Blog

Dear Board, Docents and Staff,

This quarter was full of energy at the Chicago Architecture Center, and not just because it was peak season for our walking tours and river cruise, or because of the launch of the all-new architecture.org website.

Over the past few months, the CAC has plenty to be proud of:

• We commemorated 50 years of Chicago Women in Architecture through our new exhibition, DISRUPTERS, that highlights the importance of this transformative professional organization. The exhibition features information about the organization’s founders, presidents and important works created by CWA-affiliated architects, and runs through early January.
• We celebrated our advocacy successes, with the General Services Administration (GSA) announcing plans to preserve the Century and Consumers Buildings located at 202 and 220 State Street. CAC worked alongside other preservation organizations to advocate for adaptive reuse of the structures, and GSA is now seeking proposals from interested developers.
• We invested in the next generation of architects and designers at our annual GirlsBuild! summer camps. The week-long sessions, two of which were facilitated in partnership with Mobile Makers Chicago, gave girl-identifying youth a taste of what it’s like to be a designer. The events culminated with our annual GirlsBuild! Day at the Center, featuring design activities and heard from an inspirational keynote speaker, 2024 AIA President, Kimberly Dowdell.

I’m excited to share more successes about Open House Chicago successes in the Q4 report; this year saw record attendance, with 192 locations across 23 neighborhoods participating in the festival. In this report, you’ll find a piece I authored about why OHC is more than just a fun way to spend your weekend. It truly contributes to Chicagoans’ civic pride and understanding of our built environment. On November 23, we’ll share images from OHC’s first photo contest in “Framed Views: Open House Chicago Photography.”

Looking beyond the third quarter, we’re already ending the year on a high note. We met our fundraising goal at our annual Designing Futures gala and announced the winners of our Missing Middle Infill Design Competition. We’ll also welcome CAC members (that’s you!) to a Member Lounge during the Mag Mile Lights Festival on November 23, where you’ll be treated to a special performance by the A&A Ballet’s Art Deco Nutcracker, along with refreshments and an increased discount for holiday shopping at our Design Store.

We look forward to celebrating the season with you! Thank you for your continued support of the CAC.

My Best,

• Youth Education – 1,674 participants across 65 programs. Up from 2023.

• Adult Programs – 1,182 participants across 25 programs. Up from 2023

• Development – 84K Individual giving 30.5K Corporate giving 89K Foundation 106.1K Government grants & pledges 215K Fundraising events 5K Capital campaign 575K total Down from 2023

• Volunteers – 447 active volunteers gave 5,793 hours. Up from 2023.

• Center Attendance – 10,572 entries and $70,463.60 in revenue. Down from 2023.

• Members & Retention – 7,414 members, down from 2023 at with $416K in revenue and 65% renewal rate, up from 2023.

• River Cruise – 1,368 departures with 178,511 guests and $3.2 M in revenue. Up from 2023.

• Walking Tours – 1,135 departures with 8,229 guests and $141K in revenue. Up from 2023.

• Retail Sales – $233K in-store sales $6.9K online sales 52.69% profit margin Up from 2023