Chicago may be a famously spectacular setting for arts and entertainment, but the city needs to bulk up for the future -- according to those who make culture happen here.
In coming months and years, they say, the city needs to build a music district. Rebuild the Department of Cultural Affairs. And blow up the foreboding stairs that front the Museum of Contemporary Art.
That's not all: Re-imagine the summertime music festivals, so they spread beyond Grant Park and into the city's clubs and concert halls. Bring music and dance and theater to the city's poorest neighborhoods, not just its most affluent. Make sure every kid gets equal access to arts education, no matter where he or she goes to school.
You've heard about the League of Chicago Theatres, which promotes and nurtures the city's sprawling theater industry? How about a League of Chicago Comedy? A stronger dance ecosystem? A network of 100-seat performing arts spaces across the city?
With Mayor Rahm Emanuel's new administration just getting into gear, Tribune reporters Mark Caro, Nina Metz and I asked some of Chicago's savviest cultural players to answer three questions: What would you most like to see happen culturally in Chicago in the next six months? How would you measure success six months from now? What's the biggest change you hope will have taken effect four years from now?
Some of the experts had served on the art-and-culture committee for Rahm Emanuel's transition team. Others operate far from the corridors of power. All sounded off on what ought to happen at the beginning of Emanuel's first term as mayor -- and at its end.
But that's just the start of the conversation. The least predictable ideas likely will come from those who buy the tickets, wait in line for seats and otherwise make the culture industry flourish here: You.
Which is why we'd love to hear your responses to this question: What do you think should happen culturally in Chicago in the next six months -- and the next four years? Please send your thoughts to ctc-arts@tribune.com.
We'll publish many of the suggestions in next Sunday's Arts & Entertainment section, to help shape the discourse.
Mayor Emanuel -- are you listening?
Experts shared their visions on the questions below with Howard Reich, Mark Caro and Nina Metz.
1. What would you most like to see happen culturally in Chicago in the next six months?
2. How would you measure success/accomplishment six months from now?
3. What's the biggest change you hope will have taken effect four years from now?
Helen Doria
Independent consultant
Was a member of the art and culture committee for Mayor Rahm Emanuel's transition team
1. I would love to see a new plan for Chicago's festivals, connecting our downtown area and the neighborhoods. There is so much happening, and it's vital to make sure that whatever is presented in any space on the lakefront is not "stepping" on another downtown event! We need to rethink what a festival is in Chicago. I recently had a conversation with Tim Evans (executive director of Northlight Theatre), one of our great Chicago theater guys, about new festival models, including the Galway Arts Festival (in Ireland) and Luminato in Toronto. These festivals are spread out at lots of venues. They mix free performances with ticketed ones, present all kinds of music and art, indoors and outdoors, and are really dynamic. There is no reason that Chicago can't do this. Let's go for it!
2. For the rethinking of festivals, I would look at what could happen for the summer of 2012. Lots of people have been thinking and talking about making changes in our festivals for a while. And I think the political will is there too. Let's start testing some of this to see what works. A strong measure needs to be economics. We need to make sure that any plan has a strong business plan that ensures that our artists, clubs, venues, hotels, neighborhood restaurants are all able to be a part of economic success that these kinds of festivals can produce. The great balance is in not losing our great free programming while we develop this new model. Also, (I'm) not sure how you measure joy from experiencing all this great art — maybe by how many people are walking around town singing or dancing in the streets?