CI to Eye with Monica Holt Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts, on Advocacy, Resilience, and the Power of Community
10 snips
Sep 4, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Erin Harkey, CEO of Americans for the Arts and former cultural policy shaper in Chicago, tackles the pressing challenges facing the arts today. She reveals her unexpected initiation into arts advocacy amidst funding cuts and emphasizes the critical role of community and public support. Erin highlights joy as a form of resistance and shares practical advice for sustaining arts initiatives. Listeners learn about the economic impact of the arts and the transformative power of cultural experiences in uniting people.
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Early Spark And Career Turn
- Erin Harkey describes growing up with music and writing and discovering a professional path in arts and urban planning.
- Moving back to LA and seeing Walt Disney Concert Hall's role in downtown redevelopment convinced her of arts' community impact.
Rising Through Chicago's Cultural Agency
- Erin recounts holding many roles at Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events over nine years.
- She advanced from policy staff to deputy commissioner, then first deputy, and finally commissioner appointed by the mayor.
Tap Broader City Funds
- Chicago balanced large public programming with local arts agency work by tapping nontraditional funding pots.
- Inclusion in mayoral initiatives unlocked infrastructure and economic development funds for arts distribution.