Based in Chicago and founded and led by artists, Arts First is a collective arts fund1 that mobilizes resources for creative communities.
1 What is a collective arts fund? A collective arts fund is a pooled set of assets donated from many different sources. For Arts First, these donations come from artists and their champions, which include individual donors, philanthropic organizations, for-profit entities, donor advised funds, and more.
By reimagining philanthropy as a collective ecosystem, we empower artists as changemakers and directors of their own fate. By providing funding, tools, and resources, our goal is to support the unique needs and interests of the creative community, fostering a flourishing, just, and interconnected society.
Launching June 2026
For more about becoming a founding contributor to Arts First, or to support our work at any level, email us: giving@artsfirstfund.org
Change Makers
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Making Change
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Change Makers ・ Making Change ・
Arts First is run by artists, to empower artists. Our Board of Directors is comprised of practicing artists, art administrators, and people who are passionate about uplifting arts and culture in Chicago. We believe in collective power, collaboration, partnerships, and building new models for financial security — together.
Arts First
Board of Directors
Meg Leary, Founder
Erin Harkey, Chair
Chief Executive Officer at Americans for the Arts
Elizabeth Corr
Manager of Arts & Social Practice at the Obama Presidential Center
Kate Dumbleton
Executive & Artistic Director at Hyde Park Jazz Festival
Tempestt Hazel
Writer and Co-Founder Sixty Inches from Center
Lisa Kaplan
Pianist and Artistic Co-Director of Eighth Blackbird
Jenny Kendler
Owner of OtherPeoplesPixels, Founding Member of Artists Commit
Sara Slawnik
Chief of Staff at United States Artists