Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel on the arts: Dance, gritty theater and a shift towards neighborhoods

[stlsaxman]

SNIP

In a wide-ranging interview about cultural matters with the Tribune last week, Rahm Emanuel, Chicago's mayor-elect, signaled his intent to “raise up” the arts in Chicago, especially in the neighborhoods, and previewed a major generational and cultural shift at a City Hall about to be run by a confident leader who listens to the alternative rock band Wilco, likes the darker plays at Steppenwolf Theatre and American Theater Company and is not about to stop hanging out at rock venues like Schubas or the Riviera Theatre.

Self-evidently, this is not to be your father's mayoralty. For unlike the man he is replacing, Emanuel clearly enjoys expressing his views on rock music, slam poetry and edgy plays — in radio studios and other public forums. Indeed, he has been eager to do so.

“What was I going to do with this liberal arts education?” Emanuel asked rhetorically. “Put it to waste?”

/SNIP


http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/2011/03/rahm-emanuel-chicago-arts-scene-tribune.html

[Angry Dragon]

1. I fear for Chicago......... just my opinion

[emulatorloo]

4. You act as if he is Scott Walker or something. LOL, n/t

[Tatiana]

2. I do believe he will invest in the arts. Rahm is actually very big on culture and the arts. n/t

[DCKit]

3. "Mayor Elect"? Who knew? nt

[WinkyDink]

5. While closing public schools.