Good afternoon, Chicago.
After canceling a quarterly meeting with some of Chicago’s top cultural minds for a second time, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth is facing criticism from appointees of past administrations who say she is leaving a “void” in the struggling arts industry.
Hedspeth postponed until late February the Cultural Advisory Council’s meeting just days before it was set to occur last week. The decision “continues a pattern” of noncommunication with arts leaders left in the dark about her vision for Chicago culture, advisory council member Amina Dickerson said.
Hedspeth also faces bullying allegations from several staffers, records obtained by the Tribune show. Around a quarter of the department’s staff has resigned or been fired since Mayor Brandon Johnson appointed Hedspeth in March.
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