The power of partnership is ingrained in every aspect of The Joffrey Ballet, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award Winner. As one of Chicago’s most beloved cultural institutions since 1995, the company has intentionally cultivated relationships locally, nationally, and internationally, elevating not only its own profile but also sharing visibility and success with the organizations and communities it touches.
These partnerships are strategic. Joffrey’s collaborative vision across the artistic, academic, civic, and healthcare sectors has reinforced the organization’s financial stability while deepening its ties to the city it proudly calls home.
Using Partnership to Promote Joffrey’s Vision
Joffrey’s mission is to “promote dance through an unwavering commitment to high-quality performances, education, and innovation.”
Partnerships with organizations ranging from the Australian Ballet and San Francisco Ballet to Chicago Public Schools, Kellogg Business School, Chicago Loop Alliance, and Choose Chicago help bring those goals to fruition.
“Our mission itself is a partnership,” says President and CEO Greg Cameron.
Cameron, who joined Joffrey as executive director in 2013, has a lifelong love of the arts and close ties to Chicago (he grew up in Westchester, 15 miles west of downtown). His professional resumé reads like a directory of Chicago’s top cultural institutions, including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), the Art Institute of Chicago, and local PBS affiliate WTTW.
It was an internship and subsequent role at the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs that shaped his understanding of collaboration.
“It really goes back to my days there and watching how the city made things happen,” he says. “Good things happened when people worked together. I do think it’s a Chicago thing. Or maybe our Midwest mentality, our desire to do more and spend less.”
Early in his tenure, Cameron saw opportunities for Joffrey to play a larger role within Chicago’s cultural landscape.
“I realized that the organization called Chicago home but hadn’t really embraced being a partner,” he says. “I immediately looked into relationships that I had.”
One of the first big projects presented was a revamping of the company’s beloved Nutcracker production. The board of directors approved the commission to create the new production by Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, set in the shadow of the 1893 Columbian Exposition. And it was Cameron’s ties to WTTW that brought them on board to produce a behind-the-scenes documentary, which aired locally on PBS, chronicling the “making of” this new holiday tradition.
Eliminating Debt Through Partnership
A major early accomplishment was the retirement of the company’s debt in 2014.
“That was a partnership with the board,” says Cameron. “Previously, board members weren’t thought of as partners but funders. It was much more transactional. Working together, we quickly retired the debt, and with board participation, we established an internal line of credit that, to this day, we have never had to use.”
An early external partnership was a fundraising challenge from The Rudolf Nureyev Foundation, which led to Joffrey’s first endowment. It started at $1 million and has since grown to approximately $36 million, which Cameron credits to strong donor partnerships and long-term relationships with people who believe in Joffrey’s mission
Current Joffrey board chair, Jim McDonough, touts not only Cameron’s collaborative partnership with the board of directors, but his working relationship with artistic director Ashley Wheater as a pivotal element in the organization’s success.
“The key is the yin and yang of Greg and Ashley,” he says. “This is an unusual management structure…not in the arts world, but in the real world. Usually, these roles are bifurcated, and that can lead to conflict and dysfunction or lack of clarity for everybody else in the organization. They know their lanes, and they stay in them. They’re grown-ups, and they have their egos in check. They complement each other beautifully.”
McDonough served on the board for years as chair of the nominating and governance committee before taking on the role of chairman. The responsibility of recruiting and vetting new board members made him acutely aware of the need for turnover with new voices and energy. He sees his role as being a “third wheel” to Cameron and Wheater.
“I’m the sounding board for both,” says McDonough. “I bring the perspective of somebody who’s not down in the weeds every day and who can bring to bear the resources of the board, which is one of the most high-functioning boards I’ve ever seen. There’s no dead weight. Time, treasure, talent. Being aware of that and knowing how to capture those skills and bring them to bear as necessary is an important part of my role.”
Artistic Collaborations
Artistic collaborations are the most visible for the Joffrey. They paired with the Australian Ballet to co-commission the ballet Anna Karenina, which premiered in 2019. The ballet received critical acclaim and box office success and even won the international Benois de la Danse Award for Best Choreography.
