Chicago Park District wins awards
for Arts in the Park and for Best Green Practices
CHICAGO PARK DISTRICT WINS Awards for ARTS IN THE PARK and Best Green Practices
The Chicago Park District won the Illinois Association of Park Districts’ (IAPDs’) first place “Best of the Best Awards” for Arts in the Park and Best Green Practices.
The Arts in the Park award was presented by the Illinois Association of Park Districts in partnership with the Illinois Arts Alliance. The award recognizes the Chicago Park District for its support of the arts and its partnerships with artists and arts organizations to enhance the quality of life in Chicago communities.
The Best Green Practices Award was presented to the Chicago Park District in recognition as the best conservation and recreation agency in the State of Illinois. The Chicago Park District incorporates and encourages environmentally friendly business practices and policies through recycling, green building, conservation and other green-inspired programs.
Illinois Association of Park Districts
Established in 1928, IAPD is a nonprofit service, research and educational organization representing more than 415 park districts, forest preserves, conservation, recreation and special recreation agencies throughout Illinois. IAPD’s mission is to advance these agencies in their ability to preserve natural resources and improve the quality of life for all people in Illinois.
For more information on the Illinois Association of Park Districts, please visit http://www.illinoisparks.org
The Chicago Park District’s recognized art and cultural programs include:
Theater on the Lake
Theater on the Lake has been home to a variety of theaters including community productions to its current mission of reprising productions by Chicago’s most exciting professional companies.
In partnership with the Chicago Children’s Humanities Festival, this poetry project brings youth ages 8-13 the joy of language and the challenge of expression in underserved areas at 10 cultural centers.
Kraft Great Kids program
Funded through Kraft Foods, this program serves 12 parks throughout the school year as part of the parks’ after-school programs. The Park District provides staff that helps youth with their homework and provides arts programming focused on reading.
Arts Partners In Residency
This partnership model allows not-for-profit arts organizations to be housed in Park District field houses. The program currently involves 17 arts partners who receive free space in the parks in exchange for programming.
TRACE: Teens Re-imagining Arts, Community and Environment
TRACE is a teen internship program where youth study environmental issues at their parks.
Cultural Center Initiative
The Park District has identified 13 parks as cultural centers that provide high quality, wide-ranging and diverse cultural programming, serving residents of every age. Programs include instructional classes, special events, performances, artist residencies and partnerships.
Summer Arts Camps
In partnership with some of Chicago’s best arts organizations and artists, youth ages 12-14 get the chance to dance, sing, play, paint, sculpt, draw, create, choreograph, write, and perform all summer.
Inferno Mobile Recording Studio
In partnership with the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Park District has developed Inferno Studio, a mobile recording studio program that provides park youth with the opportunity to write and record original poetry, songs, raps and more.
Teen Arts Expo
The Teen Art Expo showcases the visual and performing arts work that teens, ages 13-19 have created with the Park District cultural instructors and partnering arts organizations.
Partnership Programs
The Park District offers concerts in the parks including SummerDance on the Move with the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Jazz City Program with the Jazz Institute of Chicago.
