Our Board of Trustees is made up of community volunteers from Chicago’s corporate, educational, and philanthropic communities. These volunteers serve as the financial stewards for the school. Trustees make a personal commitment to support the Arts Academy with an annual contribution of $1,000 or more in addition to:
Appointments to the board are made by nominations from the Board Development Committee.
The Benefit Board is the Arts Academy’s largest fundraising group. This group is made up of Chicagoans from a variety of backgrounds – the arts, education, civic organizations and the corporate/foundation community – all committed to providing scholarship funds to broaden access to the Arts Academy. This volunteer group generates scholarship support by creating and executing special events that support the school. During the past academic year, events by the Benefit Board raised more than $100,000 with proceeds supporting Arts Academy scholarships and other educational programs.
Each spring the Benefit Board hosts The Irv and Essee Kupcinet Leadership Award, an awards luncheon event honoring an individual who has moved the school forward in the spirit of Irv and Essee Kupcinet, beloved supports of the Arts Academy. The Benefit Board also host additional special events such as a fall membership party, smaller mini-benefits and events featuring Arts Academy students during the year.
Benefit Board members contribute $100 per years in membership dues. Membership meeting are held monthly to assist with ongoing project. Each member also commits to raising $500 for the school during the year. This commitment can be made by making additional contributions, purchasing tickets to benefit event, selling tickets to friends and associates or by securing donated items to be used in auctions and raffles that generate proceeds for the school. New members are welcome and are nominated by the Benefit Board’s Membership Chair. For more information on the Benefit Board, contact Steve Majsak, Director of Development at the Arts Academy by email at smajsak@chicagoartsacademy.org or by phone at 312-421-0202 x 15
NOTE: Community volunteers are welcome to assist on individual Benefit Board events even if they are not formal members of the Benefit Board. We also rely on community members to donate items and services as silent auction and raffle prizes.
The Alumni Association works to develop opportunities for alums to remain connected to the Arts Academy through an Alumni Network. The organization manages an alumni listserve group on Yahoo and brings alumni together though such events as Chapter gatherings in other cities, holiday alumni receptions and other projects that engage alumni and Arts Academy students. There is currently a Los Angeles Chapter of the Alumni Association and plans are underway to create a chapter in New York.
For more information, visit the Alumni section on the Arts Academy website.
The purpose of TAPA is to act as a liaison body between the school and the parents of current students. All current parents are automatically members of TAPA. Individual committees plan and execute specific events throughout the year to assist the school in three areas:
= Community Outreach
= Communication
= Contributions (Fundraising)
TAPA has also hosted pancake breakfasts for Arts Academy families, held other benefits in the past to raise funds for specific projects (i.e., obtaining a new piano for the music department.) and help facilitate performance by Arts Academy students. All proceeds directly support scholarships and other departmental needs.
For addition information on TAPA, please contact Steve Majsak in the development office at smajsak@chicagoartsacademy.org or by calling 312-421-0202.