Events

Mar
21
Tue
2017 Benefit Luncheon & Reception
Mar 21 @ 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Join us for the Arts & Business Council’s (A&BC) 2017 Benefit Luncheon and Reception dedicated to the convergence of Arts, Business and Community – The “ABC’s” of building strong, active neighborhoods throughout Chicago.

Featuring a spectacular panel of speakers:

  • Greg Cameron  Executive Director, Joffrey Ballet
  • Nora Daley  Civic Leader, Former Board Chair and current Board Member, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
  • Commissioner Mark Kelly  City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
  • Maurice Smith  BCBSIL President; Board Chair of Chicago Sinfonietta

Our luncheon fundraiser enables us to continue working with hundreds of Chicago’s arts organizations and business volunteers each year.

Guests will have the opportunity to meet a handful of local community arts organizations, including Beverly Arts Center, Forward Momentum Chicago, People’s Music School, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center and Storycatchers Theatre, and learn how they can get involved and contribute to the arts sector through corporate and individual opportunities.

Jul
18
Tue
Summer Bash 2017
Jul 18 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

On July 18, meet your peers at this festive night of live performance and vibrant networking at Revolution Brewpub for the annual A&BC Summer Bash. Arts and business professionals will mingle and watch short performances highlighting a few of the many arts organizations A&BC serves. We’ll also honor a business professional and a company making a difference in our arts programs.

All of this will take place on Revolution Brewpub’s well-appointed second floor, where there will be an unlimited supply of Rev Brew’s lauded beers and delectable appetizers. Pass this invitation along to a friend who might be interested in participating in Arts & Business Council programs.

$75 per person 

Want more fun or can’t make it to the Bash?  Sign up for the raffle!
Fill out my online form.

 

SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMER BASH RAFFLE!

Enter the Summer Bash Raffle! Enter using the form below, or buy tickets at the Bash. You do not need to be present to win!

Prizes include packages of tickets to performances or classes (noted) from: Athenaeum Theatre, Chicago Human Rhythm Project, Chicago Sinfonietta, Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra, Green Star Movement (class for two), The House Theatre, Lifeline Theater, Lucky Plush, Sideshow Theatre, 16th Street Theater, and more!

The Raffle form is not required to complete your Summer Bash ticket purchase.

 

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Dec
14
Thu
A&BC Holiday Wonder Party @ Elastic Arts
Dec 14 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago invites you and other members of the arts and business communities to our Holiday Wonder party, Thursday, Dec. 14, 6:30-8:30pm, at Elastic Arts in Logan Square.

Feel the warm, sparkly, cinnamon-infused joy of gathering with colleagues to celebrate the successes of 2017 and to anticipate the triumphs of 2018. Bring your team and make merry!

A $25 ticket to this fun and casual event—in partnership with Audience Architects, an ArtCoremember—will include:

  • A 2-drink ticket and small bites
  • Short performances throughout the night
  • Open mic shout-outs to our peers and arts organizations, recognizing the year’s high points
  • Viewing of the current Elastic exhibition – PAZ: Piñatas & Zines, by Oscar Arriola
  • A performance from dance artist and educator Adriana Durant
  • The sparkly sounds of Paul Giallorenzo, Co-Founder of Elastic Arts, on the piano
  • Admission to the 9pm Elastic Arts show following the party: the jazz quartet of Dave Rempis, Jim Baker, Kent Kessler, and Avreeayl Ra (do not miss this!)

Elastic Arts’ address is:
3429 W Diversey Ave, #208 (near Milwaukee).
CTA: Logan Square Blue Line; 56, 76, and 82 buses.

We hope to see you there!

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May
1
Tue
Breakfast Club: Making Money @ The Arts & Business Council of Chicago
May 1 @ 8:30 am – 9:30 am

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago convenes a monthly morning gathering for arts administrators to discuss topics and share ideas relevant to the business of art. Breakfast Club supports leaders and staff of nonprofit arts organizations through informal peer-to-peer sharing, casual facilitated conversation, and information dissemination.

Join us Tuesday, May 1st from 8:30-9:30am.

Topic: Making Money

Say it again for the people in the back. Nonprofits can make money! The nonprofit sector often carries a stigma of unprofitable, but business planning is just as important for nonprofit organizations as it is for any business or corporation. Sustainable nonprofits don’t wait around for the next big grant or angel donor. They create several diverse revenue streams to support the organization’s financial well-being. Join Breakfast Club: Making Money to connect with peers over successes and strategies in creating mission-driven generated revenues.

A cereal bar, tea, and coffee will be provided.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Price: $5.00

Cancellation Policy:

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago reserves the right to cancel or re-schedule any Breakfast Club for which registrants will receive a full refund.

