Event details:
Members: $15
Members' Guests: $20
The Culture Economy: Driving Force in Post-Pandemic Recovery
Speaker: Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Mark Kelly
Chicago's cultural landscape is as rich and varied as any great city of the world. It is a window into the heart and soul of Chicagoans and a genuine source of civic pride. It is also an economic engine that drives leisure and business tourism and a generator of foot traffic and spending that benefits local businesses in neighborhoods across the city.
In 2019, arts and culture attracted 57.7 million visitors and generated $16 billion in tourist expenditure. But COVID resulted in the loss of thousands of cultural sector jobs and presented the biggest threat to the cultural landscape of Chicago in the city's history.
DCASE Commissioner Mark Kelly will discuss how arts and culture are being funded and positioned to be a driving force in Chicago's economic recovery. He will also discuss how they are powerful tools that can help address issues of equity, diversity and inclusion, while also growing understanding, empathy and care for one another as we work to heal longstanding racial and socioeconomic divides.
Format
Attendees are invited to bring their own lunch to the program.
11:30 a.m. - Attendees gather and network
12:00-1:00 p.m. - Program
1:30 p.m. - Event Ends