Mission:

LUMA8 strives to elevate Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation to enrich the lives of its citizens and create economic impact.

Culture and creativity are at the very core of what makes Chicago the magnificent city that it is.  The architecture, museums, symphony, opera, public art, dance companies, theater community, festivals, music scene, restaurants – all this and more, put Chicago on par with the most celebrated cities in the world.

Yet, the international impression of Chicago amongst the uninitiated is not necessarily focused on its major assets.  Our goal is to change that – and to change it from within.  We want to give Chicagoans something to talk about – something to get so excited about that the enthusiasm is contagious.  Excitement so infectious that local pride leads to regional, national, and finally, international attention.

Founded in 2017, LUMA8’s goal is to create conversations about Chicago that are heard around the world through unique cultural events and experiences, often using light and scale as tools, and to develop innovative ways to amplify the effect of existing arts initiatives.  Our signature event is the Arts in the Dark parade – an event that celebrates Halloween as the “artist’s holiday” and takes place on historic State Street.

LUMA8 is a 501c3 that was created with initial seed-funding from Choose Chicago, the Chicago Free for All Fund, the Chicago Loop Alliance, Millennium Garages, Mesirow Financial and the LUMA8 Board of Directors.