Chicago's Cultural Plan Gets a Rewrite

For the first time in more than 25 years, Chicago is updating the city's Cultural Plan by taking stock of its existing cultural assets and identifying opportunities for “cultural hubs,” reports Christopher Bentley.

1 minute read

March 15, 2012, 10:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Spurred by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, a one-time ballet dancer and long-time supporter of the arts, Chicago has embarked on an update to the city's Cultural Plan, which was drafted in 1986 under Mayor Harold Washington. The update began with four town-hall-style meetings held in Feubruary, part of a major public outreach effort that will also utilize social media. According to Bentley, "[t]he city will also host 19 'neighborhood cultural conversations' and ten 'cultural sector focus groups' in the coming months," with the aim to produce a draft plan by early summer.

The 1986 plan is credited with kick-starting the renovation of Navy Pier and spurring the creation of the North Loop Theatre District, both major tourist attractions.

Early feedback gathered during the current process points towards more locally focused initiatives. "[L]ocal participants have sounded a common refrain in Chicago politics: Focus on the neighborhoods. Many hope the new plan will decentralize the city's economic development, nourishing the artistic communities of Chicago's more than 200 neighborhoods," reports Bentley.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012 in The Architect's Newspaper

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

5 hours ago - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

6 hours ago - KATU.com

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

7 hours ago - Urban Edge