Audience Architects (AA) is a dance service organization whose mission is to build and engage dance audiences in Chicago and advocate for Chicago dance. AA exists to provide Chicago dance companies with increased visibility, expansive resources, and additional forums to showcase and share their talents.

Audience Architects grew out of The Chicago Community Trust’s five-year Dance Initiative, which, among other things, funded a multi-year market research study on how to build dance audiences. One of the resultant projects was SeeChicagoDance.com, an audience development website, which launched in 2005 and drives ticket sales for dance in Chicago. With its comprehensive calendar, discount ticket sales program, email newsletter and database of proven dance patrons, the site quickly proved to be a success. It was clear that it needed to continue beyond the duration of the Dance Initiative, and Audience Architects was formed to ensure its longevity.

Audience Architects is funded in part by the Arts Work Fund for Organizational Development, Boeing, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Sage Foundation, Richard H. Driehaus Foundation,  Chicago Seminar on Dance and Performance, Illinois Humanities Council, Google Inc., the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and numerous generous individuals. Thank you!