Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance

The Garfield Park Conservatory opened to the public in 1908. The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1998 to support the revitalization of this historic Chicago Park District facility. While the Park District owns and maintains the Conservatory’s facilities and botanical collections, the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance provides public programming and visitor services, and leads fundraising efforts. As the largest cultural institution on the West Side of Chicago with an annual attendance approaching 300,000, the Conservatory offers nature-based family programs, school field trips, teen programs, lectures, classes in greening and sustainability, seasonal flower shows, and numerous public arts and culture presentations. This award provides general operating support to the Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance in the Culture, Equity, and the Arts area of the Chicago Commitment strategy.

The Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, located on the west side of Chicago, strengthens community by providing free educational and cultural opportunities for residents of the predominantly low-income, African American neighborhoods near the Garfield Park Conservatory. This grant will support public art projects and provide music education and performance opportunities for artists and youth from the Alliance, Chicago West Community Music Center, and two community-based organizations in Brazil focused on arts, community development and environmental action by and for residents of social housing complexes in the Sao Paolo region. MacArthur funds will support artist and community organizer stipends, travel, translation, art materials, and meeting costs.

In support of general operations.

To support greening projects linked to community development activities on Chicago's West Side.

To support a partnership between the Chicago Park District and community residents for program development.