Campaign Visuals

Campaign will encourage people to #GoLiveChicago and experience live theatre, music, comedy and dance performances at venues across Chicago

CHICAGO (April 27, 2023) – Today, Choose Chicago and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), in partnership with industry groups, announced the launch of a new campaign to encourage locals and visitors to experience live theatre, music, comedy and dance performances in Chicago. The new campaign, Go Live Chicago, reminds Chicagoans and visitors that the experience of attending an in-person performance cannot be replicated at home. Through the campaign, which continues through the end of June, people will be encouraged to #GoLiveChicago and visit any of Chicago’s world-class performing arts venues.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic taught us, there is no replacement for the experience of attending a live show,” said Lynn Osmond, President and CEO of Choose Chicago. “With this campaign we are working closely with our performing arts partners to collectively remind Chicagoans and visitors of the magic of live performances.”

“Chicago’s performing arts sector is one of the greatest in the world. With this collective call-to-action campaign we seek to inspire our neighbors and visitors to get back in the habit of experiencing live shows,” shared DCASE Commissioner Erin Harkey. “DCASE is grateful to Choose Chicago and our partners in the performing arts community for rallying together to uplift this important message and drive ticket sales. Our live performances are nothing without audiences.”

The Go Live Chicago campaign is being launched with the support of performing arts industry groups across Chicago, including the League of Chicago Theatres, See Chicago Dance, Chicago Independent Venue League, African American Arts Alliance and the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance.

The campaign will be built into Choose Chicago’s overarching leisure marketing campaign, When You Go You Know, and will feature paid social ads, traditional and streaming radio ads, as well as out-of-home advertising on digital billboards, city information panels and CTA trains, targeting locals and visitors from the suburbs and nearby regions.

The launch of the Go Live Chicago campaign comes as the performing arts sector that was hit hard by the pandemic continues to recover. The campaign was developed following multiple convenings of the performing arts industry during which marketing support was identified as a critical need to reengage local, suburban and regional audiences. This new campaign utilizes provocative creative developed to remind people of the irreplaceable experience of seeing a show live. DCASE has additionally provided the industry with financial grants for marketing and audience development and a new resource guide for City of Chicago Marketing Assets.

DCASE and Choose Chicago are continuing to collaborate with the performing arts community on additional promotional support to amplify the launch of the fall season.

To learn more about the campaign and to find information on the latest Chicago performances, visit GoLiveChicago.org.

###

“There is a story for everyone on our Chicago stages, where unique, in-person experiences are waiting to be discovered in theatres in every neighborhood and the suburbs,” said Heidi Thompson Saunders, League of Chicago Theatres Board Chair. “Theatre is a vibrant part of the cultural life of Chicago, and we want to remind everyone of the joy found in collective experiences. The League of Chicago Theatres is proud to partner with the other creative sectors in Chicago on this campaign as we celebrate our distinctive cultural offerings, encourage audiences to reengage in live events and inspire all Chicagoans to see a play.”

"As Latino theater makers, we have always known the power of storytelling and the unique energy that only a live show can bring,” said Jorge Valdivia, Chicago Latino Theatre Alliance Executive Director. “Now that our theatres have reopened we are excited to heal, to laugh, and to feel in community again."

“Chicago is home to so many incredible artists and arts organizations. These diverse and extraordinary creators inspire our residents and visitors every day,” said Jackie Williams, Executive Director of the African American Arts Alliance of Chicago. “We are proud to support this campaign as we call people back to our venues for experiences that cannot be duplicated anywhere else.”

“After three years, our dance community still has a long way to go to return to pre-pandemic levels of engagement and revenue,” said Julia Mayer, Executive Director of See Chicago Dance. “It's been important for See Chicago Dance to join our Go Live Chicago partners to remind folks that there is just nothing like live performance. It reminds us of our shared humanity.”

###

About Choose Chicago: Choose Chicago is the official sales and marketing organization responsible for promoting Chicago as a global visitor and meetings destination, leveraging the city’s unmatched assets to ensure the economic vitality of the city, its residents and our partner business community. Follow @choosechicago on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Twitter and tag #ChicaGOandKNOW. For more information, visit choosechicago.com.

About Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events: The City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) supports artists and cultural organizations, invests in the creative economy, and expands access and participation in the arts throughout Chicago’s 77 neighborhoods. As a collaborative cultural presenter, arts funder, and advocate for creative workers, DCASE programs and events serve Chicagoans and visitors of all ages and backgrounds, downtown and in diverse communities across the city—to strengthen and celebrate Chicago. For more information, visit chicago.gov/DCASE.