recent Performing Arts Convening. A summary of your feedback can be accessed/downloaded here. In response to what we heard, we also want to share information and resources related to DCASE programs, events, and services that connect back to the four main pillars that were identified as areas of interest that structured our discussions at the Convening: 1. Cultural grants program flyer that details eligibility and tentative 2023 program calendar …

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Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation

9/19/22 (Application Deadline) – Looking to grow your board? Or looking for help with a specific area of expertise? From the Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation at the University of Chicago School of Business: “Is your organization looking for strategic thinkers who can offer support in finance, marketing, crisis management, and more? Apply to one of the Rustandy Center’s nonprofit governance and strategy programs, which connect Booth MBA alumni and students with Chicagoland area nonprofits.” More info on the ALUMNI BOARD CONNECT PROGRAM. More info on the NET IMPACT BOARD FELLOWS PROGRAM.

Processing Pandemic Grief for Theater Artists

The global pandemic has led to specific and significant losses for folks involved with theater. We’ve been deprived of our artform and the community it fosters, leaving us financially unstable, isolated, and confused. Many of us grieve what’s been lost in our creative lives, our collaborations with other artists, and the potential development of our careers that never got to unfold. We at Red Theater know those feelings well. After some serious hibernation and a lot of transformation, we felt a need to foster a space of healing for our fellow theater …

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Coming Back Stronger: Using the Shutdown to Rebuild Audience Loyalty

Thursday, February 18, at 11:00 a.m. PST, hosted by Arts Reach Presenters: Michael Mael & Karen Freeman Led by The Advisory Board for the Arts’ Michael Mael & Karen Freeman, this session will offer: • Practical steps for attracting and retaining new loyal audiences at this moment • Data to back up these recommendations and create a path to move forward • Tangible tools to help your organization effectively market to, communicate with and engage audiences during this extended pandemic period Research from past downturns and crises shows that audiences typically don’t …

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Webinars: Trauma Informed Arts Education for a Trauma Informed Illinois

Chicago Children’s Theatre and Lurie Children’s Center for Childhood Resilience are hosting a series of live webinars called Trauma Informed Arts Education for a Trauma Informed Illinois. TYA artists, early childhood educators and youth mental health experts will discuss, share and learn how to identify children impacted by trauma, and how to use theater and other art forms to address their emotional and learning needs while fostering resilience. This free initiative is made possible by a grant from Illinois Humanities. Theatre artists and administrators are warmly invited to attend. Register: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aTrg8viUQn2r9hqO__pkgg?dl=0