Over $1.58 million Awarded to Chicago Arts Orgs from Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation

The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation has awarded more than $1.58 million in grants to 59 of Chicago’s small arts organizations and arts advocacy organizations in 2024, including its end of year grant cycle. Twenty-one Chicago area arts organizations received multi-year grants of $30,000 or more last year.
 
The Chicago arts grantees are a portion of the nearly $6.2 million in funding provided to 127 organizations in the Chicago region and Lowcountry of South Carolina across GDDF’s three program areas in 2024: Artistic Vitality, Broadening Narratives, and Land Conservation. The Foundation makes grants twice a year in the summer and late fall.
 
In total, GDDF is currently funding more than 160 small arts organizations in the Chicago region through its multi-year general operating grants.
 
Among GDDF’s 2024 Chicago arts grantees are nonprofit advocacy organizations the League of Chicago Theatres and Lawyers for the Creative Arts, which were awarded grants of $75,000. Additional Chicago Artistic Vitality grantees include Chicago Jazz Philharmonic ($40,500), Jazz Institute of Chicago ($40,500), Natya Dance Theatre ($40,500), See Chicago Dance ($40,500), Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center ($40,500), Silk Road Rising ($40,500), Definition Theatre Company ($36,000), and Shattered Globe Theatre ($36,000). Arts organizations receiving grants of $30,000 include Asian Improv aRts Midwest, Chicago Dancemakers Forum, Ensemble Dal Niente, Kalapriya, Lucky Plush Productions, Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, Steep Theatre Company, The Newberry Consort, and Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art.
 
A full list of GDDF’s 2024 Chicago Artistic Vitality grantees follows at the end of this release.
 
“It is more important than ever to champion the power of art, nurture our land, and share the stories that shape our self-understanding,” said Arnold Randall, executive director of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation. “Even as they are doing exciting and important work, many of the organizations we support are facing challenges and uncertainty. At GDDF, we value the deep, steady, and long-term relationships we build with our grantee partners. We remain committed to trust-based practices, our mission areas, and the values of equity and trust that guide our work. We are proud to support these organizations that are doing such important work in their fields and communities.”
 
More than 65% of GDDF’s 2024 grants were for multi-year general operating support, and 70% of the December grants provided general operating support. The Foundation also provides project, planning, technical assistance, and cash reserve funding. In addition to grantmaking, GDDF is committed to supporting its grantee partners in a variety of ways, including access to training and support for collaborations and convenings.
 

2024 Chicago Artistic Vitality grantees

 
$75,000           Lawyers for the Creative Arts
$75,000           League of Chicago Theatres
$53,250             Pullman Arts (Voice of the City fiscal sponsor)
$40,500           Chicago Jazz Philharmonic
$40,500           Jazz Institute of Chicago
$40,500           Natya Dance Theatre
$40,500           See Chicago Dance
$40,500           Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center
$40,500           Silk Road Rising
$36,000           Definition Theatre Company
$36,000           Shattered Globe Theatre
$30,000           Asian Improv aRts Midwest
$30,000           Chicago Dancemakers Forum
$30,000           Ensemble Dal Niente
$30,000           Kalapriya
$30,000           Lucky Plush Productions
$30,000           Mandala South Asian Performing Arts, Inc.
$30,000           Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
$30,000           Steep Theatre Company
$30,000           The Newberry Consort
$30,000           Ukrainian Institute of Modern Art
$27,500           Open Television (OTV)
$27,000           Access Contemporary Music
$27,000           Deeply Rooted Productions
$25,500           Aerial Dance Chicago
$25,500           D-Composed
$25,500           HotHouse
$25,500           Kokandy Productions
$25,500           Spudnik Press Cooperative
$25,500           Strawdog Theatre Company
$25,000           Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival
$25,000           High Concept Labs
$25,000           Red Clay Dance Company
$25,000           The Chicago Poetry Center
$22,500           Community Film Workshop of Chicago
$22,500           Lawndale Pop Up Spot
$22,500           MAKE Literary Productions
$22,500           MOMENTA
$22,500           Roots and Culture Contemporary Art Center
$22,500           The Artistic Home Acting Ensemble
$22,500           The Mural Movement
$22,500           The Seldoms
$22,500           The South Side Jazz Coalition
$22,500           Union Street Gallery
$22,500           Woman Made Gallery
$18,000           Comfort Station
$18,000           First Floor Theater
$18,000           Synapse Arts
$18,000           TUTA: The Utopian Theatre Asylum
$15,000           Chicago Reader
$13,500           Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art
$13,500           Lubeznik Center for the Arts
$12,000           Beyond This Point
$12,000           Diasporal Rhythms
$12,000           Midsommer Flight
$10,000           Water Street Studios
$8,500             St. Charles Singers
$7,500             Homeroom
$6,000             Orion Chamber Ensemble