See Chicago Dance is here for you.
Anyone in the dance community (both members and non-members) should reach out to us at anytime for guidance, support, or direction.
If you aren’t sure what to do, or what’s next for you or your organization, you are not alone, we are here to help however we can.
Email info@seechicagodance.com or call our offices at (312) 846-6357 and we will direct your call to a staff or board member that can help with your concerns.
NEW:
Calling all creatives!
Thanks to advocacy efforts by a statewide coalition led by Arts Alliance Illinois, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) will distribute a historic $50 million in grant money to assist businesses, nonprofit organizations, and sole proprietors in the creative sector that have struggled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DCEO Illinois Creative Recovery Grant application portal opens on Wednesday, April 5. If you operate in the creative space, we encourage you to visit https://dceo.illinois.gov/smallbizassistance/b2b.html for details on eligibility guidelines and more information on how to apply.
Arts Alliance Illinois is your go-to resource for support and tools you need for a successful grant application, including a help desk launching Monday, 3/27, webinars, and more. Visit their website and stay tuned for more information.
What is the IL Creative Recovery Grant Program?
The Back-to-Business Creative Recovery Grant Program (B2B Arts) makes available $50 million inn recovery grants to businesses in the arts and creative sector that experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will provide grants ranging from $5,000 to $250,000 to concert and theatre venues, performing or presenting arts organizations, arts education organizations, museums, and cultural heritage organizations in Illinois.
Who can apply?
This grant is intended for independent live venue operators, performing or presenting arts organizations, arts education organizations, museums, or cultural heritage organizations that have:
● Experienced business interruption or adverse conditions due to COVID-19
● Been in operation in Illinois since prior to March 12, 2020, and remain in operation
I have more questions, where can I go?
Arts Alliance Illinois has a virtual help desk to provide the support and tools you need to submit a successful application for an Illinois Creative Recovery/B2B Arts Grant.
For more information on eligibility and access to a virtual help desk, visit artsalliance.org/creativerecovery/.
Illinois Creative Recovery Grant Eligibility Guidelines
Illinois Creative Recovery Grant FAQ
Frequently Updated Resource Lists
Dance in Chicago 2021: A list of opportunities and resources for Chicago's dance artists, on behalf of the peer producing organizations (Chicago Dancemakers Forum, Chicago Dancers United, The Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Harris Theater for Music and Dance, High Concept Labs, Links Hall, Museum of Contemporary Arts Chicago, Pivot Arts, and See Chicago Dance
Resources for Artists and Arts Organizations: The National Endowment for the Arts has compiled a list of organizations who are providing frequently updated COVID news and resources for artists and arts organizations.
Dance/USA Resources Related to the Coronavirus: Dance/USA is working with the Performing Arts Alliance and ArtsReady to provide a number of resources regarding the impact of COVID-19 on our field. A good place to go for a breakdown regrding the ever-changing laws and regulations surrounding COVID.
COVID-19 Freelance Artist Resources: An aggregated list of free resources, opportunities, and financial relief options available to artists of all disciplines. This list is specifically designed to serve freelance artists, and those interested in supporting the independent artist community. Last updated September 2020.
Association of Performing Arts Professionals: APAP is monitoring the spread and impact of the Coronavirus on a daily basis and working with other field leadership organizations to gather information, share resources, and advocate for the field.
Employment and Legal Advice
Unemployment Benefits Finder: Database of unemployment filing info based on geographic location, including updates on COVID-19 amendments
Candor Hiring Freeze List: Live crowdsourced document lists all the companies who are actively hiring versus on hiring freezes. Please note this isn’t specific to the arts and entertainment industry but does have a number of creative industry employers on it.
Lawyers for the Creative Arts Brief Service Response Center: Provides general advice by telephone on issues relating to cancellations. The Response Center is open for individual artists and managers of arts organizations affected by the Coronavirus crisis.
How PPP Forgiveness Can Turn a Loan Into a Grant: The Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan fund is officially tapped out (for now), but if you were able to secure a loan through this program for your freelance business, it is important to know how forgiveness of this loan will work on your 2020 tax return.
4 Secrets That Will Improve Your Employment Prospects: Tips on finding your next career path.
Springboard for the Arts: Principles for an ethical cancellation.
So You Want To Start A Relief Fund: A quick pdf guide on how to start and manage an emergency relief fund, from Springboard for the Arts.
Other Resources
SCD's 2020 Dance Health Month: Featured articles, online classes, and virtual workshops focusing on all aspects of dancer health.
