A Site for Poor Eyes
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Koenen says the site’s been a gleam in the department’s eye since 2003; information specialist Sara Schnadt, who’ll be responsible for its day-to-day operation, joined the Cultural Affairs staff more than a year ago and began working with outside Web design firm Tractiv on its structure last winter. It cost $200,000 to build, Koenen says, and is being funded through contributions to the Chicago Cultural Center Foundation, including matching funds from a national donor (Leveraging Investments in Creativity) that they’re still working to meet. Its offerings will include the New York Foundation for the Arts database of awards, services, and publications for artists; UIC’s Center for Health in the Arts 20-year archive of articles; and what sounds like an extensive real estate component–including listings of available live, work, and live/work spaces and the first look at “Square Feet Chicago,” a new guide from Cultural Affairs (eventually to be issued in hard copy as well) that Koenen says covers “every aspect of buying and leasing–zoning, building codes, mortgages, credit, alternative purchasing.”
What the CAR site won’t have, she says, is “a flat-out listing of artists.” Instead, in an apparent attempt to avoid ruffled feathers, it’ll link to organizations that do have such lists–like the Chicago Artists’ Coalition. Coincidentally, the perpetually struggling CAC will unveil its own revamped Web site in October, featuring its newspaper, gallery listings, and a community calendar of events. Executive director Olga Stefan says the city invited CAC to put some of its content on the CAR site, but “they were interested in our resources–for example, lists of grants and fellowships, lists of models. We have a very small staff, and we compile that information from scratch. We offer it as a benefit to our members and sell it to nonmembers. We can’t give it away.” Stefan says CAR will likely be a “very important service” for artists. But “at this point we don’t understand exactly how we fit there,” she adds. “We’re looking for how we can collaborate. We just hope it’s not going to be a problem for us.”
Second City Radio moved to a new time slot on WCKG, 105.9 FM: it’s now butting heads with Garrison Keillor at 5 PM Saturdays. Starting tonight, September 23, cohosts Jim Zulevic and Ed Furman are spinning off a weekly Second City Improv All Stars variety show at Black Orchid. . . . Mostly Music honors Northeastern Illinois University alum and former Chicago Humanities Festival producer Eileen Mackevich at a benefit tonight at Pazzo’s restaurant. Mackevich, abruptly forced out at the festival last winter, says she’s been consulting. . . . City Lit Theater canceled its press performance of Edward Albee’s Seascape earlier this week after actors in latex-painted lizard suits had a meltdown under stage lights. Artistic director Terry McCabe says cooler costumes will be ready for the show’s opening tonight, and he doesn’t mean those green foam pool-noodle tails they dragged around in previews.
