Chicago Cultural Commissioner lays out her dreams for Chicago's cultural future
Submitted by Steve on March 31, 2012
Michelle Boone, Commissioner Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and a member of the GIA Board of Directors, talks to Howard Reich of the Chicago Tribune:
In her first extended interview since taking office, Boone, 50, recently shared her own vision of Chicago's cultural future. She trumpeted a dramatically re-envisioned Chicago Gospel Music Festival that will unfold both downtown and on the South Side. She emphasized the return of the World Music Festival, Chicago SummerDance, Downtown Sound and other programs that some have feared would be eliminated in this year's budget crunch (the Music Without Borders series will not be returning).
Looking into a more distant future, she expressed hopes for a citywide arts festival; a Chicago Cultural Center that emerges as a hub for college students; a plethora of cultural events unfolding in city parks and libraries; and a tally of 50 million visitors annually by 2020, the tourists drawn — at least in part — by a burgeoning culture scene. Inside are excerpts of our conversation.