Chicago's arts commissioner eludes questions
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Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events commissioner Clinée Hedspeth with Cultural Advisory Council co-chair Richard Logan at a June meeting. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
The 16-month tenure of cultural commissioner Clinée Hedspeth has been marked by lots of questions but very few answers.
Why it matters: The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is crucial to supporting local arts organizations, but it's been rocked by a staff exodus, accusations of Hedspeth bullying employees and charges that it lacks a plan to deal with federal arts funding losses.
- These concerns were detailed in an April open letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson from more than 200 local arts professionals, but neither Johnson nor Hedspeth has responded, frustrating some in the arts community.
Catch up quick: Local art leaders have attempted to present their concerns to Hedspeth at quarterly meetings of the Cultural Advisory Council, but the commissioner canceled or failed to physically attend the first three this year.
- She appeared at the February meeting by teleconference for just three minutes.
- In June, Hedspeth showed up, but some DCASE staffers were physically barred from entering the room. The commissioner further dismayed some attendees by failing to address concerns outlined in the arts community letter.
The big picture: Axios tried to schedule an interview with Hedspeth for five months. In July, a spokesperson said the commissioner would do an interview "focused on the exciting things happening across DCASE."
- When Axios stressed that the interview would include questions about the allegations against Hedspeth, the spokesperson said she wouldn't be available until the fall at the earliest due to a "tight schedule."
What they're saying: "What's going on?" choreographer and arts consultant Jenna Pollack asked during public comment at the June meeting.
- The arts community is "in the dark. And even if all of our concerns are answered in the next two hours, a quarterly meeting during business hours cannot and will not suffice."
The other side: Realtor Theresa Hughes praised Hedspeth at that same meeting for recruiting new diverse CAC members "that have previously never had a seat at the table."
- Hughes told Axios she was asked by a group to speak in support of Hedspeth, but she declined to identify the group.
The latest: While the CAC meetings are supposed to be scheduled quarterly, Hedspeth unexpectedly called another one on July 29 without explanation.
- During the meeting, she announced an arts relief funding program to provide $10,000-$25,000 one-time grants to arts organizations that lost federal funding this year. Applications are scheduled to go live Friday and close in mid-August.
- Last week, DCASE also announced that it had awarded 250 individual arts program grants for 2025, with 63% going to artists on South and West Sides and 59% going to first-time grantees.
- CAC co-chair and Free Street Theater artistic director Coya Paz praised these grants, telling Axios, "It's exciting to see something rolling out so quickly, especially from government."
Of note: When reporters from WBEZ, The Tribune and Axios tried to ask Hedspeth questions after the June and July CAC meetings, the commissioner walked away from us and into an elevator without answering.
- The mayor's office also declined to comment to Axios for this story.
What's next: The fall CAC meeting is scheduled for October, by which time local arts organizations that have received DCASE grants could feel more supported.