No refunds are issued for cancellations. No refunds are issued for “no shows.”

Fill out my online form.

May
18
Fri
2112: Tour, Networking, and Dialogue @ 2112
May 18 @ 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm

Meet us at 2112, the creative tech incubator where Lady Gaga and Chance the Rapper have worked, and up-and-coming innovators and their companies have put down roots.

Tour the 160k square foot facility. See the inner workings of a high-powered creative incubator developing entrepreneurs in music, film/video, and creative industry-focused technologies. Hear a presentation by Rob Tovar, one of its directors. Have some food and drink while discussing impact investing in the Chicago arts scene with other arts supporters. This evening will give you insight into the burgeoning creative/tech scene in Chicago as well as bragging rights that you had an inside peek at this powerhouse.

Members $25/Public $40. Please contact contact Karen YatesEngagement Manager to receive membership pricing.

This event is also our Membership Program kick-off! Members receive $15 off their ticket price. To learn more about our Membership Program and how you can stay engaged with the Arts & Business Council of Chicago year-round, go here.

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May
21
Mon
Lab: Arts Administration 101 @ The Arts & Business Council of Chicago
May 21 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Tony Award-winning Steppenwolf Theatre Company was born from an idea a couple of former high school classmates had to produce a play in a suburban church. Four-time Grammy award-winning ensemble, Eighth Blackbird, have called Chicago home since 1996. With the right foundation in place, the growth potential for Chicago arts organizations just like yours is immense.

In Arts Administration 101, smARTscope Consultant Lisa Tylke will guide emerging arts organizations through two key pillars of stability: understanding the roles and responsibilities of a board of directors and concept development for the artistic and administrative visions of organizations. These pillars are vital for mastering the basics; understanding who you are, what you do, and how you do it.

This Learning Lab is most appropriate for emerging organizations that have:

  • Unpaid or stipend-payed staff and artists
  • A few sources of contributed income
  • Hands-on Boards of Directors that fulfill administrative roles and do minimal fundraising
  • Average budgets of $0 – $100,000
  • A strong desire to grow and develop!

Price: $65

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Jul
25
Wed
It’s Not All About the Give/Get: A New Model for Assessing Board Contribution
Jul 25 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

A superb board member brings a wealth of time, treasure, and talent to an organization. So why do we continue to evaluate and prospect board members strictly on financial capacity? If a board of directors is to reflect the community it serves, the sector must consider more equitable models of assessment.

Arts & Business Council of Chicago Executive Director Kristin Larsen will present her innovative, point-based, assessment model for boards of directors. Larsen – with A&BC Board Governance Chair and COO of HBR Consulting, Evan Trent – will guide you through using game theory and a points-based evaluation system to reduce anxiety around giving capacities and create an equitable board of directors that is welcoming to marginalized groups.

In practice, Larsen has seen this fresh accountability system increase committee participation, mobilize current board members to prospect new members and donors, and ignite a sense of self-governance that reduces stress and time for the Executive Director. You’ll leave this lab with an action plan to define the entire scope of what your board of directors can bring to the organization and design your own point-based assessment model that’s not all about the give/get.

 

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Oct
15
Mon
Lab: Making the Ask @ WeWork Kinzie
Oct 15 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Leaders in non-profit organizations – board members, executive directors and everyone else – should be comfortable asking for money.  But, too few of them are actively doing it.

In this fast-paced, interactive session, fundraising veterans Christopher Jabin and Charles Katzenmeyer will offer a practical framework for identifying and cultivating prospective donors, engaging them in the work of your organization, getting the meeting, and finally, making the ask.

Participants in this Learning Lab will understand how to:

  • Identify prospective donors for a non-profit organization
  • Build cultivation efforts that help move distant prospects toward being top prospects
  • Request and structure a solicitation meeting
  • Make the ask and answer potential objections
  • Close a gift and begin donor stewardship

 

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Dec
5
Wed
Winter Wonder @ Chinese American Museum of Chicago
Dec 5 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Join us for Winter Wonder on December 5!

Arts & Business Council of Chicago, Chicago Cultural Alliance, and See Chicago Dance, three of Chicago’s top art service organizations, invite you to an eclectic event that celebrates the vibrancy of our sector.

Gambol, glide, and roll with movers and shakers in the arts for a fantastic evening of conversation, food, and loads of fun!

Detonate out your inner dancer and learn to salsa with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre. Tickle your taste buds with some dim sum. Spin through the Chinese American Museum of Chicago’s exhibitions. Jerk to the jungle and dancehall beats of DJ C.

Forget that it’s winter and come celebrate the wonder of the arts!

