Eighth Blackbird Performing Arts Association

Eighth Blackbird Performing Arts Association is a Grammy-Award winning contemporary music sextet founded in 1996 that performs new classical works. It appears in many Chicago venues, tours nationally and internationally, and has been ensemble-in-residence at major institutions. It provides innovative performances, commissions new work, and mentors the next generation of classical musicians. It reaches an audience of 15,000 per season. A MacArthur Award recognizes organizations that have excellent programs, that are well-managed, and that are at an inflection point, where they are likely to grow either in size or influence. Eighth Blackbird will allocate most of the MacArthur Award to increasing its cash reserve; it will use a small portion to underwrite critical one-time infrastructure expenses.

In support of a music exchange with Hungary. Two new contemporary music pieces, one Hungarian and one American, will be created and performed collaboratively first in Budapest and then in Chicago.