The Creatives Table
The Elevated Chicago Creatives Table is a collaborative space where artists and creatives from across the city come together to connect, lead, and shape the future of their communities through art, culture, and design.
What Is the Creatives Table?
Rooted in the principles of Equitable Transit-Oriented Development (ETOD), the Creatives Table centers community leadership to close socioeconomic gaps, uplift local businesses, support affordable housing, and foster public health and environmental sustainability. Because when done right, ETOD isn’t just about where we live—it’s about how we thrive.
Let’s build a Chicago where every neighborhood has the opportunity to flourish.
Why Join the Creatives Table?
Access to Opportunities Potential
Funding, commissions, and increased visibility
Voice for Policy Change
Help shape cultural policy and investment priorities
Early RFP Insights
Get insider insights to upcoming grants and opportunities
Workshops & Retreats
Learn, grow, and sharpen your skills with peers
Creative Network
Build lasting relationships, share resources, and receive support
What the Creatives Table Offers
Connect & Collaborate
- Network with a diverse community of creatives
- Exchange ideas, challenges, and solutions
- Build meaningful collaborations across disciplines and neighborhoods
Build Capacity
- Engage in a co-designed curriculum focused on creative placemaking and placekeeping
- Develop skills to lead in civic engagement and community development
Shape the Future
- Help influence Elevated Chicago’s regranting and strategy
- Co-create the vision behind future RFPs distributing over $350,000 annually
- Engage directly with diverse stakeholders—city agencies, developers, and community orgs
Who We're Looking For
We’re inviting artists and creatives who are passionate about:
- Collaboration across communities and sectors
- Community power-building and engagement
- Shaping our built environment through art and culture
- Influencing policy and development from the ground up
Further expectations and opportunities will be shaped collectively at upcoming Creatives Table meetings, as we co-develop a shared vision for this powerful network.
How to Get Involved
Ready to join us?
- Complete a short membership questionnaire
- Stay connected for upcoming gatherings, workshops, and opportunities
- Check out our launch event recap and sign up here.