CHICAGO: The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation (GDDF) announced the results of its new Chicago Small Arts Sector Survey of 77 small arts organizations based in the Chicago region. These organizations span artistic genres, including theatre, dance, music, visual art, museums, and literary and multidisciplinary organizations. All survey participants have annual operating budgets under $1 million, with 73% reporting an annual budget of $500,000 or less. The survey was conducted from August to September 2024.
The Chicago Small Arts Sector Survey indicates that while the city’s small arts organizations are still rebuilding post-pandemic, they are thriving artistically—employing more than 4,500 artists and presenting more than 1,800 productions, exhibitions, concerts and special events in the past season, including a significant number of new and devised works. In addition to citywide and suburban audiences, the organizations surveyed reported that they specifically serve audiences in 62 of Chicago’s 77 community areas, contributing to the culture and economies of neighborhoods citywide.
“Our Chicago Small Arts Sector Survey represents just a portion of the overall small arts sector, but this snapshot illustrates the city’s small arts organizations are thriving artistically even as they grapple with the ongoing challenges of rebuilding post-pandemic,” said Ellen Placey Wadey, GDDF’s program director of Chicago arts & collections, in a statement. “Not only are small arts organizations producing some of the most exciting new work citywide, they are doing so at an affordable price point in communities across Chicago. And they are committed to sharing the diverse stories and voices that make this a world-class city.”
Three key findings emerged from the survey. The first finding concerned the increasing return of in-person audiences post-pandemic, in part based on the result that 61 percent of small arts organizations surveyed are not offering any virtual programs as part of their current season. This shift marks a significant return to in-person programming as compared to during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, among organizations that present exclusively in-person programming, 55 percent reported that 75 percent or more of their in-person audiences have returned compared to pre-pandemic numbers.
The second key finding was that the organizations are committed to presenting new works and developing new talent. A majority (75 percent) of organizations are presenting new works and premieres as part of their current season, and 95 percent of the organizations indicated that they work with emerging artistic talent in their respective fields, with 83 percent working with emerging artists based in Chicago or the surrounding region, denoting a dedication to developing local talent.
The third key finding showed that the organizations contribute to the economies and cultures of neighborhoods across the city. As part of their current season of programming, more than 61 percent of organizations are sharing stories and voices from within their communities. Additionally, 70 percent partnered with other Chicago arts organizations, 57 percent partnered with non-arts businesses in their immediate community, and an additional 44 percent partnered with non-arts Chicago businesses located outside their communities within the past year.
The 2024 Chicago Small Arts Sector Survey is the latest of GDDF’s efforts to support and advocate for the city’s small arts organizations. All survey respondents are grantees of the foundation, which provides more than $1.7 million in multi-year general operating grants to 170+ small arts organizations across Chicago and suburban Cook County each year.
The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation supports land conservation, artistic vitality, and regional collections for the people of the Chicago region and the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The Foundation seeks to sustain and build resilient, vital, engaged, and equitable communities in these two regions by supporting conservation, arts, and collecting organizations that broaden narratives.
