City awards $2 million in grants to help support art and culture

August 16, 2020 – 191 Chicago-based arts and culture-focused organizations have been awarded grants by the City of Chicago to help them attain artistic excellence and financial stability.

The CityArts Program gave $2 million this year to nonprofits, each of them receiving at least $2,000.

“The COVID-19 outbreak is devastating the creative sector, and the need is tremendous,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot. “In these very challenging times, the City of Chicago is supporting its local arts organizations through the CityArts Program, other cultural grant programs, and the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund. Still, we hope that other public and private sources of funding step up to ensure the sector’s immediate and long-term viability.”

Grant recipients located in downtown Chicago include Auditorium Theatre, Chicago Architecture Biennial, Chicago Architecture Foundation, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago Sinfonietta, Gene Siskel Film Center, Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and The Joffrey Ballet.

Steven Dahlman is the editor and publisher of Loop North News. With over 40 years of experience as a journalist and 20 years as a commercial photographer, his career includes work as a radio news director, reporter, and anchor. He is the co-author of three books on Chicago’s evolution, including Chicago’s River: At Work And At Play and Changing Chicago: A Portrait in Postcards and Photos. His first solo book, Marina City: The Definitive History of a Chicago Landmark, is scheduled for publication by Trope Publishing Co. on October 28, 2026.