Tickets $30
6 pm: Doors open
6:15 pm: Tour of The Way We Wore: Celebrating Chinese Fashion Heritage Exhibition
7 pm: Salsa dancing with Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre
7:30 pm: DJ & dancing

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Jan
8
Tue
Breakfast Club: Do I Really Need Insurance? @ The Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Jan 8 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago convenes a monthly morning gathering for arts administrators to discuss topics and share ideas relevant to the business of art. Breakfast Club is a dynamic opportunity for arts administrators to connect with one another and collaborate on solutions for navigating personal and industry challenges.

Tuesday, January 8 from 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.

Do I really need insurance? Yes. Even if I’m a small nonprofit? Still yes. Arts organization are inherently prone to risk. When you bring audiences into your space for a performance or exhibition, engage volunteers to fulfill your end of year appeal mailing, and throw incredible fundraiser events, you create opportunities for personal and financial risk.

Determining the insurance policies that are right for your organization is tricky. Join the conversation at Breakfast Club to connect with peers who are also in search of the best policies. We’ll discuss some best practices to consider and direct you to a policy that suits your needs.

Register for Breakfast Club here. 

Feb
5
Tue
Breakfast Club: Advocacy and the Nonprofit Voice @ Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Feb 5 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 am

The Arts & Business Council of Chicago convenes a monthly morning gathering for arts administrators to discuss topics and share ideas relevant to the business of art. Breakfast Club is a dynamic opportunity for arts administrators to connect with one another and collaborate on solutions for navigating personal and industry challenges.

In preparation for Arts Advocacy Day, join us to learn how you can approach your legislators to champion the cultural policy issues that are most important to you and your organization. Jonathan VanderBrug, Policy and Research Director at Arts Alliance Illinois, will join the conversation on how your nonprofit organization can use its voice to advocate for important issues such as the CREATE Act or full-funding for the NEA and the NEH without losing your 501(c)3 status. With the upcoming Chicago Mayoral election, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Tuesday, February 5 from 9:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.

Register for Breakfast Club here. 

Feb
12
Tue
Headshot Happy Hour @ Arts & Business Council of Chicago
Feb 12 @ 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm

The Arts & Business Council (A&BC) invites you to an evening of cocktails & conversation with The  LinkedIn Professor, Tajuana Ross. Show yourself some love by learning how to create an impressionable LinkedIn profile that stands out! Network with others and get a FREE professional headshot that showcases your personality, builds your personal brand and shows you in your best light!

New year, new YOU, new headshots & libations, too!

Tickets
A&BC Members
 $35
General $50

Registration will close at 12:00pm on February 12, but walk-ups at the event will be accepted!

Get a discount for this event & lots of other great benefits by joining our Membership Program today!

Membership Benefits >>

 

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Feb
13
Wed
On BOARD: Winter Meet the Boards
Feb 13 @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Meet the Boards is a networking session for On BOARD candidates and arts organization boards to meet and learn about each other. Attendees discuss the mission and history of the organization, current and upcoming initiatives, and how new board members can contribute to the organization.

Interested organizations must fill out an arts client On BOARD application – the deadline for which is January 11, 2019.

Meet the Boards is by invitation only.

Feb
20
Wed
Lab: Building the Nonprofit Business Plan @ WeWork Grant Park
Feb 20 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Nonprofit organizations are born from creative ideas and passions for social good. To execute your mission and create real impact, you need to have a business plan. A business plan is your guide to defining your organization’s identity, developing solutions to your problems, and setting and measuring goals. You don’t need an MBA to run a successful organization, but you do need a plan to manage finances, be accountable to your vision, organize your team, and generate revenue and control expenditures to keep your ideas and passions alive. “Building the Nonprofit Business Plan” will help you do just that!

Instructor: Irv Michaels, Founder – Michaels Consulting, Ltd.
Click here to read Irv’s bio.

Learning objectives include:

  • Define your identity in the marketplace and your “problem worth solving”
  • Gain a clear understanding of your product / service and its relevance in the market
  • Explore financial aspects of the plan: developing generated revenues and necessary expenses
  • Learn the importance of setting goals, measuring results and responding to inevitable changes
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Presenter Bio:

Irv Michaels majored in accounting at college where his interest in the arts grew. His first job post-college was at Chess Records, where he worked as an administrator and nascent record producer. This led him to the intersection of traditional and creative businesses. He practiced at a local CPA firm, attaining senior partner status, serving entrepreneurial businesses. He 1986, Irv founded Michaels Consulting, Ltd., providing financial, business development, technology and human resources advice to graphic design firms, architecture firms and other creative organizations. The firm’s focus is to help creative businesses thrive.

Certifications: C.P.A.; Strategic LivePlan (business planning application) Expert Advisor; QuickBooks ProAdvisor; TSheets Pro Certified

Memberships: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; Illinois CPA Society; Chicago Creative Coalition; Art Institute of Chicago; Business Solutions Network