Commissioner of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs shares 2025 vision with increased funding

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The commissioner for Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events sat down exclusively with ABC7 to discuss her vision for 2025 after the city increased funding for the department.

Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth said she is very pleased with her 2025 budget and its investment in DCASE. One of her biggest goals is putting more money directly into artists' pockets. She wants the entire world to know that Chicago is the blueprint for all things arts and culture.

In her first sit down interview as commissioner, Hedspeth laid out her plan for the city's arts and culture scene. She said her vision is largely data-driven, and that the department was intentional about asking residents about what they wanted to see more of in the city.

"We are responding to what citizens have said they want and need: More activation in communities and more support for performing artists," she said.

The 2025 budget gives DCASE an additional $1 million that will go directly to artists through grants, with the goal of encouraging more creators to share their gifts with the city.

"An artist should be able to live, work and do what they want to do here in the city and not go another city to do so. It demands government stepping in and making space for all artists to do what they want to do," Hedspeth said.

She said their production with Common and the Grant Park Orchestra is just one example of a cohesive collaboration that was very well-received by Chicagoans over the summer. DCASE wants to do more of that; not just downtown, but on the South and West sides too.

"Those are vibrant communities. Communities that so many of us have lived in, are families live in," she said. "It's not an either or. You can have stuff downtown, and you can have stuff in the communities."

And she believes her budget is just as vital to the city as the budget for the Chicago Police Department or Chicago Public Schools.

"We absolutely have been a cornerstone for this nation creative process. Dance, literature, visual arts, spoken word, that's something that will continue regardless what else is going on, city wide and nationally," said Hedspeth. "This is our people. This is who we are, we are unique! We always need to support who we are."

"That is what we need and so that is one of my main goals; to make sure that we are supporting our very own and inviting more people to the table," she added.

The commissioner wants to reiterate that spaces like the Cultural Center are for Chicagoans like you. If you're looking to create or host an event, DCASE wants you to collaborate with them. This is all about connecting more people to arts and culture, and Hedspeth believes the new budget will help do just that.