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RSSChicago’s Creative Industries
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events supports and promotes the city’s music, theater, fashion and culinary industries.
Culinary
Chicago's Farmers Markets bring more than 70 vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers to neighborhoods throughout the City of Chicago.
Fashion
The City of Chicago is home to more than 400 local designers and 300 independent boutiques. The City’s fashion initiative supports and promotes independent fashion boutiques and fashion designers living and working in Chicago.
Fashion Focus Chicago, a week-long celebration of 
Chicago’s thriving fashion industry showcases some of its top designers and features runway shows in Millennium Park and fashion events at various locations around the city. This year’s event will take place October 15-20, 2013. The City of Chicago will produce a series of runway shows in Millennium Park, an Industry Day and shopping events.
Music
Every year the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) accepts music submissions (bio, tapes, cds, photos, etc.) for consideration for the Chicago Blues Festival, Taste of Chicago Bud Light Stage, Chicago Jazz Festival, Chicago SummerDance and others. Apply to perform at Chicago Festivals.
The Chicago Music Summit is a new conference 
presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events to shine a spotlight on Chicago’s innovative and thriving music scene and connect professionals with local and national industry leaders. Featuring panels, workshops, concerts, and networking opportunities, the Chicago Music Summit provides free professional development and exposure to support Chicago’s music industry. The Chicago Music Summit will take place Friday, September 20th at the Chicago Cultural Center.
Also, new this year are the Creatives At Work Forums. The forums bring together experts from the music industry to talk about the most current and pressing issues relative to working musicians and music business owners. It’s a chance to hear from leaders in the field directly and provides a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas among industry peers to stimulate professional growth.
Theater & Dance
In the Works is the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events' residency program and gives emerging and established performing artists the opportunity to test-drive new work in a public setting. Each residency is tailored to the needs of the artist or company and their project. For the first time In the Works will be housed not only at Jay Pritzker Pavilion but also in various other DCASE spaces. Each showing is a unique opportunity for audiences to get a behind-the-scenes look at new work by Chicago artists.
DCASE Theater & Dance - The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) presents an ongoing performing arts series that showcases both emerging and established music, theater, dance and multi-disciplinary artists at the Chicago Cultural Center and other venues. Dedicated to capacity building in the arts, DCASE hires the artists and provides performance space as well as technical and marketing support.
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Supporting Information
- Chicago Artists Month (CAM)
- Chicago Music Summit
- Creatives At Work
- DCASE Theater & Dance
- Fashion Focus: Chicago’s Fashion Week
View all Supporting Information
Department Main Office
Cultural Affairs and Special Events
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Phone: 312.744.3316
TTY: 312.744.2964
Fax: 312.744.8523
Contact Us -
78 E. Washington St.
4th floor
Chicago, IL 60602 Get Directions
