Chance the Rapper Launches New Chance Arts and Literature Fund
After a disappointing meeting with Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner earlier this month, Chance the Rapper promised he would come back with a plan on how to better support Chicago’s public school system. On Friday afternoon, he announced the New Chance Arts and Literature Fund.
This afternoon, the Grammy Award winner held a press conference at Robeson High School that was streamed across social media platforms. “We all know the Illinois education system is one of the most underfunded in the nation,” he said before noting the importance of the arts to young students. “I’m excited to announce the creation, in collaboration with the Children’s First Fund, of the New Chance Arts & Literature Fund.”
Working with the Ingenuity fund, Chance’s non-profit Social Works will work to identify CPS schools in most dire need of a better arts program. “We are committed to giving the kids as much as we can,” he said while also noting that the Chicago Bulls have since donated $1 million to the CPS foundation.
Recently, Chance announced his own plans to donate $1 million to CPS, an amount made possible through ticket sales for his spring tour and partnerships with Live Nation, AEG and Ticketmaster. Additionally, Social Works will match every $100,000 raised for the CPS with an additional $10,000 to be allocated to specific Chicago public schools.
Chance and Governor Rauner had a private meeting in early March to discuss funding for Chicago Public Schools, and Chance left notably flustered after the 30-minute discussion ended. “I felt it went a little bit different than it should have,” he told the press. “I’m here because I just want people to do their jobs.”