Image: Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza has committed $1.7 million to Chicago Public Schools through 2031 to expand arts education, including music, dance and theatre programmes for young artists across the city. The grant was announced on 17 May 2026 and is one of the largest gifts the district has ever received for arts programming. It lifts the music festival’s total support for arts in the city’s public schools to $3.9 million since 2021. A new $634,000 investment goes to All-City Performing Arts, which runs after-school music, dance and theatre ensembles for students across Chicago. A $1.1 million renewal goes to the Lollapalooza Arts Education Fund, which gives schools grants to expand in-school arts programmes across artistic disciplines. Ingenuity and the district’s Department of Arts Education expect the investments across the fund and All-City Performing Arts to reach more than 40,000 students in more than 150 schools and more than 40 wards over five years.
The grant advances two initiatives, according to Chicago Public Schools. The district says the two programmes together strengthen visual arts, music, dance and theatre during the school day while widening the chances for students to practise and perform outside it. Charlie Walker, a partner at C3 Presents and a Lollapalooza promoter, said in the announcement that investing in arts programmes for district students is one of the most impactful ways to help shape Chicago’s future. He said the aim is to make a real difference in classrooms and to give students new opportunities beyond school to learn, perform and share their talents. Nicole Upton, executive director of Ingenuity, said in the Chicago Public Schools announcement that the festival’s support has been critical in expanding access to high-quality arts education in the schools that need it most. She said the renewal keeps resources reaching classrooms, strengthening programmes and supporting educators. Rebecca Clarkin, executive director of Children First Fund, said in the announcement that the festival is setting an example of how corporate partners can help give every student access to high-quality arts programming, and she described the collaborative investment as sustainable and measurable.
Two community partners, Ingenuity and Children First Fund, the Chicago Public Schools Foundation, are working closely with the district to deliver the festival’s donation across Chicago classrooms and into after-school ensembles. It describes the funding as reflecting the festival’s long-term commitment to equitable arts education in every neighbourhood.