Arts in the Dark is a magical evening parade that celebrates Halloween as the "artist's holiday".  

Now in its 10th year, Arts in the Dark is a magical evening parade celebrating Halloween as the “artist’s holiday” and drawing together world-renowned institutions, celebrated Chicago cultural organizations, important youth programs, and aspiring artists in every field.  It is a dazzling production that delights an audience of 50,000 with unique floats, spectacle puppets and creative performances – all set against the backdrop of historic State Street.

More than just a parade, Arts in the Dark is a mission-driven and curated event that brings performance and creativity to the street. It draws together cultural organizations and artists from every Ward in Chicago to celebrate our values as artists and cultural organizations – and provide a platform for Chicago’s creative youth to explore a path in the arts.  Most importantly, Arts in the Dark reminds us that we are all connected through the creative spirit that is at the core of our humanity no matter our race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, gender identity or sexual orientation.

We believe that Arts in the Dark has the potential to be one of Chicago’s most iconic events and that it ultimately will draw regional, national and even international visitors to the city.

arts in the dark values

the power of art

We believe Chicago’s creative individuals, organizations, and communities are a driving force in the life of the city and should be recognized for the value they bring to Chicago’s cultural, economic, and civic life.

Artists of today

This year the parade will be led by a spectacle contingent that represents Chicago’s diverse film community. 

Artists of tomorrow

We invite Chicago’s children to join us in making and creating and to experience the wonder and inspiration of creative work.

ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR ALL

We honor and respect all of our creative communities and seek to engender a deep democratic spirit.  We strive to bring together on one playing field the most established and esteemed along with the new and aspiring. We celebrate the wide arc of creative forms as well as the broad spectrum of artistic genres, practices, disciplines, and guilds. We embrace artists, organizations and attendees of every race, ethnicity, class, ability, gender identity and sexual orientation and strive to build a parade lineup and audience as diverse as the city in which we live.

THIS IS NOT YOUR FATHER’S PARADE

This is not a parade for dignitaries, politicians or sponsorship floats. This is a celebration of cultural organizations and artists of every sort – all of whom bring passion and creative problem solving to the challenge of parading.  It is “parade as art” as our contingents combine costumes, spectacle, music, movement, audience engagement, and lighting elements.

why is Arts in the dark
important for chicago?

  •  Chicago is one of the great world cultural capitals.  It is the birthplace of modern architecture, the urban blues, improv., modern gospel, jazz, storefront theater, House music, poetry slam and so much more.  Yet, our City lacks a unifying moment in which our poets, designers, architects, actors, musicians, dancers, writers, chefs, film crews, set builders, costume designers, museum staff, visual artists, neighborhood cultural organizations and teachers collectively celebrate our great cultural landscape.  Arts in the Dark is this moment.
  • In many cultures, parading is a creative genre.  Carnival and Mardi Gras, with their related second line performances, are stirring examples.  Unfortunately, most American parades have lost their artistry and creative spirit due to the influence of commerce and nationalism.  We seek to re-establish parading as an art form.  Consequently, we do not allow politicians, traditional beauty queens, and formulaic floats in our parade and insist that all of our participants bring creative agency and inspiration to the street.
  • The event has reached a tipping point, and in 2023 it was named one of the top 10 Halloween events in the country by USA Today and one of top 4 Halloween events in the world by Wanderlust Magazine.  CHOOSE CHICAGO, the City’s destination marketing organization, has made Arts in the Dark a key component of their campaign to draw visitors to Chicago, and we expect a record number of visitors from around the nation and the world for the 10th Annual parade on October 19th, 2024.
  • As the Candy Capital of North America that boasts one of the richest cultural districts in the nation, it is only fitting that the eyes of the world are on Chicago’s creative community during the greatest of all candy seasons, Halloween! 

About LUMA8:

LUMA8 is an independent 501c3 that strives to elevate Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation that
enriches the lives of its citizens and creates economic impact.

Click HERE to learn more about LUMA8.
 

LUMA8 Staff

Sharene ShariatzadehPresident & CEO of LUMA8, Co-founder of Arts in the Dark and LUMA8 Executive Producer

Mark Kelly – Co-founder of Arts in the Dark and LUMA8 Artistic Director

Krista Wolter – Director of Programs

Sara Prescott – Social Media Manager

LUMA8 Board of Directors

Chairman: Corey Minturn William Blair & Company

President: Sharene Shariatzadeh LUMA8

Secretary: Steve Perlman The Marketing Store

Michelle T. Boone The Poetry Foundation

Michael A. Chabraja Ice Miller

Allison Gerlach Chicago Loop Alliance

Jerry Hagedorn Barry Callebaut

Mark Kelly LUMA8 Artistic Director, former DCASE Commissioner

Anna D. Shapiro Steppenwolf Theatre Company

 
 
 
 

·      October 19: Arts in the Dark

   

2024 Arts in the Dark Honorees

Dee Alexander – jazz singer extraordinaire

Bril Barrett – tap dancer, Founder and Artistic Director of M.A.D.D. Rhythms, NEA Heritage Fellow

Sandra Delgado – actor, singer, playwright, arts advocate

Hallie Gordon – an acclaimed advocate for youth theater, former Artistic Producer, andArtistic Director of Steppenwolf youth theater

Gloria Groom – renowned Art Institute curator, recipient of the French Legion of Honor

J. Ivy – three-time GRAMMY Award winner, spoken word artist, musician, producer, arts
advocate

Margaret Murphy Webb – jazz vocalist, educator, producer, arts advocate, Founder and Executive Director of the South Side Jazz Coalition, Co-Chair of the Year of Chicago Music
initiative

Tyrone Phillips – actor, director, Founder and Artistic Director of Definition Theatre

Tim Samuelson – Chicago’s beloved cultural historian

Sentrock – an esteemed and prolific Chicago street artist

Volunteers

Karen Brosnan Natali Clarke Patti Kordas
Sharon Lynch Shariatzadeh
 
 

Special thanks to:

The Chicago Mayor’s Office, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (especially Commissioner Clinee Hedspeth, Anne Hickey and Joe Fonzino), the Chicago Park District, CHOOSE Chicago, 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly and his staff, the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Department of Transportation for all of their support. We are also grateful for the assistance of  John Trick, Dave Adams, and our parade marshals and volunteers.