“When we wanted to do Anna Karenina, we weren’t in a position to do it on our own. And frankly, it didn’t make sense to do it,” Cameron says. “If we create a new full-length ballet and pay for it all on our own, we perform it 10 times, and maybe it gets scheduled again three or four years later, but not that many people get to see it. But suddenly, when we say we’re going to partner with the Australian Ballet, and they pay half, and we pay for half. They perform it in Melbourne and across Australia, and we have permission to perform it in the U.S., and it has a life. Now we’re reaching thousands more people.”
That partnership was so successful, they used the same model to create a new ballet, Eugene Onegin, partnering with San Francisco Ballet. It reunites the creative team behind Karenina, and Joffrey has secured the rights to perform it for 15 years. It premiered earlier this year in San Francisco and will have its Chicago debut on June 4 and run through June 14, 2026.
Internal Collaborations at Joffrey
An internal collaboration was a refresh of Joffrey Tower. During the pandemic, Cameron continued working daily from Joffrey Tower and realized much of the space was underutilized.
“The structure was very hierarchical,” he says. “How can we use this space and create more of a high-rise campus?”
Working with board member designer Elva Rubio, Joffrey created a canteen, shared lounge spaces, and dedicated areas for massages and counseling. The renovation also included new sprung floors in every studio, an expanded wardrobe shop, and a new security desk at the entrance, replacing the former box office.
Artist Bob Faust created visual work adorning the walls, and late, longtime Joffrey photographer Herbert Migdoll’s famous painting of the ballet Astarte has been hung on the fourth floor, reconnecting to the founding roots of the company.
Joffrey’s Grainger Academy and Community Engagement programs also have far-reaching partnerships. The Academy’s Winning Works choreographic competition has expanded significantly over the years, growing from three performances at the Harris Theater to nine sold-out performances at the MCA.
Along with their in-school teaching programs and partnering with the main company, Joffrey’s Community Engagement program hosts annual free matinees of The Nutcracker for thousands of CPS students.
“It’s taking the resources generated by the Joffrey and providing exposure to the arts to young people who might otherwise not ever get it,” says McDonough. “It’s changing lives in a way that can be really profound. Some students have never been in the Loop and certainly never been to the Civic Opera House, or have never seen a live performance of an art form like that. And maybe for a handful of them, it’s going to change their lives by having that experience.”
Making a Home at Lyric Opera of Chicago
For the last six years, Joffrey’s largest partnership has been with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, where the company performs. They recently extended their mutually beneficial arrangement to 2034. Other partnerships include RUSH, Athletico, the Chicago Architectural Biennial, State Street SSA, Harold Washington College, Stanford Business School, the University of South Carolina, and the Poetry Foundation, among others.
“It’s part of my DNA,” Cameron says of collaborative partnerships. “I would say now that it’s part of the Joffrey’s DNA. I’m not the only one with partnership ideas. Now that we know how to be a good partner, my job is to make sure that, financially, we’re able to support all these partnerships. Nothing on the artistic side happens without partnership or collaboration. For me, watching what happens in the studio, watching our company artists partner together…when they do that, beautiful work happens. To me, that extends beyond dance. How can we broaden our reach while also creating the financial stability we need?”
How to Help
The generous contributions of donors enable Joffrey Ballet to continue to broaden its vision and deliver inclusive arts education to the community, top-tier dance instruction for dancers of all skill levels and ages, and exceptional performances that enrich the city’s cultural tapestry.
Coming Up: The Joffrey Ballet Celebration
This year’s Joffrey Ballet Celebration marks 70 years of The Joffrey Ballet, a 2026 Make It Better Foundation Philanthropy Award winner, and 30 years in Chicago, with a 70s disco glam-themed evening at Studio Joffrey on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The event includes cocktails, dancing, and fundraising in support of the company’s artistic productions and education programs.
Vicki Crain is a Chicago-based freelance arts and culture writer and children’s book author. Her second book in The Furry Princess series was released late in 2024. For more information, visit quapublishing.com. She proudly supports NoStigmas, a global peer-led movement raising awareness and providing support for mental illness and suicide prevention.
