It’s a stretch to say we Chicagoans are starving for art. From visual artists to musicians and designers, many creative locals are ready and willing to show their work. We even have areas in the city dedicated to cultivating the arts. Take a walk through East Pilsen or River North and you’ll practically trip over all the galleries and artist live-work spaces. But – are they economically viable? And what are the challenges to establishing arts districts in urban areas, especially in this economy? Yue Zhang is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She has been researching the effects of arts districts and she explains more.

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Music Button:  Chris Joss, “Kali Flowers”, from the CD Monomaniacs, (ESL)