Arts & Business Council

   by Dan Jacobson Director of Operations, Arts & Business Council of Chicago Most small to midsize arts organizations can’t afford a staff member dedicated only to Human Resources.... Read more

 At last month’s A&BC workshop, Building Cultural Corporate Partnerships, we learned that the secret to building cultural corporate partnerships is that there are no secrets.  In fact, the core strategy is as... Read more

Four free and low cost resources for nonprofits. By Dan Jacobson These days the best “Dollar” store is online wherever you can buy apps for your smart phone or... Read more

How Branding Can Enhance Your Fundraising Event   Every year in the fall, A&BC hosts its biggest fundraising event of the year. This rich tradition continues as A&BC prepares... Read more

  No matter the size of your organization, establishing effective internal controls is a best practice that shouldn’t be ignored. Putting such controls in place will serve as a... Read more

During A&BC’s most recent fiscal year, professional pro-bono consultants contributed almost 3000 hours of their time to arts organizations through our Business Volunteers for the Arts program. The total... Read more

  The Chicago arts community continues to be invigorated by the many discussions exploring the future of the arts in Chicago. It is good to know that the recent... Read more

 Lane Alexander is co-founder and Artistic Director at the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. He has a performing career spanning over 30 years that includes Carnegie Hall, 42nd Street, The Untouchables... Read more

  This summer, A&BC will celebrate the arts community with our fun, interactive event Connect 4 the Arts on June 28! Now in its fourth year, Connect 4 the... Read more

Chicago a cappella recently honored A&BC, with special recognition going to former Executive Director Joan Gunzberg, with its Friend of the Arts Award. The award was presented at Chicago... Read more

In the next few months, many Chicago arts nonprofits will arrive at the end of their fiscal year. This means that someone in the organization needs to be thinking about the next audit. That much-dreaded process doesn’t have to be the stress inducing project it is often made out to be. While you may not be able to eliminate all the stress from the annual audit, with the right preparations you can certainly make the process smoother and maybe even save some time and money. Here’s an overview of some of the preparation that can pave the way to a smoother audit. Read more

As Chicago moves towards a new cultural plan for the city, the arts community continues to look for new and exciting ways to strengthen itself. Two new space-sharing collaborations... Read more

  The Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra aims to provide vibrant orchestral music of beauty and excellence to the diverse communities of the Chicago Southland. Now in their 34th Season, IPO... Read more

Have you heard about the great developments taking place in Chicago to facilitate the use of arts in K-12 curriculum? Recent collaborations involving Arts Alliance Illinois, Ingenuity Incorporated and... Read more

 In a city that boasts a world-renowned cultural scene and one-of-a-kind performances and artistic experiences, the Arts & Business Council of Chicago invites you to join us for a night... Read more

We share the sad news of the passing of one of our organization’s founders, Sheila Frank. Sheila was instrumental in the early development of Chicago’s Business Volunteers for the Arts... Read more

This annual event presents a wide range of activities with a visual arts focus. Here's a great way to learn about, and experience, how individual artists and arts collectives are... Read more

October is Illinois Arts & Humanities Month (AH! Month) The Illinois Arts Council and the Illinois Humanities Council are pleased to present the 4th annual Illinois Arts & Humanities Month, a... Read more

September 19, 2011The Arts & Business Council of Chicago (A&BC) announced that Peter Kuntz has resigned as Executive Director of A&BC.  Kuntz has decided to pursue other professional opportunities.“We thank... Read more

Individual artists have an impact on a given community through the dynamic aspects of their work and the realization of their creative vision. Often these artists have a lot of people assisting in the delivery of their art. They may be associated with an arts organization. They may have production and administrative teams dedicated to helping them achieve their vision, not to mention the support of family and friends. And, if they are lucky, there may be a cadre of patrons and donors who believe in what they do. There is another cohort of individuals, more than 200 strong, who taken together also has a large impact on Chicago’s arts community—the many dedicated people from the business community who donate their time and talent to assisting arts organizations every day as Business Volunteers for the Arts (BVA). Read more

A&BC’s annual benefit, on Friday, November 11th, continues its tradition of presenting a unique blend of dazzlingly creative performances by some of Chicago’s most innovative and talented arts organizations along with fizzy cocktails, a sumptuous dinner, and exciting live and silent auctions. The night’s performances will feature the heart-stopping, Emmy-nominated Chicago Human Rhythm Project among other arts movers and shakers. Read more

Professionally, I help organizations to be sustainable through their people processes. I value people learning and having fun while they get results. I am a Talent Management and Organization Development Leader with extensive experience in the Healthcare, Consumer Products and Government sectors. I have worked for Blue Cross Blue Shield, Quaker, Pepsico, and the Internal Revenue Service. My introduction to the Arts & Business Council of Chicago sprang from a brief, and seemingly casual conversation Read more

A&BC’s annual Business Essentials for the Arts Workshop series recently completed its three “Marketing Matters” sessions. These three marketing-focused workshops progressed from the “big picture” of considering how your organization’s mission statement influences all aspects of our marketing message to the very specific practice of utilizing online analytic tools to see if your online strategies are working. Read more

Committed arts organizations work tirelessly to build an audience. Their Cultivation activities capture the attention of existing and prospective donors. And their presence in the Community builds opportunities for cultural understanding and collaboration. But how do they align themselves to the people and resources they need to grow strategically and managerially? By CONNECTING with the Arts & Business Council of Chicago…its network of artists, arts organizations and arts supporters…and its expanding corps of skilled and dedicated business volunteers. Read more

As many of us gear up for summer vacations, trips to the lake, and firing up the grill on the upcoming (hopefully) sunny holiday weekend, the 19 graduates of A&BC’s On BOARD Spring 2011 Program are excited for another reason - they are taking the first steps as board members of a nonprofit arts and culture organization in Chicago. This excitement has blossomed over the 4-month training, during which the candidates attended sessions on the Legal, Financial, Fundraising, and Leadership aspects of nonprofit board service, and met over 25 different arts organizations seeking to add to their current Board of Directors. Why do they do it? Read more