The Black Arts Town Hall

The Black Arts & Culture Alliance of Chicago (BACA) announces a free Town Hall Discussion: Chicago’s Black Arts Organizations…What We Can Do on Monday, February 9, 2026, from 7-9pm at Black Ensemble Theater, 4450 N. Clark Street in Chicago. The event is presented in association with Goodman Theatre’s 100 Free Acts of Theatre. The discussion, followed by a light reception, is free and open to the public. Reservations are required at bacachi.org/events-programs.

Moderated by Amina Dickerson, Chicago professionals, representing the spectrum of artistic disciplines, including theatre, dance, music, film, visual and literary arts, will be on hand to remind us of the richness and national renown of Chicago’s artistic organizations. They will also discuss the pressing challenges faced by Black arts organizations, artists, and arts groups, notably in funding, audience support, stewardship and development of talent pipelines.

As moderator, Dickerson will call upon her 35-year career, with senior leadership roles in the non-profit, arts, corporate and philanthropy sectors to guide the discussion of the role and current status of Black arts. She will be joined by a distinguished panel that includes award winning female vocalist Lucy Smith; musician Shawn Wallace; theatre director Ron OJ Parson; visual artists and gallery owners Andre and Francis Guichard, Emmy nominee and founder of Black Film Magazine Creative Cypher Troy Pryor; and Joel Hall Dancers & Center Executive Director Joseph Pindelski.

As national funding for the arts, especially the minority arts, is being reduced, demeaned, ignored, and almost erased, and following BACA’s mission and purpose, “to increase interaction, communication and development of black arts organizations and artists, while delivering programs that increase their visibility, marketability, stability, and sustainability,” Town Halls and Panel Discussions, like this one, support Chicago’s arts organizations, and in turn, our artists.