Panel: Artists In a Time of Global Pandemic (ASL & Captioned): (Monday March 16, 2020) HowlRound plus a group of US artists, arts administrators, and others discuss how COVID-19 is impacting freelance artists (those who identify as independent contractors) from all disciplines, and where artists can look for support in this complicated moment.
Grants/Fellowships
Artsearch: The essential search for careers in the arts.
Forefront: The premier resource for networking and education, information and knowledge, and leadership and advocacy on behalf of philanthropy and nonprofits in Illinois.
Foundation Center: An online database (both free and with subscription) that allows grant searches by state, funding focus, etc.
Health
Day of Dancer Health 2019: Online resource for information in connection with See Chicago Dance's Day of Dancer Health 2019, including handouts on anxiety, sleep hygeine, basic nutrition tips, and a master exercise guide. Day of Dancer Health, a health & wellness community event for professional dancers, was developed by Dance/USA's Task Force on Dancer Health. 2019 Sponors include Chicago Dancers United - Dance for Life and The Drucker Center - The Menomonee Club for Boys and Girls.
The Dancer’s Fund: The Dancers’ Fund provides financial assistance (grants) to dance community professionals dealing with critical health issues creating a significant financial, emergency, or catastrophic hardship. Although this program was created in response to the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on the dance community, our mission has now broadened. The fund offers assistance in, but not limited to, the following areas: housing, utilities, insurance, medication and travel.
Designed to help qualified individuals meet their financial obligations while dealing with their health issues, The Dancers’ Fund is available to Chicago-based, professionally trained working dancers and those whose primary source of income is derived by serving the dance community. This includes, but is not limited to: dancers in a professional dance company, choreographers, dance company full-time administration/production/technical personnel, full-time dance instructors, freelance dancers, musical theatre chorus dancers, and full-time class/rehearsal piano accompanists.
UIC Health and the Arts Program: Diagnosing, treating and preventing arts-related disorders among people working in all aspects of the arts.
The Dancers’ Resource: Recognizing that the situations faced by injured dancers are all-encompassing in terms of both life and career, the program was started to create a support system that addresses the needs of dancers.
Service Organizations
Arts & Business Council of Chicago: A&BC-Chicago supports arts groups by strengthening the management of their organizations through educational programs like workshops and forums, and business services linking the for-profit sector.
Chicago Artist Resource: Offers comprehensive resources for dancers’ professional development and frequently updated directories of local opportunities and facilities.
Dance/USA: Dance/USA sponsors council meetings for member artists and groups to meet and discuss current issues and trends in the field, to network in a peer-to-peer, collaborative environment.
Pentacle: Collaborating with performing artists to design and provide unique and robust programs of support at critical stages in their careers.
Fractured Atlas: Fractured Atlas empowers artists, arts organizations, and other cultural sector stakeholders by eliminating practical barriers to artistic expression, so as to foster a more agile and resilient cultural ecosystem.
Arts Alliance Illinois: Illinois leading voice for the cultural sector and creative industries. Through civic engagement, arts education, and cultural equity initiatives, they promote the value of the arts and give voice to a creative state.
Technology
TechSoup: Connecting your nonprofit, charity, or public library with technology products, plus the free learning resources you need to make informed decisions about technology.
Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN): Membership organization of nonprofit technology professionals. Helps nonprofits use all aspects of technology more effectively with webinars, access to new research and industry reports and IT trainings.
Research:
"Mapping the Dance Landscape in Chicagoland" (2019): In 2002, Dance/USA published a groundbreaking study about Chicagoland’s dance community. Seventeen years later, Candid, Sustain Arts, and See Chicago Dance came together to update the data to reveal the opportunities and challenges facing dancers, dance organizations, and the sector as a whole.
"Public Funding for Art: Chicago Compared with 12 Peer Regions" (2014): Supported in part by Arts Alliance Illinois, and with the cooperation of several local arts agencies, including Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special events, and of the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies.This study compares the direct public dollars received by organizations and artists in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Denver, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland (OR), San Diego, and San Francisco from 2002-2012.
"Building New Audiences for Dance" (2014): With support from the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development, See Chicago Dance (formerly Audience Architects) retained CBWhite to enhance understanding of current dance patrons through a market research survey. The survey analyzes and investigates motivations and barriers to attendance for 1,400 dance ticket buyers in the Chicago area. The significant findings can help dance organizations tailor and target their marketing tactics and campaigns.
SMID Study Report (2005): Serving Dance in Chicago: A Planning Process for Small to Mid-sized Companies and Independent Artists.