No other residency program for dance and performance artists has had the capacity to introduce one to the community in Chicago as that of the LinkUp program at Links Hall. Providing rehearsal space across seasons at a time, the program has hosted and raised the profile of those new to the local circuit and helped develop solid work, complete with mentorship guidance and work-in-progress audience feedback. This approach has produced some of the leading breakout talent among dancers and performance artists in the city, including Jane Jerardi, Isabel Dieppa and Alana Parekh, Precious Jennings and others. This year, with additional funding from the MacArthur Foundation, LinkUp will be rolled into Co-Missions, a new version of the program that will provide cash and resources to an expanded group of fourteen to sixteen artists.
