Chicago Arts Diversity Pledges: Five Years On

Five years ago, after the murder of George Floyd, numerous Chicago arts and cultural organizations vowed to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within their institutions. A recent WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times survey investigated these pledges, revealing minor progress and a noticeable reluctance among many prominent groups to disclose their current demographic data.

The Promise of 2020 and Today’s Reality

In 2020, Chicago’s cultural leaders publicly committed to challenging racial discrimination in the arts. Major institutions like the Art Institute of Chicago, Steppenwolf Theatre, Merit School of Music, and the Obama Foundation all made commitments to diversify their staffs, boards, and programming to better reflect the communities they serve.

To assess these commitments, WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times surveyed the city’s largest revenue-earning arts, culture, and humanities nonprofits. The goal was to measure changes in board and full-time staff demographics between 2021 and 2025 against Chicago’s broader population, where people of color constitute over two-thirds of residents.

A Mixed Bag of Participation and Progress

Out of 21 institutions surveyed, only seven fully completed the questionnaire: Chicago Public Media, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Merit School of Music, Navy Pier, Old Town School of Folk Music, Steppenwolf Theatre, and TimeLine Theatre Company. This limited participation highlights a lack of transparency within the sector.

Several major organizations, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, and the Field Museum, declined to provide specific numbers, instead offering general statements about their commitment to diverse audiences. The Barack Obama Foundation also cited an inability to provide board diversity tracking and full-time staff demographics by the deadline, while the Chicago Architecture Center indicated it could not meet the four-week deadline. Many others offered no reason for non-participation.

Board and Staff Diversity: Incremental Gains, Persistent Gaps

Among the seven participating organizations, there was minor overall progress in board diversity from 2021 to 2025. Groups like the Old Town School of Folk Music, Merit School of Music, and Steppenwolf Theatre successfully added multiple Black board members, often by recruiting artists and alumni. However, the current percentage of people of color on these boards still ranged from a low of 13% to a high of 44%, lagging behind Chicago’s demographics.

A significant gap remains in Latino representation on boards. Despite Latinos making up approximately 30% of Chicago’s population, two surveyed groups reported zero Latino board members, and the remaining five had fewer than 13%. Jorge Valdivia, executive director of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance, noted this as a long-standing issue, stating, “This conversation isn’t new. That’s the sad part.”

Staff diversity showed more notable progress. Merit School of Music and Navy Pier reported significant shifts, with people of color now making up the majority of their full-time staff compared to 2021. All participating organizations saw increases in their full-time Latino staff, with Merit School of Music, Navy Pier, and Steppenwolf Theatre at least doubling their numbers. These improvements were attributed to changes in hiring practices, broader job posting reach, community partnerships in recruitment, and efforts to address unconscious bias.

Chicago Public Media, the parent organization of WBEZ and the Sun-Times, reported a decrease in board diversity but an increase in the Sun-Times’ full-time staff diversity, while WBEZ’s staff demographics remained largely unchanged. CEO Melissa Bell acknowledged the ongoing need for improvement, particularly in journalism.

Navigating Backlash and Funding Challenges

Arts leaders expressed concerns about discussing diversity and inclusion publicly, citing fear of backlash from patrons and donors, especially following the Trump administration’s elimination of federal DEI programs and conservative lawsuits against similar corporate initiatives. “It’s almost like DEI became a dirty word,” commented Jorge Valdivia, reflecting a pervasive hesitancy.

Beyond political pressures, organizations have struggled with post-pandemic challenges, including shrinking audiences, declining subscriptions, and significant leadership turnover. Cuts to federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, alongside reductions in the city’s cultural affairs department CityArts grant and private funding, have further strained resources and threatened DEI progress. Luther Goins of the Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago questioned whether organizations’ initial pledges were driven by genuine belief or fear of not participating.

Despite these challenges, some organizations remain committed. Navy Pier stated its values haven’t changed, even if “some of the nomenclature may change.” TimeLine Theatre’s Executive Director Mica Cole affirmed their decision to “double down” on DEI commitments, recognizing that “Racism isn’t dismantled in a year or even five years” and emphasizing that lasting change requires deep, organizational work beyond simply hiring diverse leaders.

Glimmers of Hope: Diverse Programming and New Approaches

Despite the hurdles, Chicago’s arts scene has seen successful programming aimed at broader audiences. Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” attracted an audience of nearly 50% people of color. The Old Town School of Folk Music’s free “Music Moves Chicago” series, including Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba classes in Washington Park, reached over 10,200 participants of color in South and West Side communities in 2024, fostering collective identity and providing opportunities for artists of color.

Artists are also pushing for change. Chicago’s first-ever poet laureate, avery r. young, successfully requested diverse personnel for his upcoming opera with Lyric Opera of Chicago. However, young highlighted the persistent issue of under-resourced institutions of color, stating, “We don’t get the same money” compared to larger, predominantly white institutions.

While a study by Enrich Chicago showed a boost in grant funding for organizations led by people of color between 2020 and 2023, concerns remain about slowing progress as COVID-19 relief funds dry up. Latino organizations, in particular, received less than 7% in foundation funding each year between 2020 and 2022, according to a UIC report, signaling a need for sustained support and intentional focus on equity.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What prompted Chicago arts organizations to pledge diversity?
  The murder of George Floyd in 2020 sparked a global call for racial justice, leading many cultural institutions to commit to diversifying their staff, boards, and programming.
• How many organizations participated in the WBEZ/Sun-Times survey?
  Out of 21 major Chicago arts and culture nonprofits surveyed, only seven fully completed the questionnaire, while others declined or provided limited information.
• What progress has been made in board and staff diversity?
  Minor progress was observed in board diversity across participating organizations, with Latino representation remaining particularly low. Staff diversity saw more significant increases, especially at Merit School of Music and Navy Pier.
• Why are some organizations hesitant to discuss DEI efforts?
  Concerns include potential backlash from patrons and donors due to the political climate around DEI, as well as struggles with post-pandemic financial stability and cuts to federal and city arts funding.
• Are there examples of successful diversity initiatives?
  Yes, Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding” attracted a diverse audience, and Old Town School of Folk Music’s “Music Moves Chicago” series engaged thousands of participants of color. Artists like avery r. young are also actively advocating for diverse teams.

For Chicago’s vibrant arts scene to truly reflect its diverse population, continued public commitment and internal culture shifts are essential, moving beyond initial pledges to foster truly inclusive environments, especially amidst evolving challenges.

Chicago Arts Diversity Pledges See Little Progress