City announces $1M toward Year of Chicago Theatre

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The city of Chicago and the League of Chicago Theatres is announcing $1 million to support the 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre.

Grants from nine private foundations will support neighborhood theatres, Millennium Park events and a marketing campaign.

There will be a free kick-off celebration called "It's Showtime, Chicago" Monday at 6 p.m. at the Chicago Cultural Center and it's free. The celebration will feature Second City, Walkabout Theater, Albany Park Project and others.

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"The generous and enthusiastic support from Chicago's civic, philanthropic, arts and business leaders is a ringing endorsement of our theatre community," said Mayor Emanuel. "From world-renowned, Tony Award-winning stages to intimate storefront productions across the city, theater is essential to the cultural fabric of Chicago."

The event is being held in conjunction with the 7th annual Chicago Theatre Week through February 17.

Chicago is home to about 250 theatres downtown and in neighborhoods across the city.