Art Initiatives In The Loop
SUMMARY Chicago s downtown Loop is fortunate to have 300,000 workers come into the area each work day. We re also fortunate to have tourists, theater-goers and increasingly more residents. One thing we don t have much of is the highly-coveted cool kids - taste-makers we covet to spread the buzz that today s Loop is more dynamic and vibrant than in the past. The Chicago Loop Alliance (CLA) is a membership-based organization and the service provider to the State Street Special Service Area. CLA, together with its Board of Directors and State Street Commissioners, made a conscious decision to utilize art as a platform to drive foot traffic to the area, rebrand the Loop in a cooler way and to engage its members in these efforts. As such, three major arts programs were born Pop-Up Art Loop, Art Loop and Art Loop Open. Collectively, these programs have and are continuing to improve the Loop s image and visibility.
As a nod to the success of these programs, CLA s executive director Ty Tabing was named as one of Chicago Tribune s Chicagoans of the Year in Visual Arts.
Pop-Up Art Loop has allowed CLA to: Develop new partnerships with well-known art organizations including Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago Urban Art Society and The National Museum of Mexican Art. These partnerships add credibility to the program within the artist community who now consider the program as a sought-after and legitimate platform to showcase their art. Attract new audiences to the area. Art lovers and networks of those involved in the program have made specific trips to the neighborhood to view innovative art from these emerging artists. Reduce presence of pan-handling and homelessness. By taking down the brown wallpaper or boarded-up walls, turning on the lights and adding color to these spaces pan handlers are less likely to loiter in front of the property. Property owners participating in Pop-Up have also reported fewer homeless in front of their property.
Assist property owners with securing tenants. With these galleries in place, property owners are able to show a clean and presentable space increasing the opportunity for the space to be leased. Enhance the drive by appeal of an unleased space. Engage multiple property owners in the Loop resulting in 18 galleries, 40 exhibitions and 100 artists. Generate activity after work hours. First Thursdays Gallery Walk was developed as an after hours events which attracts an average of 1,000 guests per evening Activate CLA members. A passport program was developed in conjunction with the gallery walks, allowing CLA members to give a special offer to those who visit multiple galleries during the walk.
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Art Loop, a program launched by CLA in 2010, features public art works by a distinguished artist in the Loop every summer. 2010 s inaugural installation presented worldrenowned artist Tony Tasset's EYE and CARDINAL. EYE a 30-foot-three-story tall sculpture of an eyeball was on display all summer long and garnered 200 million media impressions globally. CARDINAL, the companion piece to EYE, was an installation of street banners revealing a bold red cardinal in flight against a bright blue sky, unfolding like a flipbook along Chicago s famed State Street.
Art Loop allowed CLA to: Elevate the Loop s profile by garnering 200 million media impressions globally. The installation was so impactful that many comparisons were made between EYE and Cloud Gate at Millennium Park contributing to the media buzz and overall public awareness.
Enhance pedestrian traffic in the Loop by enlivening it with art Raise funds from private donors in excess of $100,000 Celebrate the Loop s permanent world-class public art collection. A downloadable tour was created that showcased both temporary and permanent pieces. Engage members. This installation provided CLA members a vehicle to generate revenue and traffic for their properties. Promote tourism. Last summer, hundreds and thousands of tourists flocked to Pritzker Park on State Street to pose and take pictures in front of EYE
Building on the equity CLA has created in the arts, Art Loop Open - an art competition - was launched in Fall 2010 as an extension of Art Loop to provide an opportunity for emerging artists to showcase their body of work to a more mainstream audience.
Art Loop Open allowed CLA to: Create a new energy in the Loop with colorful and vibrant art displayed in multiple venues Engage new audiences by providing those who do not work or live in the Loop a reason to visit the area. Activate members. Ten CLA-member businesses were chosen as venues to house 200 pieces of art and providing all members a vehicle to develop promotions to drive sales and traffic to their individual business. Raise approximately $140,000 in grants and sponsorships. Develop new partnerships with Microsoft to utilize cutting edge technology Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau to underwrite the awards ceremony.