MISSION STATEMENT
Links Hall encourages artistic innovation and public engagement
by maintaining a facility and providing flexible programming
for the research, development and presentation of new work
in the performing arts.
HISTORY
Links Hall was founded in 1978 as a non-profit 501(c)3 arts
organization by three innovative dancers and choreographers,
Bob Eisen, Carol Bobrow and Charlie Vernon (Eisen now serves
on our Advisory Board and Vernon on our Board). The space
was initially run as an artists’ cooperative which provided
space and community to hundreds of artists of multiple performance
disciplines and cultures from Chicago and around the US. In
1984, Bobrow and Vernon left the organization, and Bob Eisen
remained as the sole visionary until his retirement in 2000.
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In 1985, Eisen asked Michael Zerang (musician/composer;
and current Board Member) to initiate and present a formal,
curated performance series at Links Hall. Zerang functioned
as Artistic Director 1985-89.
From 1989 to 1991, Artistic Director
Jim deJong led the organization in defining its mission, writing
its initial Strategic Plan and solidifying the Board of Directors.
After 1991, Links Hall successfully sought funding for its first
paid staff, renovated our studio and established contemporary dance
as our core artistic discipline, while remaining supportive of all
multidisciplinary performance work. From 1996 to 2000, the artistic
reach of the organization was diversified with more of a national
focus, and in 1998 we were invited to join the National Performance
Network, an invitation-only group of 60 diverse presenting organizations
– through NPN membership, we continue to provide commissioning
and residency support to local and national performance/dance artists.
In 2000, following Bob Eisen’s retirement (a
critical moment for any arts organization), Links Hall appointed
Asimina Chremos as Artistic Director, to develop and sharpen the
focus of our artistic programming. In 2001, the Chicago Community
Trust recognized our important position in the artistic community
and helped us reach a new level in organizational capability by
awarding Links Hall a salary seed grant.
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After 2000, the Board of Directors recognized the
need to formalize Links Hall’s organizational and artistic
program structures, and worked towards changing the central
staff position of Artistic Director to that of Executive Director.
For an organization of Links Hall’s size, the need to
formalize and professionalize its staffing was seen as crucial.
This restructuring phase has already produced impressive and
effective change in the organization’s infrastructure
- mostly significantly, the appointment in July 2004 of the
organization’s first Executive Director, CJ Mitchell,
along with the development of new Staff, Board, Advisory Board
and Committee structures. Links Hall also celebrated its 25th
anniversary in 2004.
In 2005, Links Hall developed
a five-year Strategic Plan, to affirm our mission and articulate
a long-term vision for the organization. We continue to strengthen
our artistic programs, through which we offer unique opportunities
to artists and audiences, and have recently seen significant
growth in audience attendance. For many, Links Hall has proven
itself as an exemplary model for the city and nation –
however, we believe that the long-term impact and understanding
of the important artistic work which is nurtured and presented
at Links Hall will be enhanced through the organizational
developments which are currently being implemented. |
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