The Great Chicago Fire Festival

Inspired by Chicago’s grit, resilience and epic resurgence following the fire of 1871, The Great Chicago Fire Festival was a cultural event designed to unite and celebrate the city’s many voices and talents. The 4-month long citywide initiative showcased an eclectic mix of local artists in a series of free public programs that included residencies in partnership with Chicago’s Park District, and collaborations with youth organizations to produce art objects featured in a large-scale open-access closing ceremony. The public programs afforded aspiring artists an opportunity to hone their skills in performance, color theory, composition, sculptural form-finding, wood working, metal working and weaving. Both the artistic artifacts and programs for their production were carefully curated to ensure seamless integration into the event’s branded aesthetic, structural frameworks, and overall site plan. The closing ceremony held on Northerly Island, was designed as a figurative platform for the city’s poets, dancers, aerialists, musicians, markers, architects, artists, designers, fabricators, theatrical performers, photographers, artisans, and local startups. The Great Chicago Fire Festival was successful in temporarily reimagining a public space to bring people together and inspire positive change through the power of art.

Client: City of Chicago
Location: Chicago, IL
Size: Event & Theatrical Performances
Status: Completed 2015

Ms. Agnello was Senior Designer and Project Manager on the project while employed at Redmoon.