ELIZABETH MORSE CHARITABLE TRUST
In June 2021, the Beer Culture Center (Chicago Brewseum) was the proud recipient of a Strategic Planning Grant from the prestigious Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust. The award allowed us to hire an outside consultant to conduct interviews, surveys, and group workshops with our team, outside partners and colleagues, as well as the general public.
The year long effort resulted in a robust three-year strategic plan that provides a measurable blueprint to enable the Beer Culture Center to codify a sustainable business model, produce and scale program offerings, and promote and market the organization to national and international audiences.
ILLINOIS HUMANITIES COUNCIL
Aimed at providing support to humanities and cultural nonprofit organizations, the Illinois Humanities Council awarded COVID-19 Emergency Relief and Recovery Grants in 2021. The Beer Culture Center was a fortunate grantee and the award offered us the opportunity to continue supporting our vast community during a difficult time via operations and educational programming.
ASSOCIATION OF MIDWEST MUSEUMS
The Beer Culture Center was the winner of the Association of Midwest Museum’s 2019 Media Film Award, beating out well-established mainstream museums in the Midwest.
The award was in recognition for The 1855 Lager Beer Riot video in the Beer Culture Center’s (Chicago Brewseum) debut exhibition, Brewing Up Chicago: How Beer Transformed a City, which was on display at the Field Museum from 2018 - 2020. The video was narrated by award-winning actor and good friend, Michael Shannon.
BrewERS ASSOCIATION DIVERSITY & inclusion GRANT
Two grants awarded: one in 2020 and one in 2022 in support of the Beer Culture Summit, our annual four day conference. The grants were awarded to event organizers around the country who have thoughtfully and intentionally promoted and fostered a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive craft beer community.
While diversity, equity, and inclusion have been an important and valued part of the Beer Culture Center’s mission since inception, the Beer Culture Summit aims to emphasize the work of BIPOC and other marginalized groups. The Summit is also meant to be open and accessible to all from an educational, financial, and participatory perspective.
ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF MUSEUMS MEDIA FILM FEST
In 2019, our very first exhibition debuted at at the Field Museum. Brewing Up Chicago: How Beer Transformed a City was made up of four main sections and told the story of the beer industry’s impact on the growth of the city from 1837-1893.
The exhibition contained multiple audio-visual components. Our sole video - narrated by award winning actor Michael Shannon - told the complex story of the 1855 Lager Beer Riot and won us our very first museum industry award. We also beat out larger, recognized museums, including the Field Museum and the Chicago History Museum.