Stimulus for the Arts?

President Obama's stimulus package might have something in it to make local Chicago art and cultural centers happy. $50 million of the Recovery Act was allocated to the National Endowment of the Arts, which can be passed on to centers in Chicago through grants from the Illinois Arts Council. While the economy is hitting everyone hard, local museums have been struggling to make ends meet. As the Tribune reported in February, even the big museums are having to shorten opening times, cut staff and are losing endowment funds. You can read the full article here: http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2009/feb/06/local/chi-museums-economy-06-feb06. Concern over whether family budgets can still accommodate trips to museums and cultural centers have left many worried. While this money it is to be spread across the nation, it is good to see recognition from the government on the hard work that nonprofit art and cultural centers put into local communities. Medhill Reports Chicago discovered,

In Chicago, nonprofit arts and cultural organizations generate $1.09 billion in revenue, support 30,134 jobs, and deliver over $103 million in tax revenue to local and state government, according to the Illinois Arts Alliance. In Illinois, 23,643 creative enterprises employ 132,882 people, according to Americans for the Arts.

You can read the full Medhill Reports article on this issue at http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=123959.


This contribution to the local communities should not fall victim to the economic crisis, and we can all help out these centers. Visit http//chicagoculturalalliance.org/events/ for a listing of upcoming events across Chicago. Some are even free!