Follow Us On Twitter
Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national organization for theatre, announced that the 33rd TCG National Conference will be hosted in Chicago, IL from June 20th to 22nd, 2024, in association with the League of Chicago Theatres. The TCG National Conference draws between 700 to over 1,000 theatre professionals from around the world for professional development, community-building, performances, and opportunities to explore - and draw inspiration from - the local theatre community. In December of 2022, TCG announced a return to a biennial National Conference schedule, with 2023 as the first off-year. After virtual conferences in 2020 and 2021, TCG held its first hybrid National Conference in Pittsburgh, PA in 2022. The 2024 Conference will build on the learnings of 2022 and include a virtual attendance option in addition to the in-person experience.
"The last time TCG held our National Conference in Chicago in 2010, we were thrilled to engage with the vitality and vision of Chicago's irreplaceable theatre community. Our Conference, called Ideas to Action, focused on artistic risk-taking, race and gender, the arts learning continuum, and our creative ecosystem," said Teresa Eyring, executive director of TCG. "As we return to Chicago more than a decade later, we're thrilled to reconnect with that vitality and vision at a moment of crisis and transformation for our theatre ecosystem."
"The League of Chicago Theatres is proud to partner with Theatre Communications Group for the 2024 conference and, along with the entire Chicago theatre community, we look forward to welcoming our colleagues from across the nation," said Marissa Lynn Ford, executive director, League of Chicago Theatres and Heidi Thompson Saunders, board chair, League of Chicago Theatres. "Chicago is an incubator for our industry and has always been a supportive home for new work, artists and productions. We can't wait to share the Windy City's legacy of community artmaking, breadth of innovation and artistic talent with the national theatre community."
Through its convenings, TCG continues to serve as a connector for theatres to share best practices and new business and artistic models with one another. TCG presents plenary speakers, breakout sessions, workshops, and performances throughout the National Conference. Past keynote speakers have included leading artists and thinkers, such as Julian Brave NoiseCat, Billy Porter, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, Edwidge Danticat, Naomi Shihab Nye, Jer Thorp, Anand Giridharadas, Samantha Power, Stephanie Ybarra, Mona Eltahawy, Jeff Chang, Jane McGonigal, and Baratunde Thurston.