The Beautiful Struggle: Art and Commerce

In a field where marketing is a dirty word, how can those given the vital job of bringing work to the public ever truly succeed? In a time of corporatism and compromised values, how do we keep an ethical aesthetic compass that points toward a true north? What does it mean to find an audience today, and how can the arts thrive in an environment where so much is aligned against it? Touching on horror, comedy, theory, and practice Daisey peels back the layers to reveal the rich heart of our artistic exchange in a candid and frank talk about the crossroads where we find ourselves at the opening of the 21st century.

Daisey will be joined by four leading artists and directors in a panel conversation about how they navigate their roles to explore and push the envelope of the aesthetic and make works that resonate with the public at the same time: 

• Andreas Bottcher, CEO, Danceworks Chicago
• Henry Godinez, artistic director of the Theatre and Interpretation Center, Northwestern University, and resident artistic associate, Goodman Theater
• Adam Marks, director of artistic programming and ensemble member, Fifth House Ensemble
• Theaster Gates, Jr., urban planner, sculptor, and director of arts program development and lecturer, Department of Visual Arts at The University of Chicago

Questions? Please contact Maureen Burns at maureen.burns@cityofchicago or 312.742.1761.