LUMA8 strives to elevate Chicago as a focal point of artistic innovation — to enrich the lives of its citizens and create meaningful 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 puts Chicago on par with the most celebrated cities in the world.

Our goal is to ensure that Chicago’s extraordinary creative community gets the global recognition it deserves. We want to give Chicagoans something to talk about — something so exciting that the enthusiasm is contagious. Local pride so infectious that it leads to regional, national, and finally, international attention.

LUMA8 pursues this mission by creating innovative public programming that puts Chicago’s full creative community on display — drawing visitors and economic investment to the city, and ensuring that the power of artistic expression is accessible to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, class, age, ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. In a moment when our city and our country feel increasingly divided, we believe that bringing artists and communities together across neighborhoods, cultures, and backgrounds is not just meaningful — it is essential.

Our signature events reflect this commitment. Arts in the Dark — now in its 12th year and co-presented with the City of Chicago as part of Mayor Johnson’s Fall Fest — is Chicago’s premier celebration of its cultural community, uniting 4,000+ performers from 80-90+ organizations representing every ward in the city before an audience of 100,000+. Named one of the top 10 Halloween events in the nation by USA Today, one of the best in the country by Forbes, and one of the top 6 in the world by the UK’s Wanderlust Magazine, it draws regional, national, and international visitors to the city each October and has become one of Chicago’s most iconic civic celebrations.

The Upside Down Halloween Parade — now in its 7th year and co-presented with the City of Chicago and the Chicago Park District — brings free cultural programming to Washington Park on Chicago’s South Side, giving thousands of South and West Side families a joyful, safe Halloween celebration while connecting them with the neighborhood arts organizations that serve their communities.

Founded in 2017 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, LUMA8 is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to creating conversations about Chicago that are heard around the world.