Due to COVID-19, Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events have extended the “
Year of Chicago Music” to 2021 expanding its audience and strengthening its creative and cultural landscape with a focus on the south and west sides of the City. The initiative has garnered significant funding from outside partners including lead donor, the Walder Foundation, along with Chicago Community Trust, the Illinois Arts Council, the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, Allstate and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, as well as sponsorship from the Chicago Transit Authority.