Chicago Dancemakers Forum Names First Executive Director

The Chicago Dancemakers Forum (CDF) is delighted to announce the appointment of Ginger Farley as its first Executive Director. A Chicago-based dance artist and advocate for more than 35 years, Farley has previously served as CDF's project director and as a member of its consortium, comprised of representatives from the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago, Links Hall, the City of Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago, plus independent alumni of its Lab Artist granting program serving in rotation. Under Farley's leadership with a diverse group of arts administrators providing key guidance and support, CDF is securing a 501(c)(3) designation in Illinois for greater flexibility in operations, and increased capacity to receive and distribute contributions.

Currently its single largest program, CDF's Lab Artist grant has since 2003 supported ascending choreographers in Chicago with $15,000 cash awards annually - plus a full year of mentorship, artistic and professional development support - toward new work in dance. 2014 Lab Artists J'Sun Howard, Ginger Krebs, Adam Rose and Ahmad Simmons will each present their CDF-supported original works in performance in the coming months.

Forty-five CDF Lab Artist alumni include Chicago Human Rhythm Project founder Lane Alexander, Lucky Plush Productions artistic director Julia Rhoads, Kevin Iega Jeff of Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Hema Rajagopalan of Natya Dance Theatre and, among its inaugural group of awardees, Farley herself. More than 80% of these alumni are still based primarily in Chicago, are active in the field, and many have garnered national and international audiences for their work.

Says Ginger Farley: "For more than a decade, the Chicago Dancemakers Forum has been supporting the creative development of independent choreographers. I'm thrilled and honored to continue this impactful work and to lead the organization in building partnerships and cultivating new opportunities, toward a stronger, more expansive and vibrant future for dance in Chicago."

CDF's current call for Lab Artist proposals was released on January 1 and its next group of grantees will be announced in June 2015.