Dedicated to Artists

3Arts supports Chicago artists working in the fields of music, theater, and visual arts. Our focus is on women, people of color, and people with disabilities in recognition that their work is still underrepresented in mainstream culture. 3Arts provides both direct awards to artists and grants to arts organizations for their support of artists.

Several factors prompted our decision to dedicate our resources and those of our donors to artists, including:

Artists are undervalued.
In a recent groundbreaking study on artists, Investing in Creativity: A Study of the Support Structure for U.S. Artists by the Urban Institute, citizens across the country were asked whether they valued art. While 96% of the respondents answered that art is essential to their lives, only 27% indicated that they value the artists who make it. The study concluded that people often fail to connect artists’ creative labor and expertise with the art that enriches our lives.

Artists lack funding.
In the categories of music, theater, and visual arts there are approximately 450 competitive cash grant opportunities in the United States for artists, including awards available through governmental agencies, private foundations, public charities, and other institutions. More than 90% of these are awarded through national or international competitions, with 50% providing less than $2,000 and only a comparatively small portion providing no-strings-attached funds. Locally, unrestricted artist awards are even rarer. In Chicago, 3Arts is the only non-governmental organization that provides unrestricted support to artists on an annual basis.

Artists work on the margins.
The majority of artists earn less than other professionals with comparable education and skill level. A 1996 study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicated that artists’ median annual income for work in their fields was $5,000. While time has passed since that study was written, the predicament of artists has not changed dramatically. Today, artists more often than not struggle to obtain health insurance, affordable and safe work spaces, and additional basic provisions that professionals in other areas have come to expect. Further, they often juggle multiple jobs in order to subsidize their art.