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.

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."

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 went live Friday and close in mid-August.

What's next

Real estate prices are all about "location, location, location," and right now that's particularly true — in half the country home prices are still going up, and in the other half they're falling.

• In Chicago, they are up 3% from last June.

Why it matters: The price data shows that the housing story is more complicated than affordability and still-high mortgage rates, which have cratered demand nationwide. Zoning laws, climate risks and economic vibes also play a big role.

Zoom in: In the Midwest and Northeast, the price of a typical home keeps rising. Home prices are up 4% in the New York City metro area from last June and 2% in Minneapolis.

What we're watching

✈️ Texas House Democrats fled to Chicago to try to stop the GOP's congressional redistricting effort. They met with Gov. JB Pritzker last night in DuPage County. "This is not just rigging the system in Texas, it's about rigging the system against the rights of all Americans for years to come," Pritzker said. (Axios)

🚨 Mayor Brandon Johnson wants the police oversight agency to investigate CPD's role in immigration raids. (WBEZ)

⚖️ Illinois joins several states in a lawsuit alleging the Trump administration is intimidating providers into stopping gender-affirming care. (Axios)

🇵🇪 Chicago's Peruvian community is rallying to help twins battling cancer. (Block Club)

Chicago hip-hop star Chance the Rapper is releasing a new album.

Why it matters: The Grammy Award-winning artist has grown to become the city's unofficial poet laureate and his generation's Studs Terkel, representing Chicago through his journey to stardom.

The latest: "Star Line" will drop on Aug. 15.

What they're saying: Chance spoke last week about making new music during his Airbnb Experience in Chicago, an intimate album listening party at the Adler Planetarium during Lollapalooza weekend.

• He also performed a surprise set Saturday in Grant Park, performing new material.

Context: Chance arrived on the national scene with his 2016 debut album "Coloring Book," for which he won the Grammy for Best Rap Album.

Zoom in: Lil Chano was already well-known to Chicago music fans from his wildly popular mixtapes like "Acid Rap" and his collaborations with Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment and the Save Money Crew.

Between the lines: His words and music tell stories of his local experiences, which range from getting suspended from school, growing up on 79th Street, becoming a father, and now, touring the world.

What's next: Preorders are now available. Chance already released "Tree" featuring Lil Wayne and Smino in July.

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Lincoln Park's three-Michelin-starred restaurant Alinea is taking its culinary theater to the Montana mountains this winter.

Why it matters: A four-month pop-up aims to fuse a luxe dining experience with outdoor adventure, drawing food lovers to Big Sky Resort during its peak season.

What they're saying: "True luxury is finding the extraordinary in remote places," said chef Grant Achatz in a press statement. "That's what we're building here in Big Sky: something rare, fleeting, and deeply connected to nature."

What's next: Alinea's Big Sky outpost is set to open in mid-December — just in time for Chicagoans craving altitude with their fine dining. Reservations, which aren't live yet, are expected to sell out fast. Email to sign up for reservation notifications.

• And great news: There are non-stop flights from Chicago O'Hare to Bozeman Yellowstone International — the nearest airport to Big Sky — operating daily by United Airlines and American Airlines.

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