In January, we kicked off our series of Tequila Herradura-supported workshops in Chicago, with our amazing Financial Literacy Workshop leader Amy Smith of Headlong Dance hosting two workshops in one weekend, first at 3Arts and then at the Chicago Artists Coalition (CAC). Amy had a fantastic time leading the sessions, telling us, “The artists who participated in the 3Arts and CAC workshops were great. There was an amazing amount of trust and candor and sharing of knowledge in the room at both workshops. Many of the artists left feeling more empowered to value their own time more accurately and ask for what they need financially, and also to start figuring out long-term solutions to their financial problems.”


At 3Arts on January 9th, our workshop was a mixture of information, laughter and insights. Erica Mott, a choreographer and performer, wrote, “It was such a pleasure on the darkest month of the year to bask in the warm glow of your presence, humor and honesty yesterday. I am so grateful for this workshop and the loving kick in the administrative pants it gave me.”
Hip-hop artist Naledge (AKA Jabari Evans) wrote on his blog, “The all-day seminar and discussion was uplifting, if not therapeutic, for attendees such as myself who almost never have an open forum to discuss our financial struggles with those who can empathize. By creating an open dialogue amongst a diverse array of creatives, a safe and constructive environment allowed us to tackle tedious subjects like debt management, best practice for filing tax returns as a LLC, 501c3 or sole proprietorship, and also how to create habits of fiscal responsibility.”
3Arts’ Executive Director Esther Grimm has already seen the effects of the workshop on the artists, writing, “One of our artists wrote me already to say how much he learned. Others let me know that the project budgeting information was invaluable.”
The very next day, Chicago Artists Coalition Professional Development Manager Tempestt Hazel told us, “Amy was a fantastic leader, offering very relevant and approachable guidance that was a mix of entry-level and advanced information.”


Thanks so much to Amy Smith, 3Arts, CAC and, most of all, Tequila Herradura for making these workshops possible.